One of the most formative experiences of our century has been cultural displacement—physical dislocation from one's own culture or the colonial imposition of a foreign culture. This phenomenon has affected many regions of the world, but it has been particularly severe in countries undergoing European colonization or invasion. Cultural displacement is also an important factor in migration. Cultural displacement can be defined as the forced removal of people from their native culture or the destruction of their native culture. It can occur within one generation or over several generations. The effects of cultural displacement are often far-reaching and can affect entire communities. Cultural displacement is usually caused by political or economic factors. Migration can also play a role in the dispossession of cultures; for example, indigenous peoples around the world face discrimination and oppression that leads to their being denied access to land and resources. This means that they cannot protect their cultures through intermarriage with other groups or by passing on their knowledge and traditions to future generations. In addition, some indigenous peoples have had their cultures destroyed through violence. There are several ways in which cultural displacement can occur. One way is when a group is forced to move away from their native culture. For example, Indians in North America were forced to give up their lands and move to reservations where they were given small plots of land to farm.