Calendar

LEC # TOPICS KEY DATES
1 Introduction  
2 The Decline of the Mercantilist Empires: From 1492 to the Early 19th Century  
3 Classic Theories of Imperialism First map quiz: The World
The Foundation of "British" India, and the Roots of a New Imperialism
4 From "John Company" to the Mutiny of 1857  
5 Shifting Economic Rationales: From "Free Trade" to Opium Wars  
(New) Views of Exotic Lands and Exotic "Others"
6 Charting New Terrain: Discovering "Darkest Africa"  
7 Ethnography and "Race Science"  
8 Imperial and "Civilizing" Missions  
9 Discussion: Mike Davis, Late Victorian Holocausts (2002) First paper due
Partitioning the World
10 From the Great Game to the Scramble for Africa  
11 The Berlin Conference: Power-Politics and Map Fantasies Second map quiz: Africa
Violence
12 Colonial Warfare I: Conquest of Africa, Boer War, Boxer Uprising  
13 Genocides in the Belgian Congo and German South-West Africa  
Empire in the Metropole
14 The Imperial Nation on Display  
15 Imperial Masculinities and Femininities  
Case Studies of Transformation in the Colonies
16 Hawaii  
17 Discussion: Ferdinand Oyono, Houseboy  
18 Discussion: George Orwell, Burmese Days Second paper due
Narratives (and Counter-Narratives) of Development
19 The First World War  
20 Colonial Economics and "Modernization"  
Twilight of Empire
21 Empire in the Second World War  
22 A New World Order? From the Suez Crisis to Vietnam  
Decolonization in Asia and Africa
23 Decolonization  
24 Independent Nationalism of the New Elites Final paper due (on Fanon)
New Imperialisms?
25 The Neo-Colonialism of "Globalization"?  
26 The New American Empire?  
Final Exam Week