Colonialism and imperialism Books

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Book SynopsisThis book connects the history of labour movements with the transformation of workplace relations in South Asia from the late 19th century to the 1930s. Contending that labour conflicts in the Bengal jute industry must be understood against the backdrop of a radical change in the organisation of work in this period, Sailer shows how this led to a rupture in worker's relations in the workplace and beyond. Moving away from polarities such as class/culture or modernity/tradition and reconsidering the context around industrial conflicts in this period, Workplace relations in Colonial Bengal offers a new framework to analyse the changing organisation of work in colonial India, and identifies the implications for worker relations both inside and outside the factory. Focusing on a major colonial era industry, this book opens up new perspectives n the history of workers and colonial capitalism in modern India.Trade ReviewThis book reminds us that we must know what happens on the shop-floor to understand the factory. In South Asian labour historiography, we have theorized capitalist strategy without paying sufficient attention to the actual work process. It is also blindingly obvious, as the author of this book points out, that workers’ everyday experience of work is critical to their politics. * Samita Sen, Vere Harmsworth Professor of Imperial and Naval History, Cambridge University, UK *[This book] highlights the importance of work relations and the organisation of work – conventionally known as labour process theory – in our understanding of the Jute Industry, its working population and its political economy between the 1870s and the 1940s in Calcutta…The discussion presented in the monograph is illuminating and analytically valuable. * Dhiraj Kumar Nite, Social Scientist, Ambedkar University Delhi, India *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Sets, Squads, and Shifts: The Emergence and Development of the 'Multiple Shift' System 2. Uninterrupted hours of work and frequent breaks: The modalities of shared work and excess employment at the shopfloor 3. Defending the spaces and rhythms of the workplace: Labour conflicts over the change in shift systems 4. ‘Various Paths Are Today Opened’: Working class politics and the General strike of 1929 5. 'Fight to finish': Labour Conflicts in the Bengal Jute Belt in the 1930s

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Book SynopsisHugh Tyndale-Biscoe, grandson of Cecil Tyndale-Biscoe, was born in Kashmir, India, where he attended the school run by his parents. A marsupial biologist best known for his book Life of Marsupials, he served as Chief Research Scientist at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisations Division of Wildlife Research and lectured at the Australian National University in Canberra. In 2018 he was made a member of the Order of Australia.Trade ReviewThis book represents personal history at its best ... [and] offers a clarion call and personal testimony that is challenging. * Anglican and Episcopal History *This is a marvellous book written by a gifted and entertaining author, grandson of the remarkable Canon Cecil Biscoe, covering a significant period of history where the subject’s involvement in Kashmir resonates to this day, not just in fascinating biographical material, but also in the Kashmiri conflict and geopolitical dilemmas expressed as recently as a few weeks ago when Pakistan downed an Indian jet fighter over the disputed border, a legacy of the powerful, eccentric, and culturally embedded British India vividly evoked in Hugh Tyndale-Biscoe’s writing. * Roger MacDonald, author of When Colts Ran (2010), The Ballad of Desmond Kale (2006), and Mr Darwin’s Shooter (1998) *An absorbing, balanced and informative record of unrelenting imperial proselytism, personal moral certitude and ineradicable, uncompromising courage in an outpost of the British Empire. * Professor J.A. Mangan, author of The Games Ethic and Imperialism *This is an engaging narrative of missionary work in Kashmir, based on diaries, correspondence and school records. The text is crammed with much fascinating incidental detail. * Francis Robinson, Professor of the History of South Asia, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK *

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Book SynopsisCarlos F. Noreña is Professor of History at the University of California, Berkeley, USA. He is author of Imperial Ideals in the Roman West (2011), co-editor of From Document to History: Epigraphic Insights into the Greco-Roman World (Brill, 2018) and The Emperor and Rome: Space, Representation, and Ritual (2010). He is currently working on a book on law, empire and political culture in the Roman Republic.Trade ReviewEach volume could successfully stand alone as a reference work on an era: Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Age of Enlightenment, the Age of Empire, and the Modern Age ... The introductory essay to each is a valuable resource for comparing traditional political and economic histories with the more critical and cultural works presented in subsequent chapters. Accompanying each volume is a list of illustrations, notes, further reading, and an index ... Overall, students seeking a comparative, interdisciplinary, and compelling account of the spread of Western empires will find much of interest here. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty * CHOICE *Table of ContentsGeneral Editor's Preface, Antoinette Burton (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA) Introduction, Carlos F. Noreña, (University of California Berkeley, USA) 1. War, Michael Taylor, (University of Texas at Austin, USA) 2. Trade, Sitta von Reden, (Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany) 3. Natural Worlds, Nicholas Purcell, (University of Oxford, UK) 4. Labor, Elio Lo Cascio, (Universita di Roma, Italy) 5. Mobility, Sailakshmi Ramgopal, (University of Chicago, USA) 6. Sexuality, Caroline Vout, (University of Cambridge, UK) 7. Resistance, Lisa Pilar Eberle, (University of Oxford, UK) 8. Race, Emma Dench, (Harvard University, USA) Notes Further Reading Notes on Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisMatthew Gabriele is Professor of medieval studies and chair of the Department of Religion & Culture at Virginia Tech, USA. He is the author of An Empire of Memory: The Legend of Charlemagne, the Franks, and Jerusalem before the First Crusade (2011), many articles on medieval Europe and the memory of the Middle Ages, and most recently with David M. Perry The Bright Ages: A New History of Medieval Europe (2021).Trade ReviewEach volume could successfully stand alone as a reference work on an era: Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Age of Enlightenment, the Age of Empire, and the Modern Age ... The introductory essay to each is a valuable resource for comparing traditional political and economic histories with the more critical and cultural works presented in subsequent chapters. Accompanying each volume is a list of illustrations, notes, further reading, and an index ... Overall, students seeking a comparative, interdisciplinary, and compelling account of the spread of Western empires will find much of interest here. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsGeneral Editor's Preface, Antoinette Burton (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA) Introduction, Matthew Gabriele (Virginia Tech, USA) 1. War, Marcus Bull (University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, USA) 2. Trade, Anne E. Lester (University of Colorado Boulder, USA) 3. Natural Worlds, Vicki Szabo (Western Carolina University, USA) 4. Labor, Martha Newman (University of Texas at Austin, USA) 5. Mobility, Shayne Legassie (University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, USA) 6. Sexuality, Patricia Skinner (Swansea University, UK) 7. Resistance, Brett Whalen (University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, USA) 8. Race, Cord J. Whitaker (Wellesley College, USA Notes Further Reading Notes on Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisAnia Loomba is Catherine Bryson Professor of English at the University of Pennsylvania, USA. She is the author of Revolutionary Desires: Women, Communism and Feminism in India (2018); Shakespeare, Race, and Colonialism (2002); ColonialismPostcolonialism (1998, 2005, 2015); Gender, Race, Renaissance Drama (1989, 1992), and numerous articles on early modern studies, race, colonial histories, and feminism.Trade ReviewEach volume could successfully stand alone as a reference work on an era: Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Age of Enlightenment, the Age of Empire, and the Modern Age ... The introductory essay to each is a valuable resource for comparing traditional political and economic histories with the more critical and cultural works presented in subsequent chapters. Accompanying each volume is a list of illustrations, notes, further reading, and an index ... Overall, students seeking a comparative, interdisciplinary, and compelling account of the spread of Western empires will find much of interest here. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsGeneral Editor's Preface, Antoinette Burton (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA) Introduction, Ania Loomba (University of Pennsylvania, USA) 1. War, Thomas James Dandelet (University of California Berkeley, USA) 2. Trade, Dan Vitkus (University of California San Diego, USA) 3. Natural Worlds, Vinita Damodaran (University of Sussex, UK) 4. Labor, Michael Guasco (Davidson College, USA) 5. Mobility, Jonathan Gil Harris (Ashoka University, India) 6. Sexuality, Valerie Traub (University of Michigan, USA) 7. Resistance, Su Fang Ng (Virginia Tech, USA) 8. Race, Jonathan Burton (Whittier College, USA) Notes Further Reading Notes on Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisIan Coller is Professor of History at the University of California, Irvine, USA. He is the author of Arab France: Islam and the Making of Modern Europe, 1798-1831 (2010) winner of the Australian Historical Association's W.K. Hancock award, and Muslims and Citizens: Islam, Politics and the French Revolution (2020).Trade ReviewEach volume could successfully stand alone as a reference work on an era: Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Age of Enlightenment, the Age of Empire, and the Modern Age ... The introductory essay to each is a valuable resource for comparing traditional political and economic histories with the more critical and cultural works presented in subsequent chapters. Accompanying each volume is a list of illustrations, notes, further reading, and an index ... Overall, students seeking a comparative, interdisciplinary, and compelling account of the spread of Western empires will find much of interest here. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty * CHOICE *Table of ContentsGeneral Editor's Preface, Antoinette Burton (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA) Introduction, Ian Coller (La Trobe University, Australia) 1. War, Christopher Tozzi (Howard University, USA) 2. Trade, Junko Thérèse Takeda (Syracuse University, USA) 3. Natural Worlds, Laura J. Mitchell (University of California Irvine, USA) 4. Labor, Abigail Swingen (Texas Tech University, USA) 5. Mobility, Michael H. Fisher (Oberlin College, USA) 6. Sexuality, Merry E.Wiesner-Hanks (University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, USA) 7. Resistance, Karwan Fatah-Black (University of Leiden, Netherlands) 8. Race, Vanita Seth (University of California Santa Cruz, USA) Notes Further Reading Notes on Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisKirsten McKenzie is Professor of History at the University of Sydney, Australia. She is the author of Imperial Underworld: An Escaped Convict and the Transformation of the British Colonial Order (2016); A Swindler's Progress: Nobles and Convicts in the Age of Liberty (2009) and Scandal in the Colonies: Sydney and Cape Town 1820 1850 (2004).Table of ContentsGeneral Editor's Preface, Antoinette Burton (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA) Introduction, Kirsten McKenzie (University of Sydney, Australia) 1. War, Susan K. Kent (University of Colorado Boulder, USA) 2. Trade, Robert Aldrich (University of Sydney, Australia) 3. Natural Worlds, Ruth A. Morgan (Monash University, Australia) 4. Labor, Utathya Chattopadhyaya (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA) 5. Mobility, Miranda Spieler (The American University of Paris, France) 6. Sexuality, Esme Cleall (University of Sheffield, UK) 7. Resistance, Jennifer Sessions (University of Iowa, USA) 8. Race, Matthew Fitzpatrick (Flinders University Adelaide, Australia) Notes Further Reading Notes on Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisPatricia M.E. Lorcin is the Samuel Russell Chair in Humanities and Professor of History at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, USA. She is the author of Imperial Identities (1995; revised edition 2014), Historicizing Colonial Nostalgia: European Women's Narratives of Algeria and Kenya 1900-Present (2013), and numerous edited and co-edited volumes on Western empires. She is currently working on a project tentatively entitled: The Cold War, Art, Politics and Transnational Activism during the period of Decolonization.Trade ReviewEach volume could successfully stand alone as a reference work on an era: Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Age of Enlightenment, the Age of Empire, and the Modern Age ... The introductory essay to each is a valuable resource for comparing traditional political and economic histories with the more critical and cultural works presented in subsequent chapters. Accompanying each volume is a list of illustrations, notes, further reading, and an index ... Overall, students seeking a comparative, interdisciplinary, and compelling account of the spread of Western empires will find much of interest here. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty * CHOICE *Table of ContentsGeneral Editor's Preface, Antoinette Burton (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA) Introduction, Patricia Lorcin, (University of Minnesota-twin cities, USA) 1. War, Richard Fogarty, (University at Albany, SUNY, USA) 2. Trade, David Lynch, (Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, USA) 3. Natural Worlds, Robert Rouphail, (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA) 4. Labor, Daniel Bender, (University of Toronto, Canada) 5. Mobility, Jessica Namakkal, (Duke University, USA) 6. Sexuality, Anna Clark & Elizabeth Williams, (University of Minnesota and University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA) 7. Resistance, Roland Burke, (La Trobe University, Australia) 8. Race, Bruce Hall, (University of California Berkeley, USA) Notes Further Reading Notes on Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisExploring the professional and political ideas of Newfoundland naval governors during the French Wars, this book traces the evolution of the Naval Governorship and administration of the region, shedding a light on a critical period of its early modern history. Contextualising Newfoundland as part of Britain's broader Atlantic Empire, Morrow focuses on the years 1793-1815 as it transitioned from a largely migratory fishery and nursery of seaman' to a colonial settlement with a resident British and Irish population. With a diversifying economy and growing demography amidst the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, the governors of Newfoundland faced a unique set of challenges. Drawing upon various primary and secondary sources, Morrow provides a comprehensive account of their responses to the perceived needs of those they governed - both settler and indigenous - and reveals the professional attitudes and attributes they brought to bear on both their civil and military responsibilitieTrade Review“This is a well-researched, detailed and original study, and a major contribution to its field. In this groundbreaking and well researched study, Professor Morrow does an excellent job of outlining the role of naval officers in governing Newfoundland, shedding light not just on the history of the province but on its place in the wider world during a turbulent and crucially important period.” * Martin Wilcox, University of Hull, UK *“An excellent study that places Newfoundland into context with the 18th century British Atlantic Empire and demonstrates the great difficulty Naval Governors faced in balancing the needs and comfort of the residents with the requirements of a nation at prolonged war.” * J. Ross Dancy, Associate Professor, U.S. Naval War College, USA *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Appointing Wartime Naval Governors 2. The Routine of Naval Command 3. The Routine of Civil Government 4. Authority, Discipline and Public Order 5. Public Welfare and Measures of Civic Improvement 6. Naval Government, the Indigenous People and the Failure of ‘Conciliation’ 7. Reforming the Framework of Naval Government Conclusion Bibliography

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Book SynopsisPART I: THE EVOLUTION OF WORLD HISTORY Defining World History Historical Philosophy, to 1900 Grand Synthesis, 1900-1965 Themes and Analyses, 1965-1990 Organizing a Field, since 1990 Narrating World History PART II: REVOLUTION IN HISTORICAL STUDIES Disciplines Area Studies Global Studies PART III: RESULTS OF RECENT RESEARCH Political and Economic History Social History Technology, Ecology, and Health Cultural History Debating World History PART IV: LOGIC OF ANALYSIS IN WORLD HISTORY Scale in History: Time and Space Modeling Frameworks and Strategies Verifying and Presenting Interpretations Analyzing World History PART V: STUDY AND RESEARCH IN WORLD HISTORY Programs and Priorities in Graduate Education Courses of Study Resources for Graduate Study Researching World History Conclusion: Tasks in World HistoryTrade Review"Patrick Manning's book is an excellent introduction to a field of historical literature which will grow increasingly important." - Martin A. Klein, University of TorontoTable of ContentsPART I: THE EVOLUTION OF WORLD HISTORY Defining World History Historical Philosophy, to 1900 Grand Synthesis, 1900-1965 Themes and Analyses, 1965-1990 Organizing a Field, since 1990 Narrating World History PART II: REVOLUTION IN HISTORICAL STUDIES Disciplines Area Studies Global Studies PART III: RESULTS OF RECENT RESEARCH Political and Economic History Social History Technology, Ecology, and Health Cultural History Debating World History PART IV: LOGIC OF ANALYSIS IN WORLD HISTORY Scale in History: Time and Space Modeling Frameworks and Strategies Verifying and Presenting Interpretations Analyzing World History PART V: STUDY AND RESEARCH IN WORLD HISTORY Programs and Priorities in Graduate Education Courses of Study Resources for Graduate Study Researching World History Conclusion: Tasks in World History

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Book SynopsisIn 1839, forces of the British East India Company crossed the Indus to invade Afghanistan on the pretext of reinstating a former king, Shah Soojah, to his rightful throne. The reality was that this was another step in Britain''s Great Game--Afghanistan would create a buffer to any potential Russian expansion toward India. This history traces the initial, highly successful campaign as the British easily occupied Kabul and the rebellion that two years later humbled the British army. Forced to negotiate a surrender, the British fled Kabul en masse in the harsh Afghan winter. Decimated by Afghan guerilla attacks and by the extreme cold paired with a lack of food and supplies, just one European--Dr. Brydon--would make it to the safety of Jalalabad five days later. This highly illustrated history then goes on to trace the retribution attack on Kabul the following year, which destroyed the symbolic Mogul Bazaar before troops rapidly withdrew and left Afghanistan in peace for nearlTable of ContentsIntroduction/Chronology/Opposing commanders/Opposing armies/Opposing plans/The campaign/Aftermath/The battlefield today/Further reading/Index

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Book SynopsisCape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world - often described as a kind of heaven on earth. Yet for the majority of its inhabitants it is hell. Apartheid-spawned ghettoes are everywhere, and for those living in Manenberg - a coloured township on the Cape Flats, purpose-built by the apartheid government as part of its forced removal plan - life is just as marginal today as it was during apartheid. The main differences now are the rampant drug use and widespread gang presence.No Neutral Ground is a gripping account of Pete Portal''s move from London to Manenberg, of addicts and gangsters meeting Jesus and being transformed, and how he went from living with a heroin addict to establishing a church community - and all the heartbreak and failure along the way. This is a story of mighty works of God, as well as relapse, hopelessness and despair; the miraculous and the mundane, heaven and hell, all balanced on a knife edge. Offering searing insight andTrade ReviewHere we have the miraculous and the mundane, heaven and hell, all balance on a knife edge. The author believes this is what the Church could become if we were willing to risk it all to reach the forgotten and the lost. Our contexts may be different, but our UK churches could learn much from this book. * The Methodist Recorder *Wow. Honest, inspiring, heartbreakingly convicting, spirit-infused, humble and holy. This book reeks of Jesus and the invitation he still gives to lose our lives for something so much better. Pete writes and lives with both skill and passion and reading this book inspires me to actively participate in God's Kingdom coming to our world! * Danielle Strickland *Pete Portal is a revivalist and an activist, an unusual and powerful combination. This book is the story of how he holds together the great hope of cultural transformation and spiritual revival. He does so whilst facing the painful realities of day-to-day life in one of the most troubled communities in South Africa. * Ken Costa *Portal compels us to lay down our pursuit of comfort, security and quality of life and follow Jesus not just to places like Manenberg, but to the edges of ourselves. No Neutral Ground is a glimpse into a story of our mutual liberation and it is not without cost * Idelette McVicker *Pete's book is a combination of inspiring stories, wild faith and insightful challenge. It will stretch your views of prayer - both answered and unanswered - and of the deeply transformative power of love. * Pete Greig *a human account that shows resilience and humility. I would gladly recommend this as a refreshing read. * Families First *

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Book SynopsisIn 1899, U.S. Secretary of State John Hay wrote six world powers calling for an Open Door in China that would guarantee equal trading opportunities, curtail colonial annexation and prevent conflict in the Far East. In an examination of its origins and development, we discover how the idea of the Open Door came to define the American Century.Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. TheOpen Door Idea, 1893-1904; 2. Imposing the Open Door, 1904-1917; 3. The Global Open Door, 1917-1929; 4. The Open Door in a Closed World, 1929-1945; 5. The Open Door and the Cold War, 1945-1968; 6. The Open DoorTriumphant, 1968-1991 Conclusion; Select Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisThis volume presents twelve detailed studies dealing with cases drawn from the Middle East and North Africa in the period before independence (c.1850-1950).

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Book SynopsisContrary to the stereotypical images of torture, narcotics and brutal sexual abuse traditionally associated with Ottoman or 'Turkish' prisons, Kent Schull argues that, during the Second Constitutional Period (1908 1918), they played a crucial role in attempts to transform the empire.

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Book SynopsisThis book identifies water as a crucial new topic of literary and cultural analysis at a critical moment for the world's water resources, focusing on the urgent context of Israel/Palestine.

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Book SynopsisThis compelling analysis of the modern Middle East shows the transition from an internal history characterised by local realities that were plural and multidimensional, and where identities were flexible and hybrid, to a simplified history largely imagined and imposed by external actors.

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Book SynopsisImages of Apartheid: Filmmaking on the Fringe in the Old South Africa is an exploration of the low budget, black-action cinema that emerged in South Africa during the 1970s and led to subsequent gangster and race-conflict films that defined an era of prolific genre activity.Trade Review"Waddell examines South African (or B-scheme films), i.e., the country's iteration of Hollywood blaxploitation. ZAxploitation cinema was surreptitiously tainted by the apartheid ideological undertones because it was supported by the National Party regime, which provided financial underwriting in the background. These low-budget exploitation films reimagined Black lives in a modernized (rural and urbanized) context. Waddell's book is in conversation with Ken Harrow's Trash: African Cinema from Below (2013) and Tomaselli's Encountering Modernity: Twentieth Century South African Cinema (2006). Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty." -K. M. Kapanga

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Book SynopsisThis book provides an in-depth examination of Scottish Romantic literary ideas on memory and their influence among various cultures in the British Atlantic.

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Book SynopsisExamines a fascinating and critical epoch in the architectural history of Jerusalem. It proposes a fresh and analytical discussion of British Mandate-era architecture by studying four buildings that have had a lasting impact on Jerusalem's built environment.

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Book SynopsisThis book argues that Armenians around the world in the face of the Genocide, and despite the absence of an independent nation-state after World War I developed dynamic socio-political, cultural, ideological and ecclesiastical centres.

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Book SynopsisIn Age of Rogues, leading scholars engage with themes of historical and cultural legacies, contentious interactions within imperial regimes, and the biographical trajectory of men and women who challenged the political status quo of their time.

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Book SynopsisReveals Scots influence on church and society in South AfricaTrade Review"superbly researched book [...] a substantial contribution to the history of South African missions and to South African historiography""" -Richard Elphick, Religious Studies Review

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Book SynopsisHenrietta Liston's Constantinople journal details her journey by sea from England to Istanbul and the diplomatic mission's Mediterranean stops at the time of the Napoleonic wars and reflects on the political situation of Europe, focusing in particular on the British and the Ottoman Empires.

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Book SynopsisReinterprets the making of the modern Middle East by studying its borderlands, drawing on case studies of Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Palestine and Transjordan to overturn popular views of how the borders of the region were formed.Trade Review"Conceiving the post-Ottoman space less through hard borders than porous borderlands, and highlighting the interests of both local and colonial actors, Tejel and ztan develop regimes of mobility" into a percipient rubric for the mandate period. Framed by an astute introduction and afterword, eleven case studies trace how traders, nomads, priests and refugees negotiated customs controls, quarantine regulations and national churches amid competing notions and uses of territory. This is a timely study of both the disconnections and redirections that define eras of deglobalisation."" -Nile Green, Professor of History and Ibn Khaldun Endowed Chair in World History, UCLA

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Book SynopsisWhat did it take for the United States to become a global superpower? The answer lies in a missing chapter of American foreign policy with stark lessons for todayThe cutthroat world of international politics has always been dominated by great powers. Yet no great power in the modern era has ever managed to achieve the kind of invulnerability that comes from being supreme in its own neighbourhood. No great power, that is, except one-the United States.In We May Dominate the World, Sean A. Mirski tells the riveting story of how the United States became a regional hegemon in the century following the Civil War. By turns reluctant and ruthless, Americans squeezed their European rivals out of the hemisphere while landing forces on their neighbours' soil with dizzying frequency. Mirski reveals the surprising reasons behind this muscular foreign policy in a narrative full of twists, colourful characters, and original accounts of the palace coups and bloody interventions that turned the fledgling republic into a global superpower.Today, as China makes its own run at regional hegemony and nations like Russia and Iran grow more menacing, Mirski's fresh look at the rise of the American colossus offers indispensable lessons for how to meet the challenges of our own century.

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Book Synopsis"We have been reminded time and again by anthropologists of the ideas and ideals of the Enlightenment in which the intellectual inspiration of anthropology is supposed to lie. But anthropology is also rooted in an unequal power encounter between the West and the Third World, which goes back to the emergence of bourgeois Europe, an encounter in which colonialism is merely one historical moment. It is this encounter that gives the West access to cultural and historical information about the societies it has progressively dominated, and thus not only generates a certain kind of universal understanding, but also reenforces the inequalities in capacity between the European and the non-European worlds (and derivatively, between the Europeanized elites and the 'tradtional' masses in the Third World) . . ." – from the Introduction The papers in this book analyze and document ways in which anthropological thinking and practice have been affected by British colonialism. They approach this topic from different points of view and at different levels. Each stands as an original contribution to an argument which is only just beginning.

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Book SynopsisApocalypse is as American as apple pie. In an insightful, crisply written blend of memoir, social history, and political theory, Hartmann shows how the prospect of the imminent end of days has been used for centuries to justify almost any American action.

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the history of the European Scramble for Africa from the perspective of the Omanis and other Arabs in East Africa. It will be of interest not only to African specialists, but also those working on the Middle East, where awareness is now emerging that the history of those settled on the southern peripheries of Arabia has been intimately entwined with Indian Ocean maritime activities since pre-Islamic times. The nineteenth century, however, saw these maritime borderlands being increasingly drawn into a new world economy, one of whose effects was the development of an ivory front in the interior of the continent that, by the 1850s, led the Omanis and Swahili to establish themselves on the Upper Congo. A reconstruction of their history and their interaction with Europeans is a major theme of this book. European colonial rivalries in Africa is not a subject in vogue today, while the Arabs are still largely viewed as invaders and slavers. The fact that the British separated the Sultanates of Muscat and Zanzibar is reflected in European research so that historians have little grasp of the geographic, tribal and religious continuum that persisted between overseas empire and the Omani homeland. Ibadism is regarded as irrelevant to the mainstream of Islamic religious protest whereas, during the lead up to establishing direct colonial rule, its ideology played a significant role; even the final rally against the Belgians in the Congo was conducted in the name of an Imam al-Muslimin. Back home, the fall out from the British massacre that crushed the last Arab attempt to reassert independence in Zanzibar was an important contributory cause towards the re-founding of an Imamate that survived until the mid-1950s.Table of ContentsList of maps Abbreviations and conventions Foreword PART I PRE-SCRAMBLE PERSPECTIVES 1 The Omani perspective: part 1 2 The Omani perspective part II: growing British influence 3 The early Arab penetration into the African mainland 4 Oman and Zanzibar: Britain and France 5 Barghash's reign: the first dozen years 6 The mainland 7 AIC phase I PART II ENTER GERMANY 8 German colonization in East Africa 9 Confrontation 10 The Swahili uprising PART III THE ETAT INDEPENDANT DU CONGO 11 The Emin Pasha Relief Expedition (EPRE): part 1 12 The Emin Pasha Relief Expedition: part II 13 EIC: consolidation of state: the Arab Zone 14 The Arab Zone 15 First clashes 16 War 17 Envoi: Zanzibar 1896 Appendix. Arab Material in Belgian Archives

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Book SynopsisThe British Empire is often misunderstood. Judgments of it differ widely, from broadly adulatory - a 'great' enterprise, spreading 'civilization' through the world; to the blame that is often put on it for most of the world's ills today, including racism, exploitation and the problems of the Middle East. In this provocative book, Bernard Porter argues that many of these judgments arise from some fundamental misreadings of the nature, causes and effects of British imperialism, which was a more complex, ambivalent and in some ways accidental phenomenon than it is often taken to be. Drawing on his fifty years' experience of research and writing on the subject, Porter aims to clear away many of the misconceptions that surround the story of the British Empire's rise, governance and fall; and to point some ways to a fairer (though not necessarily more favourable) assessment of it. He addresses the connections of imperialism with capitalism, racism and British domestic culture, and ends with some reflections on the modern repercussions of both the Empire itself, and the myths which have sprung up around it.Table of ContentsIntroduction Hybridity Riding the Beast Imperialisms, Left and Right In the Field How it Happened. Broadly. The Empire at Home The Beginning of the End Legacies Conclusions Endnotes and Bibliography

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Book SynopsisIn 1807 the reformist Sultan Selim III was overthrown in a palace coup enacted by the elite special forces of the day-the Janissaries. The Ottomans were bankrupt and had been forced to make peace with Napoleon after Austerlitz, but it was Selim III's efforts to reform an empire that had suffered successive military defeats, and to reform along the lines of modern principles-with an end to the privileged 'feudal' position of many in elite Ottoman civil-military society-which sealed his fate. This book seeks to situate Turkey's reactionary revolutions of 1807 into a wider European context, that of the French Revolution and the outbreaks of revolutionary activity in the German states, Britain and the US. The Ottoman Empire was an interconnected and crucial part of this early-modern world, and therefore, Aysel Yildiz argues, must be analyzed in relation to its European rivals. Focusing on the uprising, and the socio-economic and political conditions which caused it, this book re-orientates Ottoman history towards Western Europe, and re-situates the late-Ottoman Empire as a key battle-ground of political ideas in the modern era.

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Book SynopsisDiscussions of the Arab world, particularly the Gulf States, increasingly focus on sectarianism and autocratic rule. These features are often attributed to the dominance of monarchs, Islamists, oil, and ‘ancient hatreds’. To understand their rise, however, one has to turn to a largely forgotten but decisive episode with far-reaching repercussions – Bahrain under British colonial rule in the early twentieth century. Drawing on a wealth of previously unexamined Arabic literature as well as British archives, Omar AlShehabi details how sectarianism emerged as a modern phenomenon in Bahrain. He shows how absolutist rule was born in the Gulf, under the tutelage of the British Raj, to counter nationalist and anti-colonial movements tied to the al-Nahda renaissance in the wider Arab world. A groundbreaking work, Contested Modernity challenges us to reconsider not only how we see the Gulf but the Middle East as a whole.Trade Review‘AlShehabi’s book is important in several respects. First, it contributes to historicize the ethnosectarian categories that both scholars and social actors use when trying to make sense of contemporary Bahraini society and politics… It underlines how much Bahraini ethnosectarianism, before becoming a political practice, was first a form of colonial knowledge that different actors contested but also espoused, often strategically. The book is also important politically…because it proposes a scientific reading of Bahraini history in a context where history has been hyper-politicized, and thus often distorted, by local actors seeking to substantiate their respective positions in the hierarchy of power.’ * Politics, Religion & Ideology *‘This is a crucial corrective to misleading and injurious narratives about the perpetually “sectarian” Gulf and its people. Credit to AlShehabi for historicizing the interrelated problems of sectarianism and colonialism in modern Bahrain, the Gulf region, and the wider Arab world.’ -- Ussama Makdisi, Professor of History, Rice University‘With great ambition, rich empirical detail and theoretical nuance, this book successfully sets out to rewrite the history of modern Bahrain… essential reading for anyone who wants to understand Bahraini history, the modern politics of the Gulf and the rise of sectarianism in the Middle East.’ -- Toby Dodge, Professor of International Relations, London School of Economics‘AlShehabi offers an insightful and a fresh perspective that challenges dominant narratives on contemporary sectarian politics in Bahrain and the other states of the Arabian Gulf. While situating the Arab Gulf countries within mainstream debates on Arab al-Nahda, the book provides well-argued analyses of the Gulf-specific colonial experiences and the colonial roots of “the modernized absolutist rule” in the region.’ -- Abdulhadi Khalaf, Professor of Sociology, Lund University‘Written by one of the most astute scholars of the contemporary Gulf, this book presents an authoritative critique of the “ethnosectarian gaze” so often used in writing and thinking about Bahrain. Grounded in meticulous archival research and a fascinating retelling of Bahraini history, the book provides a wide range of fresh and compelling insights into debates around nationalism, identity, colonialism, and the production of knowledge. An indispensable work that breaks new ground in Middle East scholarship.’ -- Adam Hanieh, Reader in Development Studies, SOAS, and author of Money, Markets, and Monarchies: The Gulf Cooperation Council and the Political Economy of the Contemporary Middle EastTable of ContentsPreface Introduction: Approaching Absolutism, Nationalism, and Sectarianism in the Gulf 1 The Ethnosectarian Gaze and Divided Rule 2 Politics and Society Before Divided Rule, 1783–1900 3 Al-Nahda in Bahrain, 1875–1920 4 Contesting Divided Rule, 1900–1920 5 ‘Fitnah’: Ethnosectarianism Meets al-Nahda, 1921–1923 Postscript: The Rise of Absolutism and Nationalism, 1923–1979 Conclusion: State and Society Between Sectarianism and Nationalism Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIntroductions to political philosophy/theory mostly exclude discussions of race, and anthologies of political theory and philosophy cover readings from the ancient Greeks to contemporary theorists but without the voices of nonwhite authors. So Western political thought seems circumscribed to the theories of white men thus providing a misleading narrative of Western political theory to college students. The debates presented between liberalism and absolutism, libertarianism and communitarianism, capitalism and socialism leave out discussions of racism, sexism, abolitionism, colonialism, imperialism, and white supremacy. This textbook is ideal for a variety of courses including social and political philosophy, ethnic studies, postcolonial studies, political theory, sociology, social justice programs/course, and theories of justice. Student features: ·Offers an accessible reader that combines theory with historical and contemporary case studies that encourage students to apply their theoretical understandings of justice to real world issues. ·The case studies offer teachers built-in class activities to explore the implications and applications of theory. ·Includes introductions at the beginning of each section and contemporary case studies at the end of each section of theoretical readings.Trade ReviewLongo successfully brings together the work of a diverse array of feminist and postcolonial scholars whose writings challenge Rawls. In this era of Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, and the Occupy movement, there is a pressing need for a textbook to help students navigate and understand the barriers to justice and how they may be dismantled. Justice Unbound provides that. -- Alana Jeydel, Professor of Political Science, American River CollegeTable of Contents1. From the State of Nature to Society: The Social Contract and Its Critics / 2. Racial and Gender Justice: The Quest for Civil Rights / 3. Economic Justice and Social Welfare / 4. Environmental Justice: Confronting Racism and Imperialism / 5. Global Justice: Confronting Colonialism / 6. From Theory to Practice: Working Toward a Just World

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Book SynopsisMany studies focus on film in Africa. Few, however, study cinema as a leisure activity: one that has influenced several generations and opened up spaces to dream, discuss or contest. Movie theatres offered a break from the daily routine, as places of escape and of education. Cinema was also potentially subversive, offering an alternative to colonial discourse. 'Tropical Dream Palaces' seeks to trace this history in a West African context: of broadening horizons on the one hand, and of censorship and control on the other. It fills a historiographic void, following cinema's arrival in the region in the early twentieth century up until the Independence era, and also looking further afield to Central Africa and its different models. Goerg addresses questions of film distribution in colonial times; of screening venues, their implantation, spread and different categories; while also focusing on audiences, their gender or age; the acquisition of a film culture; and the impact of screening foreign images. Her book draws on extremely varied sources to paint a broad picture of this cinematographic landscape: archives, the accounts of African and European spectators or administrators, novels, autobiographies, the local press, interviews and iconography.Trade Review'Tropical Dream Palaces is an intriguing story of the origins, productions, and various development levels of the motion picture industry in the region. … Georg’s book adopts a unique approach in its use of various sources and hermeneutic cues to deliver an engaging history of the connections between cinematics, leisure, and the West African imperial landscape… a pleasurable and educational read.' -- African Studies Review

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Book SynopsisIn early 1900, the paths of three British writers—Rudyard Kipling, Mary Kingsley and Arthur Conan Doyle—crossed in South Africa, during what’s become known as Britain’s last imperial war. Each of the three had pressing personal reasons to leave England behind, but they were also motivated by notions of duty, service, patriotism and, in Kipling's case, jingoism. Sarah LeFanu compellingly opens an unexplored chapter of these writers’ lives, at a turning point for Britain and its imperial ambitions. Was the South African War, as Kipling claimed, a dress rehearsal for the Armageddon of World War One? Or did it instead foreshadow the anti-colonial guerrilla wars of the later twentieth century? Weaving a rich and varied narrative, LeFanu charts the writers’ paths in the theatre of war, and explores how this crucial period shaped their cultural legacies, their shifting reputations, and their influence on colonial policy.Trade Review'Through careful research and compelling writing, Sara LeFanu brings to life three great writers of the Victorian world and draws them together in a moment of imperial reconfiguration. … [Something of Themselves] succeeds in avoiding the predictability of conventional biography and helps us rethink the literary geographies of the period.' -- Journeys journal

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Book SynopsisThe memoirs of Sidney Wadsworth are a vital source on Britain's colonial history during the first half of the twentieth century. Recounting his long and distinguished career in the Indian Civil Service, Wadsworth paints an entertaining picture of the many places in Madras province where he served, with illuminating portraits of the important British and Indian figures with whom he associated. Here we see through his eyes the growth of Indian nationalism and the rise of Gandhi, and the impact of the Second World War on Madras. Reliving his journey from junior member of the ICS to High Court judge, Wadsworth displays a shrewd acumen and a keen eye for the ridiculous. By no means uncritical of British rule, he emerges from these pages as a conscientious, humane and reasonable official--unlike some of his contemporaries--and one able to accept the huge changes overtaking India. The physical and moral demands of his daily routine reveal the commitment of an administration that, for all its failings, steadily pursued the goal of good and impartial government. Also featuring excerpts from the memoirs of other civil servants then in the province, 'A Judge in Madras' will fascinate anyone interested in the colonial encounter.Trade Review'A vivid account of official life in late British India. Ad hoc solutions and eccentrics abound, and we even learn about the darker side of tigers and elephants. If only there were more books on the Raj like this.' -- Roderick Matthews, historian and author of 'Jinnah vs. Gandhi''A timely reminder in this age with the rise in popularity of “distress studies” that we must look at history in the context of its own time, and that any such understanding should start with an attempt to understand the mentality of those who bore positions of responsibility within its structure.' -- Asian Affairs'Caroline Keen adds a historian’s eye to the rich and entertaining memoirs of Sir Sidney Wadsworth, presenting readers with an intimate portrait of South India in the early twentieth century. As vibrant as the tropical climes of the Coromandel Coast, this splendidly detailed book is a pleasure to read and an important contribution to the historiography of the Raj.' -- John Zubrzycki, journalist, researcher and author of 'Empire of Enchantment: The Story of Indian Magic''A timely reminder, among all the postcolonial polemics, that The Indian Civil Service gave India the world’s finest administrative service, who did their very best for the subjects they ruled. This book, based on memoirs by a British judge, demonstrates the incorruptible dedication of thousands of officials of the Raj.' -- Zareer Masani, historian, broadcaster and author of 'Macaulay: Britain's Liberal Imperialist''While colonialism these days stands rightly condemned, it is easy to forget that many of those caught up in its history were human too--and, in the case of Sidney Wadsworth, remarkably humane.' -- David Washbrook, Fellow, University of Cambridge

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Book SynopsisHow can we explain Britain’s long rule in India beyond the clichés of ‘imperial’ versus ‘nationalist’ interpretations? In this new history, Roderick Matthews tells a more nuanced story of ‘oblige and rule’, the foundation of common purpose between colonisers and powerful Indians. Peace, Poverty and Betrayal argues that this was more a state of being than a system: British policy was never clear or consistent; the East India Company went from a manifestly incompetent ruler to, arguably, the world’s first liberal government; and among British and Indians alike there were both progressive and conservative attitudes to colonisation. Matthews skilfully illustrates that this very diversity and ambiguity of British–Indian relations also drove the social changes that led to the struggle for independence. Skewering the simplistic binaries that often dominate the debate, 'Peace, Poverty and Betrayal' is a fresh and elegant history of British India.Trade Review‘Mr. Matthews’s discerning book isn’t a revisionist defense of the Raj. It is, instead, a warning against the glib postcolonial assumption “that because British rule is viewed as bad, therefore anything else would have been better.”' -- Tunku Varadarajan, The Wall Street Journal‘This brave and intelligent book will satisfy neither empire loyalists nor today’s rabid nationalists, which is all the more reason to applaud its author and relish the clarity of his analysis.’ -- Literary Review'Matthews explores with great delicacy and intelligence… how Britain became itself, at home, more liberal and democratic, while, as an imperial power, becoming the opposite.’ -- The Catholic Herald‘Matthews demonstrates an encyclopaedic knowledge of British rule in India [and] frequently challenges conventional views of events and personalities who shaped British India.’ -- Asian Review of Books'A fresh perspective of the British era that rejects many existing biases. … Elegantly written, backed with sound historical research and convincing arguments, the book is a page-turner.' -- Financial Express'A radical re-appraisal of British rule in India that challenges current thinking on colonialism in the subcontinent. […] This is a thoughtful, thought-provoking book with enough to keep the reader travelling through four centuries of our former relationship with India.' -- Journal of Asian Affairs'Insightful and indeed revelatory… conceptual but also remarkably well-informed historically.' -- Marginal Revolution blog'A radical re-appraisal of British rule in India that challenges current thinking on colonialism in the subcontinent. The author, Roderick Matthews, with his own Indian connections, evaluates the East India Company and its successor, the British Raj, by examining how closely both were influenced by Parliament and contemporary opinion in England. From a liberal, Whiggish perspective which directed Company policy to the hierarchical Tory view that courted India's princes but ignored its peasants, Matthews is acute and perceptive. He argues that the Company acted as a buffer between India and Parliament and that far from being a successful commercial enterprise, it frequently had to be bailed out by the British government. He examines in detail the failure after the Uprising of 1858 to modernise India, to treat its citizens as adults, not children, that denied them the electoral reforms introduced in Britain. He describes the high imperialism of late 19th century Britain, seemingly baffled by 'India's exotic backwardness' and contrasts this with a deeper understanding of the country during the earlier years of British intervention. Betrayal came with the persistent lack of economic activity and a series of uninspired Viceroys. Growing demands for greater Indian representation in the governance of their own country temporarily halted during World War Two but resurfaced immediately afterwards and led to a hasty, botched, Independence that saw the great subcontinent divided for ever. An important book.' -- Dr Rosie Llewellyn-Jones, author, inter alia, of The Last King In India: Wajid Ali Shah (Hurst, 2014)'Peace, Poverty and Betrayal succeeds in providing a wider understanding of Anglo-Indian history by illustrating the way in which divisions in Britain along party political lines shaped attitudes to the governance of India. Maintaining that a willing acceptance of the uncompromising and immutable nature of 'imperialism' in current historiography has tended to disguise the link between the frequent changes in fashion in British politics and the execution of colonial rule in India, Matthews skilfully weaves together the disparate strands of conservative and radical thought which influenced the most prominent British officials and statesmen on the Indian stage. Tackling the thorny issue of "divide and rule", the book argues that the British spent significantly more time uniting than dividing India and, taking advantage of the complex and highly flexible alliances which always existed between elite groups of British and Indians, cultivated loyalty where it could be found with the goal of avoiding rather than fostering civil tension and the subsequent threat to the stability of the Raj. Admittedly culpable in other areas, the British failed in Matthews' view by under-stimulating the Indian economy in which Indian interests were never properly represented and, by supporting the Indian conservative classes after 1857, betraying the hopes of those Indians who aspired to work in partnership with the British to build a modern India.' -- Dr Caroline Keen, author of, inter alia, Princely India and the British: Political Development and the Operation of Empire'One of the best things about this book is that it sidesteps the usual binaries and looks at British India as it actually was, as complex and confused as today's India, neither good nor bad but very, very messy. And, as usual, Matthews is a delight to read.' -- Pritish Nandy, former Rajha Sahba MP, poet, film-maker, journalist and former managing editor, Times of India, and editor of The Illustrated Weekly of India.'A fresh, engaging and challenging perspective on British rule in India, Roderick Mathew's lucidly written and well researched book will reset the debate on colonial rule and legacy in South Asia.' -- Dr Yaqoob Khan Bangash, Director, Centre for Governance and Policy, ITU Lahore, author of A Princely Affair: Accession and Integration of the Princely States of Pakistan; founder of ThinkFest Pakistan.

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Book Synopsis'Empire Building' is a new account of the East India Company's impact on India, focussing on how it changed the sub-continent's built environment in the context of defence, urbanisation, and infrastructural development. Rosie Llewellyn-Jones examines these initiatives through a lens of 'political building' (using Indian contractors and labourers). Railways, docks, municipal buildings, freemasons' lodges, hotels, race-courses, barracks, cemeteries, statues, canals--everything the British erected made a political statement, even if unconsciously; hence this book is concerned less with architectural styles, more with subtle infiltration into the minds of those who saw and used these structures. It assesses, in turn, Indian responses to the changing landscape. Indians often reacted favourably to new manufacturing technologies from Britain, like minting and gunpowder, while the British learnt from and adapted local methods. From military engineers and cartography to imported raw metals and steam power, Llewellyn-Jones considers the social and environmental changes wrought by colonialism. This period was marked by a shift from formerly private, Indian-controlled functions, like education, entertainment, trading and healing, to British public institutions like universities, theatres, chambers of commerce and hospitals.Trade Review'A fascinatingly novel approach to studies of empire that is as illuminating as it is enjoyable.' -- Asian Review of Books'With learning and dispassion, Llewellyn-Jones neither overplays the infrastructural legacy of the Raj nor, as is more often the case, does she excitedly tear it down.' -- Air Mail‘This book is concerned less with architectural styles, more with [the] subtle infiltration into the minds of those who saw and used these structures. It assesses, in turn, Indian responses to the changing landscape.’ -- Financial Express‘In Empire Building, Rosie Llewellyn-Jones traces the history of Indian cartography during the British years.’ -- The Print‘Although little remains of early Empire, other than the monumental buildings of the time, [Llewellyn-Jones] pulls together… intriguing stories out of the charred fragments.’ -- The Hindu'Brick by brick, stone by stone, from canals to cantonments, Llewellyn-Jones masterfully reconstructs the infrastructure of empire in India. An engaging insight into a neglected area of imperial scholarship.' -- John Zubrzycki, author of The House of Jaipur‘Rosie Llewellyn-Jones should be read with attention, to get a sense of how negative perceptions can reduce, how empathy can enrich, how visual beauty can uplift, and how listlessness can destroy. It is a parable for today.’ -- The Wire'Highly readable, full of overlooked detail, Llewellyn-Jones brings British India to life.' -- Roderick Matthews, author of Peace, Poverty and Betrayal: A New History of British India‘[Dr. Llewellyn Jones’] discussion and analysis are wide ranging in topic and time, both illuminating and fair.’ -- Asian Affairs‘This beautifully researched and written volume assesses the “political architecture” the British erected in India and how it impacted both the built environment and the people who used it. It is a major contribution to cultural histories of the British Empire in India.’ -- CHOICE'This is a very readable book, richly illustrated, of interest to scholars and general readers alike.' -- Chowkidar'Offbeat and absorbing, this connects the politics, technology and aesthetics of state architecture of colonial India. With a fascinating series of studies of state buildings and superb illustrations, Llewellyn-Jones shows how the built environment of the Raj reflected the regime's view of itself and the culture of the people it ruled over.' -- Tirthankar Roy, Professor of Economic History, London School of Economics, and author of The Economic History of Colonialism'A highly ambitious book linking art, architecture and engineering with education, scientific innovation and social history. An entertaining, well-researched and original contribution to current literature. I can think of no current competition which covers as much ground.' -- Caroline Keen, author of A Judge in Madras: Sir Sidney Wadsworth and the Indian Civil Service, 1913–47'Political architecture is one of the lasting legacies of the British in South Asia. Bringing in the role of oft-forgotten engineers, architects and the Indian response to such changes, Llewellyn-Jones weaves together an engaging narrative of the construction of the visual and built environment in South Asia.' -- Yaqoob Khan Bangash, Director, Centre for Governance and Policy, ITU Lahore, and author of A Princely Affair: Accession and Integration of the Princely States of Pakistan

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Book SynopsisWinston Churchill began his career as a junior officer and war correspondent in the North West borderlands of British India, and this experience was the beginning of his long relationship with the Islamic world. Overturning the widely-accepted consensus that Churchill was indifferent to, and even contemptuous of, matters concerning the Middle East, this book unravels Churchill's nuanced understanding of the edges of the British Empire. Warren Dockter analyses the future Prime Minister's experiences of the East, including his work as Colonial Under-Secretary in the early 1900s, his relations with the Ottomans and conduct during the Dardanelles Campaign of 1915-16, his arguments with David Lloyd-George over Turkey, and his pragmatic support of Syria and Saudi Arabia during World War II. Challenging the popular depiction of Churchill as an ignorant imperialist when it came to the Middle East, Dockter suggests that his policy making was often more informed and relatively progressive when compared to the Orientalist prejudices of many of his contemporaries.Trade ReviewAn enlightening and original account of an important and neglected aspect of Churchill’s strategic and political world view. It forces us to rethink what we know about the origins of the modern Middle East. Essential reading for Churchill scholars and general students alike. -- Richard Toye, Professor of Modern History, University of ExeterWarren Dockter has written the first comprehensive account of Churchill’s lifelong and many-side engagement with the Muslim world. Combining meticulous research with insight and imagination, he restores to its rightful place a theme of crucial importance for the assessment of the great man’s character and career. -- Paul Addison, Honorary Fellow, University of EdinburghA timely, penetrating, and balanced study. The trenchant analysis it provides of encounters, perceptions, and complexities is bound to have an abiding endurance and relevance like the multifaceted figure and culture it examines. -- Professor Riad Nourallah, Director of Research, London Academy of DiplomacyA panoramic and insightful overview of Churchill’s lifelong relationship with the Muslim world which reveals it to be both more complex and more interesting than is generally portrayed. -- Allen Packwood, Director of the Churchill Archives Centre, University of CambridgeWarren Dockter's timely and important book has illuminated Churchill's relationship with the Islamic world which has previously been so misunderstood. It is necessary reading for Churchill scholars and anyone interested in the Middle East. Truly a work of monumental scholarship. -- Boris Johnson, author of The Churchill FactorTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgements Introduction Early Encounters Of Oil and Ottomans Churchill : Minister of War and Air Churchill at the Colonial Office The Legacy of the Cairo Conference The Twenties and Thirties Churchill, the Middle East, and India during World War II The Postwar World Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisAmericans have long been asked to support the troops and care for veterans' psychological wounds. Who, though, does this injunction serve?As acclaimed scholar Nadia Abu El-Haj argues here, in the American public's imagination, the traumatized soldier stands in for destructive wars abroad, with decisive ramifications in the post-9/11 era. Across the political spectrum the language of soldier trauma is used to discuss American warfare, producing a narrative in which traumatized soldiers are the only acknowledged casualties of war, while those killed by American firepower are largely sidelined and forgotten.In this wide-ranging and fascinating study of the meshing of medicine, science, and politics, Abu El-Haj explores the concept of post-traumatic stress disorder and the history of its medical diagnosis. While antiwar Vietnam War veterans sought to address their psychological pain even as they maintained full awareness of their guilt and responsibility for perpetrating atrocities on the killing fields of Vietnam, by the 1980s, a peculiar convergence of feminist activism against sexual violence and Reagan's right-wing "war on crime" transformed the idea of PTSD into a condition of victimhood. In so doing, the meaning of Vietnam veterans' trauma would also shift, moving away from a political space of reckoning with guilt and complicity to one that cast them as blameless victims of a hostile public upon their return home. This is how, in the post-9/11 era of the Wars on Terror, the injunction to "support our troops," came to both sustain US militarism and also shields American civilians from the reality of wars fought ostensibly in their name.In this compelling and crucial account, Nadia Abu El-Haj challenges us to think anew about the devastations of the post-9/11 era.Trade ReviewA bracing, riveting, and vitally important critique of American empire and the ideological mechanisms for normalizing permanent warfare. Few authors have considered the psychosocial and ethical instruments of imperial warfare with such clarity or looked so directly at US culpability in the War on Terror. Every single US taxpayer should read this book. -- Joseph Masco, author of The Future of FalloutIn this path-breaking book, Abu El-Haj examines changes in the understanding of combat trauma to demonstrate that psychiatry, operating in tandem with imperial interventions, helps create the political conditions necessary for the reproduction of U.S. militarism. With her finger on the pulse of American political life, she shows how perpetrators become victims, while the primary casualties of American military violence are ignored, dismissed, and forgotten. -- Lisa Wedeen, author of Authoritarian ApprehensionsTable of ContentsIntroductionPart 1: From Agent to VictimChapter 1: Psychiatry as Radical Critique: "Post Vietnam Syndrome"Chapter 2: The Politics of Victimization: Feminism, the Victims of Crime Movement, and Reconstructing the War in VietnamPart 2: Combat Trauma After 9/11Chapter 3: Soldier's Trauma, RevisitedChapter 4: The Politics of Moral InjuryPart 3: Conscripting CitizensChapter 5: Caring for MilitarismChapter 6: The (American) Civilian EpilogueAcknowledgmentsNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisShortly after Japan's surrender in August 1945, a huge bonfire was built at the headquarters of Kwantung Kempeitai in Changchun, Northeast China. Hundreds of boxes of files were lost to the flames over the following days, but the unexpected arrival of Soviet soldiers prompted the Japanese to hastily bury some of them. These were unearthed by construction workers in 1953 and eventually handed over to archivists in the early 1980s. This book contains more than four hundred images of these original Japanese documents alongside English translations. They provide new insights into Japanese military activity during the occupation of China and Java during the second world war, with a focus on the following topics: The Nanjing Massacre “Comfort Women” Transfer of Prisoners to Unit 731 Forced labour Atrocities committed by Japanese troops Invasion through immigration in Northeast China Suppression of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army American and British prisoners of war

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Book SynopsisA war that has killed more than a million Iraqis was a "humanitarian intervention", the US army is a force for liberation, and the main threat to world peace is posed by Islam. These are the arguments of a host of liberal commentators, including such notable names as Christopher Hitchens, Kanan Makiya, Michael Ignatieff, Paul Berman, and Bernard-Henri Lévy. In this critical intervention, Richard Seymour unearths the history of liberal justifications for empire, showing how savage policies of conquest-including genocide and slavery-have been retailed as charitable missions. From the Cold War to the War on Terror, Seymour argues that colonialist notions of "civilization" and "progress" still shape liberal pro-war discourse, concealing the same bloody realities.In a new afterword, Seymour revisits the debates on liberal imperialism in the era of Obama and in the light of the Afghan and Iraqi debacles.Trade ReviewA powerful critique of 'humanitarian intervention' and of those liberal intellectuals who support it. * Independent *A great deal of damning material on the apologists of recent illegalities. -- Philippe Sands * Guardian *Among those who share responsibility for the carnage and chaos in the Gulf are the useful idiots who gave the war intellectual cover and attempted to lend it a liberal imprimatur. The more belligerent they sounded the more bankrupt they became; the more strident their voice the more craven their position. As the war they have supported degrades into a murderous mess, Richard Seymour expertly traces their descent from humanitarian intervention to blatant islamophobia. -- Gary YoungeAn excellent antidote to the propagandists of the crisis of our times. * Independent on Sunday *A powerful counterblast against the monstrous regiment of 'useful idiots.' * Times *Indispensable ... Seymour brilliantly uncovers the pre-history and modern reality of the so-called 'pro-war Left.' -- China Miéville[Seymour] delves into areas that are usually politely ignored, carefully uncovering liberalism and reformism's own shameful record of collaboration with mass murder ... essential reading. -- Owen Hatherley * New Statesman *We need to understand where these ideas comes from and how to fight them. This book is a major contribution to this understanding. -- Lindsey German * Socialist Review *The Liberal Defence of Murder is an important and scrupulously researched book with much to offer those who want to know why the likes of Christopher Hitchens have gone so loopy. * Morning Star *The most authoritative historical analysis of its kind ... [Seymour] displays a welcome critical engagement, meaningful intellectualism and unabashed factual analysis. * Resurgence *

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Book SynopsisMoving the debate beyond the place of tactical intelligence in counterinsurgency warfare, Confronting the Colonies considers the view from Whitehall, where the biggest decisions were made. It reveals the evolving impact of strategic intelligence upon government under- standings of, and policy responses to, insurgent threats. Confronting the Colonies demonstrates for the first time how, in the decades after World War Two, the intelligence agenda expanded to include non-state actors, insurgencies, and irregular warfare. It explores the challenges these emerging threats posed to intelligence assessment and how they were met with varying degrees of success. Such issues remain of vital importance today. By examining the relationship between intelligence and policy, Cormac provides original and revealing in- sights into government thinking in the era of decolonisation, from the origins of nationalist unrest to the projection of dwindling British power. He demonstrates how intelligence (mis-) understood the complex relationship between the Cold War, nationalism, and decolonisation; how it fuelled fierce Whitehall feuding; and how it shaped policymakers' attempts to integrate counterinsurgency into broader strategic policy.Trade Review'An intelligent, authoritative and penetrating analysis of how spycraft impacts upon strategy. Rory Cormac reveals for the first time the secret role of intelligence in the twilight wars of British counter-insurgency. This book is essential reading for all those who want to understand the hidden world of low intensity conflict.' * Professor Richard J. Aldrich, author of GCHQ *'Whilst much of the story of Cold War intelligence has been chronicled by historians, the secret battles that went on in parallel to derive and assess intelligence on Britain's colonial struggles has not been sufficiently explored. Dr Cormac has filled that gap admirably. His thoroughly researched account provides new insights into how British government and its Joint Intelligence Committee handled the painful process of decolonization and disengagement from empire.' * Sir David Omand, former UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator and JIC member *'Cormac's book explores the links between the intelligence centre in London and what was going on in the colonies. It is the first to illustrate the role that intelligence played in decision making and does so in a coherent and persuasive fashion, destroying many of the myths about Britain's colonial past and the impact of intelligence. A riveting read that should appeal to a wide audience.' * Michael Goodman, King's College London, author of Learning from the Secret Past: Cases in British Intelligence History *

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