Description
Book SynopsisThis book examines the place of imperialism in the cultural, political and economic life of late nineteenth-century Irish society. It highlights the tensions which arose because Ireland was at the same time both a colonial subject of Britain, yet also shared aspects of the imperial culture which was being formed during this period. It considers how Empire seeped into everyday Irish life, explores how Irish men and Irish women were intimately bound up with British expansionism, with imperial achievements and setbacks enthusiastically covered in many national and local newspapers, and discusses how Irish politicians and students vehemently debated imperial matters in public. It addresses key questions including: What were the similarities and differences with Britain's imperial experience? Was there a general awareness and understanding of the implications of British overseas expansion? How was Ireland's ambiguous role in Britain's imperial enterprise perceived: did the Irish regard themselves as empire-makers, opponents of British national chauvinism, or occupying a more neutral role? Overall, the book provides a nuanced analysis of the impact of the British Empire in Ireland, demonstrating how the Empire was central to Ireland's late nineteenth-century historical experience - for nationalists and unionists alike.
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations Glossary Note on Terminology Chronology Introduction Part A. Politics 1. Gladstonian Liberalism: Imperialism in Egypt and Coercion in Ireland 2. Another 'People Struggling to be Free': Crisis and Conquest in the Sudan Part B. Culture 3. Informing Ireland: Sources of Information and Their Cultural Impact 4. Reading Empire: Identities, Patriotism, and the Press Part C. Society 5. Building Empires: Humanitarian and Religious Impulses 6. Learning About Empire: Debating Societies and Schooling 7. Economic Ideas: Profit from the Empire or from Home Rule? Conclusion Appendix Bibliography Index
