History 6395 Fall 2003

The British Empire

Instructor Karl Ittmann

Office 560 AH, ext 743-3102

Email-KITTMANN@mail.uh.edu

Office Hours: and by appointment.

This class will examine the recent literature on the British Empire from 16^th through the 20^th centuries. The primary focus will be on explanations for the rise and expansion of the British Empire and the forces behind this imperial project. We will also look at some the new work on the cultural politics of empire.

Course Requirements: An in-class presentation, weekly summary of readings (1-2 pages), and an historiographic essay on a topic in British imperialism 15-25 pages in length.

Required Texts

C.A.Bayly, Imperial Meridian

John Brewer, The Sinews of Power

Antoinette Burton, The Burdens of History

P. Cain and A. Hopkins, British Imperialism: Innovation and Expansion 1688-1914

Angus Calder, Revolutionary Empire

David Cannadine, Ornamentalism

John Darwin, Britain and Decolonization

Thomas Gallant, Experiencing Dominion

Joanna Lewis, Empire State Building

David Loades England’s Maritime Empire

In addition, there will be a number of articles assigned for each week.

Schedule of Classes

Week 1 August 25^th Introduction

Week 2 September 1^st No Class Labor Day

Week 3 September 8^th Foundations of Empire

David Loades England’s Maritime Empire

Angus Calder, Revolutionary Empire 1-287

Week 4 September 15^th Money and Power

John Brewer, The Sinews of Power

Patrick O'Brien, "The Political Economy of British Taxation 1660-1815," Economic History Review, 41(1) 1988 1-32.

Week 5 September 22^nd The 18^th Century Empire

Angus Calder, Revolutionary Empire, 288-535.

Eliga H. Gould , “A Virtual Nation: Greater Britain and the Imperial Legacy of the American Revolution” The American Historical Review, Vol. 104, No. 2. (Apr., 1999), pp. 476-489.

Week 6 September 29^th An Empire in Transition

C. A. Bayly, Imperial Meridian

Peter Mandler and Philip Harling- "From Fiscal-Military State to Laissez-Faire State", Journal of British Studies, 32, (Jan 1993).

Week 7 October 6^th The British Empire as World System

P.J. Cain and A.G. Hopkins, British Imperialism: Innovation and Expansion 1688-1914

Reviews of Cain and Hopkins

Week 8 October 13^th Empire-Alternative Explanations

David Cannadine, Ornamentalism

Ronald Hyam, “The Primacy of Geopolitics,” Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History 1999 27(2): 27-52.

Week 9 October 20^th The Culture of Power

Thomas Gallant, Experiencing Dominion

Week 10 October 27^th Gendered Empire

Antoinette Burton, The Burdens of History

Week 11 November 3^rd A New Empire?

Joanna Lewis, Empire State Building

Week 12 November 10^th The End of Empire

John Darwin, Britain and Decolonization

Wm. Roger Louis and Ronald Robinson, “The Imperialism of Decolonization,” Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History, 1994, 22(3).