Curriculum Module: Empires and Colonialism

Module Description

Empires and nation-states are typically understood as two distinct categories of political organisation. There are states, it is claimed, that are empires and there are others that are nation-states. There is also a generalisable European mode of colonisation that distinguishes it from other processes of domination and expansion. This involves European territorial acquisition, settlement and governance, and a variety of modes of domination and subjugation that are fundamental for shaping the modern world. This module addresses a variety of types of empire and the modes of colonialism associated with them.

List of Lectures

Each lecture includes a lesson plan document, a video, and a few suggested readings.

1. Varieties of Empires and Colonialism
2. Ocean Legalities
3. The Case of the Ottoman Empire
4. The Cromwellian Land Settlement of Ireland
5. Taxation and Governance in Colonial Indonesia
6. The Political Economic Governance of the Spanish Empire