HIST 315: Comparative Colonialism and Global Empire
Taught by Professor Taylor Easum
Colonialism and global empire shaped the world as we know it today. Colonialism and
imperialism dominate our understanding of the West’s relationship with much of the world,
from the 16th to the 20th century; in no small measure, these two forces shaped the modern
world system. This course takes a comparative, global approach to understanding the evolution
of empire or colonialism, with detailed examination of case studies from Africa, South, and
Southeast Asia.
In addition to the political and economic history of empire, we will also examine the evolution
of empire in ideological, cultural, and epistemological terms. After an overview of the major
theories of colonialism and imperialism, both from earlier scholarship and more recent work,
Part I takes us through the historical rise of the great Euro-American colonial powers. Part II
looks at the social and political dynamics of imperialism and colonial rule in Southeast Asia,
Africa, and South Asia. In Part III, we look at the varied paths to confrontation and resistance in
the colonies and semi-colonies under western rule. In the final week of the course, we reflect
on our study of imperialism and colonialism, and examine some of the complex legacies of
empire, both in post-colonies of South and Southeast Asia, Africa, and elsewhere, as well as in
the metropolitan centers of empire.