Rethinking Imperialism in the Middle Eas

What is imperialism? Why does it happen? What different forms did it take over time? And why is addressing imperialism essential in understanding histories of the Global South, and its contemporary social, political, economic, and cultural realities? How did the economic exploitation of societies by this system affect their socio-economic structures? Is imperialism responsible for the persistent and growing global inequalities? In this course, we will approach these questions and more from a South-centered perspective introducing students to some of the histories, debates, and questions on the subject. 

This course surveys histories of Imperialism in South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries. The course is divided into three units reflecting cases from the three regions while focusing on different historical periods. First, we will study British imperialism in India in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. For the second unit, we will focus on the case of Egypt and its occupation in the late 19th century. Third, we will examine the British Empire in West Africa and East Africa at the turn of the century. 

Each unit will touch on three themes with various degrees of focus. First, we will ask why imperialism? explaining the different reasons and dynamics for imperialist expansion in the three regions. In the second theme, we will examine the political economy of colonial rule and how it manifested differently over time and space. In the third theme, we will explore social change, resistance, and questions of labor in colonial settings. 

The course will also serve to introduce students to using primary materials in their studies, using documents varying from contracts, laws, newspaper articles, reports, and correspondences. In some weeks we will explore some basics on how to find primary sources, the different types of sources, and how to use them in your research.