- Deconstructing Britain

Catalog description

An exploration of the history of multicultural Britain from the late sixteenth century to the present through multiple global perspectives. Understanding the state that built this empire requires understanding the cultures of those who were drawn into that imperial network. As a means of investigating how the British Empire looked to those who lived under its shadow, the central voices of this course will be communities of Indian travelers, African sailors, and Native American traders. Readings will explore the ways in which the British nation, and indeed British history, have been driven by British imperialism around the globe, and the course will end by asking questions about the post-imperial history for citizens of a nation that was once predicated on its imperial identity.