Based on the central role that the study of documents plays in the history classroom, Modern Empires: A Reader presents the history of modern empires across the globe from the late fifteenth century to the present. The anthology's chronological, geographical, and thematic range offers special pedagogical benefits in light of the growing attention to the history of empire. Featuring voices from all levels of society and all parts of the world, this book stresses the complexity of empires when seen from multiple points of view. The introduction provides a thorough synopsis of the rise and fall of empires and also presents themes on which to base class discussions: Are empires chaotic systems or do they lead to systems of world governance? Are empires agents of integration and civilization or agents of violence and destruction? What is the nature of individual participation in empire? What is the role of resistance in the evolution of empire?
The selection of sources in Modern Empires portrays an imperial panorama and charts its wide-ranging effects on individual nations and the unfolding history of the world. Providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date collection of documents from modern empires around the world, Modern Empires: A Reader makes explicit the connections between imperialism and modern globalization.
Industry Reviews
"Modern Empires far surpasses anything similar that I have seen before. As an annotated collection of documents on empire from the fifteenth century to the present, it is a volume that every instructor of world history should possess and that students in any class focusing on empire should be assigned to read. It includes classic sources and also obscure but very powerful stories and histories told from many angles. Because Smith reads 'empire' broadly--but not without clarity--she presents us with a plethora of perspectives."--Trevor R. Getz, San Francisco State University "Modern Empires is a thorough and fascinating collection of primary sources, perfect for anyone interested in the connections between imperialism and modern globalization. The individual voices contained within provide windows to the past and reveal imperialism's lasting legacy in today's world."--Kris Alexanderson, University of the Pacific "Modern Empires offers a clear, well-written synthetic analysis of current scholarship on modern imperialism in a global context from the late fifteenth century to the present. Combining narrative with primary sources, it would work well for introductory world and global history courses and also for upper-division courses with a more directed focus on imperialism. The collection of sources that Smith has put together is unrivaled, particularly for imperialism courses, while the analytical introductions alone make assigning this text worthwhile."--Darcie Fontaine, University of South Florida "Smith provides readers with a refreshingly new and comprehensive look at the global phenomenon of empire, giving voice to western and non-western actors alike. The chapter overviews and well-chosen primary sources provide excellent opportunities for comparative analysis across a range of time periods and themes and should generate lively and fruitful classroom discussions."--Kenneth Orosz, Buffalo State College
