The organized study of history began in Britain when the Empire was at its height. Belief in the destiny of imperial England profoundly shaped the imagination of the first generation of professional historians. But with the Empire gone, do these mental habits still haunt historical explanation? Drawing on postcolonial theory in a mix of historical and theoretical chapters, this text explores the history of the British Empire and the practice of historical enquiry itself. There are essays on Asia, Australasia, the West Indies, South Africa and Wales. Examining the sexual, racial and ethnic identities shaping the experiences of English men and women in the 19th century, the authors argue that habits of thought forged in the Empire still give meaning to English identities today.
The Expansion of England: Race, Ethnicity and Cultural History
