British Academy: The UK's National Academy for the Humanities and Social Sciences
Lineages of Empire
Convened by Dr Duncan Kelly, University of Sheffield
Thursday 24 August 2006 to Friday 25 August 2006
The British Academy, 10 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AH
Supported by the Centre for Political Theory and Ideologies, University of Sheffield
Attendance at this event is by invitation only
The idea of empire has been astonishingly important in human history. Empires have represented an ruling ideal for many civilizations, whilst the catastrophic consequences of imperial rule for various indigenous populations are all to well known in ancient as well as modern history. In our present political situation, ideas of empire have once again come to the forefront of debate. In particular ideas of a global, and predominantly American empire, have been discussed in academic and wider intellectual circles in both positive and negative terms. Within these debates, however, those in different areas have often talked past each other, maintaining an overarching concern with the impact of empire upon their particular field of inquiry but neglecting the historical insights of other areas to their concerns. This symposium aims to bring together historians of art and literature, political thought and science, to discuss some of the myriad ways in which ideas of empire have shaped, and continue to shape, the direction of their research in the modern period, so as to better appreciate in a truly interdisciplinary manner both why and how this remains a crucially important topic that we all need to understand.
Papers published in 2009 as Lineages of Empire: The Historical Roots of British Imperial Thought, edited by Duncan Kelly (Proceedings of the British Academy, 155)
Please note that the Academy does not issue letters of invitation for delegates at its conferences/symposia, neither can it assist with visa applications. Those wishing to attend events at the Academy are responsible for making their own arrangements for travel and accommodation.