British Expansion Overseas 1870-1945 - 30 credits (HS1780)
Module Tutor: Scott Newton
This course discusses British imperialism and examines Britain's struggle to remain a hegemonic power during the era of great power rivalry and total war. It locates the mainsprings of British external policy in the internal configuration of the State, examines the political and economic motivations for the maintenance of Empire, providing case-studies of overseas expansion, and discusses Britain's exchange of Pax Britannia for the 1940s special relationship.
Dr Scott Newton is an expert on socio-economic change and international relations, and is the author of The Global Economy 1944-2000 (2004).
Preliminary reading for this module:
P. J. Cain and A.G. Hopkins, British Imperialism volume 1. Expansion and Innovation, 1688-1914 (1993)
P. J. Cain and A. G. Hopkins, British Imperialism volume 2. Crisis and Deconstruction, 1914-1990 (1993)
Paul Kennedy, The Realities behind Diplomacy (1981)
Paul Kennedy, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers (1988)
M. W. Kirby, The Decline of British Economic Power since 1870 (1981)
Bernard Porter, The Lion’s Share (1996)