Essay Competition Questions

For the question 'How have empires throughout history shaped the societies we live in today?' from the Northeastern university essay comp would it be okay to focus on one specific empire such as the British Empire or Roman and its impact or should I include other empires?

Reply 1

history tutor

stick to the British empire as your core reference point because it's much easier to trace a recent lineage to now. The Roman empire obviously has had an impact but you'll find more recent material relating to the Brits. But.........the question clearly refers to Empires throughout history so you will have to reference other ones.

Niall Ferguson's 'Empire' is a good place to start as he argues it actually had as many positive benefits as negative bits (of which there were many).

Focus on things like:

free trade
international organisations (Nato/UN) all products of the collapse of empire
democracy being spread
legacy - africa still poor
The American empire (economic and cultural imperialism)........continues to shape how we live right now as it still very much exists albeit weakening somewhat. But...........

..... if you want to win it, I'd try to mention the legacy of imperial superiority which still pervades much Western thinking towards Africa, Asia and the Middle East - read up on Edward Said's 1978 book 'Orientalism' !! That was basically his argument.

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Essay Competition Questions

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