The modern world is a product of centuries of conflict, rivalry and strategic cooperation between empires seeking to expand or protect their power across domains spanning from economic systems to religion and culture. Throughout Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa, and the Pacific, the past 800 years have seen radical historical transformations as empires rose, sought to create and sustain the conditions of their dominance, and fell. Understanding these dynamics has also been among the most innovative areas of historical inquiry. This course explores these processes and how historians have interpreted their significance and legacies, from the Mongol conquests and the late Crusades to the present. It places the complex and always contested ‘rise of the West’ in a global frame by investigating a range of topics from Eurasian dynasties and the Spanish conquest of the Americas and the colonisation of India, Australia and New Zealand, to the Cold War. In doing so, it explores the technologies that enabled imperial growth, the ideologies that legitimated it, the resistance of many who fought against it, and associated movements of populations and international relations. Through a diversity of historical perspectives, it examines the impact of imperial exchanges in transforming institutions, environments and modes of life.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- demonstrate a good understanding of major transitions, processes and developments in the modern history of empires;
- evaluate and critically analyse case studies illustrating important themes and issues in the history of empires;
- conduct research critically engaging with primary resources and scholarly debates regarding empires in history;
- formulate logical arguments substantiated with primary source evidence and relevant historiography; and
- express ideas and arguments about the history of empires clearly and effectively in both oral and written modes of communication.
Indicative Assessment
- Class participation (10) [LO 2,4,5]
- 1,000 word source exercise (20) [LO 2,3,4,5]
- 2,000 word essay (30) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Final Examination (3 hours) (40) [LO 1,2,4,5]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 24 hours of lectures and 12 hours of tutorial and tutorial-like activities; and
b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Prescribed Texts
There are no prescribed texts for this course. However, students are encouraged to consult the recommended texts listed under Indicative Readings elsewhere on this page.
Preliminary Reading
Students are encouraged to consult either of the following texts as preparation for enrolment in this unit.
Jane Burbank and Frederick Cooper, Empires in World History: Power and the Politics of Difference (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2010)
or
Krishan Kumar, Visions of Empire: How Five Imperial Regimes Shaped the World (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2017).
Weekly tutorial readings will be made available online at the beginning of semester.
Assumed Knowledge
NoneMajors
Minors
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $3000 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $4560 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3254 | 25 Feb 2019 | 04 Mar 2019 | 31 Mar 2019 | 31 May 2019 | In Person | View |
