Empires disappear but their legacy lives on. When empires last for a long time, they leave traces in people's minds that extend far beyond their demise. Through acculturation processes, the subjugated adopt the behaviour, attitudes and beliefs of the rulers sometimes insidiously, sometimes profoundly, in extreme cases even to the point of complete assimilation. These influences on culture and identity continue to have an impact on the present day, even if their imperial origins have long been forgotten, and shape social debates and current conflicts. Historian Jürgen Mirow examines not only the relationship between the European colonial powers and the Global South, but also other significant empires such as the Caliphate, Russia and China. Jürgen Mirow impressively illuminates how these processes unfolded in major empires, what factors determined them and what effects can still be felt today. Without moralising, he analyses historical developments with clarity and openness to different perspectives. His objective and nuanced view broadens the horizon beyond the current debate on decolonisation and, to a certain extent, also calls it into question.
Author
Mirow, Jürgen
Title
Imperien im Kopf
Details
Paperback. 382 pages.
State
new
Subtitle
Wie große Reiche Kulturen und Identitäten formten
Vergangenheitsverlag Am Friedrichshain 22 10407 Berlin Deutschland
