Written by specialists from various fields, this edited volume is the first systematic investigation of the impact of imperialism on twentieth-century Britain. The contributors explore different aspects of Britain's imperial experience as the empire weathered the storms of the two world wars, was subsequently dismantled, and then apparently was gone. How widely was the empire's presence felt in British culture and society? What was the place of imperial questions in British party politics? Was Britain's status as a global power enhanced or underpinned by the existence of its empire? What was the relation of Britain's empire to national identities within the United Kingdom? The chapters range widely from social attitudes to empire and the place of the colonies in the public imagination, to the implications of imperialism for demography, trade, party politics and political culture, government and foreign policy, the churches and civil society, and the armed forces. The volume also addresses the fascinating yet complex question of how, after the formal end of empire, the colonial past has continued to impinge upon our post-colonial present, as contributors reflect upon the diverse ways in which the legacies of empire are interpreted and debated in Britain today.

About the Author
Andrew Thompson's previous publications include The Empire Strikes Back? The Impact of Imperialism on Britain from the Mid-Nineteenth Century (2005) and Empire and Globalisation. Networks of People, Goods and Capital in the British World, c.1850-1914 (2010). He is currently a Council member of the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and serves on the editorial boards of South African Historical Journal and Twentieth Century British History.

Reviews
Britain's Experience of Empire is an important volume. It is thorough, accessible, and presents the first collected study of the impact of empire upon Britain's twentieth century. Moreover, in grappling with the effect upon Britain not only as being, but also of having been, an imperial power this book becomes part of the history it intends to write. It presents a thoughtful and balanced survey of a subject that inspires regular and impassioned debate. As such, Britain's Experience of Empire in the Twentieth Century should be welcomed alike by those within, and outside, the academy. * Emily Baughan, Twentieth Century British History *
This companion volume to The Oxford History of the British Empire series is a valuable contribution to the growing field of imperial and postimperial studies. It provides a detailed examination of how the empire was experienced in 20th-century Britain, how and why it mattered, the demands it made, and how it shaped the British world outlook. * G. M. Stearns, CHOICE *
a very useful counter to those loud voices that fill the newspapers with confident and overly simple assertions of what the empire did or did not do to the British ... offers a way of thinking of imperialism in relational terms which might add a further dimension to debates concerning impact and influence. * Nicholas Owen, Journal of Contemporary History *
This volume is essential reading for anyone interested in what the empire and its loss meant to Britain in the twentieth century-and, indeed, what it continues to mean today. Andrew Thompson and his contributors provide a wide-ranging, well-balanced, and highly illuminating assessment of the subject. It will engage and inform specialists, students, and general readers alike * Dane Kennedy, George Washington University *



Book Information
ISBN 9780198794646
Author Andrew Thompson
Format Paperback
Page Count 368
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 1g
Dimensions(mm) 233mm * 157mm * 21mm