Where Does the World Historian Write From? Objectivity, Moral Conscience and the Past and Present of Imperialism

The contemporary historian, as she or he speaks to the public about the origins and meanings of the present, has important ethical responsibilities. 'Imperiar historians, in particular, shape how politicians and the public imagine the future of the world. This article examines how British imper...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of contemporary history 2011-07, Vol.46 (3), p.671-685
Main Author: Drayton, Richard
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
British imperialism
Cold wars
Contemporary history
Empires
Ethics
European history
Historians
Historical analysis
Historiography
History
History instruction
Ideology
Imperialism
Iraq
Liberalism
Military history
Narratives
Naval history
Part III: Memory, Politics, and Publics
Politicians
Power
Responsibility
War
World history
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Summary:The contemporary historian, as she or he speaks to the public about the origins and meanings of the present, has important ethical responsibilities. 'Imperiar historians, in particular, shape how politicians and the public imagine the future of the world. This article examines how British imperial history, as it emerged as an academic subject since about 1900, often lent ideological support to imperialism, while more generally it suppressed or avoided the role of violence and terror in the making and keeping of the Empire. It suggests that after 2001, and during the Iraq War, in particular, a new Whig historiography sought to retail a flattering narrative of the British Empire's past, and concludes with a call for a post-patriotic imperial history which is sceptical of power and speaks for those on the underside of global processes.
ISSN:0022-0094
1461-7250
DOI:10.1177/0022009411403519