The Research Project

«Imperial Entanglements» investigates four cases of latecomer imperialism, namely those of Germany, Italy, Belgium and Japan. Each of these countries entered the phase of colonial expansion only in the late nineteenth century. Because of this delayed inception, when their power elites and experts shaped new structures of imperial rule, they had to consider existing models of imperial rule and colonial administration, as previously established by other powers. In pursuit of original visions of their imperial project, they critically engaged with the existing models, adopting, refashioning, or rejecting their constituent features.

At the end of the nineteenth century, the “colonial internationalism” had its epicenter in Belgium and influenced the circulation and re-elaboration of colonial models in the countries under examination. Transimperial networks of intellectuals contributed to articulating discourses about differences or commonalities among empires.

As colonial powers, Germany, Italy, and Japan, occupied a relatively marginal position within the international system. Germany even lost its empire owing to defeat in the Great War. Dissatisfied with their standing in the world, in the 1930s the three countries launched a frontal challenge to the international order by portraying their imperial model as an alternative to previous imperialism. Informed by the new language of self-determination that imbued international relations, their attempt at creating an alternative paradigm of imperialism drew on ideas developed before WWI.

 

Our study of the circulation and re-elaboration of political models spans from the 1880s to the 1940s, encompassing both the so-called Age of Empires and the post-Wilsonian moment, when colonialism was deeply refashioned across the world owing to the emergence of strong anti-colonial movements. The research is based on two mainstays. The first is what Ann L. Stoler has termed the “politics of comparison,” namely the way in which contemporary actors compared their own colonial rule with others. This concept highlights the importance of knowledge transfers as a constituent part of empire building and draws attention to the “politics” of distancing oneself from the other. The second is the focus on transimperial actors, be they intellectuals, politicians or institutions.

The project is based upon and seeks to further develop the analytical category of the latecomer colonial empires as a specific category of empire formations. We consider it key towards promoting a deeper understanding of imperialism as a global phenomenon. The research will be centered on the following questions:

 

• How did politicians and intellectual elites represent their empires and colonial policies in relation to other empires?

• To what extent, when, and how did they try to establish transimperial bonds?

• What kind of transimperial networks did their elites strive to build in their pursuit to elaborate their own model of colonial policy?

• Is it possible to identify major shifts in the “politics of comparison” and the transimperial bonds established in the considered period?

• How did the international circulation of models affect jurists and rulers in latecomer empires and their perception of the colonial rule?