Memories of Post-Imperial Nations: The Aftermath of Decolonization, 1945–2013

Cambridge University Press, 5/14/2015
EAN 9781107102293, ISBN10: 1107102294

Hardcover, 217 pages, 23.6 x 15.9 x 1.5 cm
Language: English

Memories of Post-Imperial Nations presents the first transnational comparison of Great Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Portugal, Italy and Japan, all of whom lost or 'decolonized' their overseas empires after 1945. Since the empires of the world crumbled, the post-imperial nations have been struggling to come to terms with the present, and as recall sets in 'wars of memory' have arisen, leading to a process of collective 'editing'. As these nations rebuild themselves they shed old characteristics and acquire new ones, looking at new orientations. This book brings together varying perspectives with historians and political scientists of these nations attempting to bind memory and its experience of different post-imperial nations.

Preface
Introduction Dietmar Rothermund
1. Memory of Empire in Britain
a preliminary view John Darwin
2. Ruptures and dissonance
post-colonial migrations and the remembrance of colonialism in the Netherlands Gert Oostindie
3. A distinctive ugliness
colonial memory in Belgium Pedro Monaville
4. The post-colonial encounter in France Eric Savarese
5. Ideologies of exceptionality and the legacies of Empire in Portugal Antonio Costa Pinto and Miguel Bandeira Jeronimo
6. Post-colonial Italy – the case of a small and belated Empire
from strong emotions to bigger problems Nicola Labanca
7. (Post)Imperial Japan in transnational perspective Takashi Fujitani
8. Memories of post-imperial nations Aleida Assmann
9. A view from the gallery
perspective of a 'colonized' on post-imperial memories Partha S. Ghosh
List of contributors.