How do historians interpret the American 'Empire'?

A History Education Subject Interest Group (SIG) Conference hosted by the Nottingham Historical Association History Teacher Network and the University of Nottingham's School of Education and Centre for the U.S in the World Studies.

This event will be of real interest and value to KS5 history and politics students and teachers. Geographers studying the ‘Superpowers’ module at A Level may also find it helpful for their studies. Please note that students must be accompanied by a teacher.

About this event

Join us as we explore the concept of American Imperialism and consider how academics approach the same theme from multiple perspectives. In our current international political context, following recent events in Venezuela and tensions over Greenland, we hope that this event will be of real interest and value to KS5 history and politics students and teachers. Geographers studying the ‘Superpowers’ module at A Level may also find it helpful for their studies.

Using the famous ‘logo’ map of the US, we will explore Immerwahr’s (2019) argument that ‘if you look beyond the logo map, you see a whole new set of struggles over what it means to inhabit the US’. This conference will offer 5 different interpretations of what ‘America’ might mean in history and our modern-day political context. In doing so we will also explore how academics’ positionality and specialisms influence their work and show A03 ‘interpretations’ work in action.

The event will be include:

Five 7-minute provocations

• Jake Hodder, Associate Professor of Geography – How the geography of the US helps us understand its empire
• Bevan Sewell, Associate Professor in American History - From Sea to Shining Sea: How the United States became the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries
• Maria Ryan, Associate Professor in American History - A Pointilist Empire: Overseas military bases and American power
• Stephanie Lewthwaite, Associate Professor in American History – The fluidity of border areas in America's Empire
• Joe Merton, Lecturer in Twentieth Century History - Heart of the Empire: New York City as a node of American imperial power

Refreshments and an opportunity for students to reflect on what they’ve just heard with their teachers to develop a response.

A panel discussion where the ideas raised during the break can be explored with the presenting academics.