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Rao, Rahul (2004) 'The Empire Writes Back (to Michael Ignatieff).' Millennium: Journal of International Studies, 33 (1). pp. 145-166.

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Abstract

This article critiques the re-legitimisation of empire evident in recent writing by Michael Ignatieff. It begins by locating his work within the larger debate on empire emerging today. Focusing first on Ignatieff's more general comments on empire, it suggests that his defensive case for empire is misleading: it ignores the extent to which the circumstances allegedly necessitating `new' empire are themselves a consequence of older empire, and indeed older US empire. Focusing next on Ignatieff's largely consequentialist case for the 2003 attack on Iraq, it argues that the `success' of the imperial project — to the extent that this requires the cooperation of Iraqis — will depend crucially on the motives of the imperialists. Without engaging directly with Ignatieff's work, the final section addresses some of the questions that the foregoing critique may have raised. In particular, it examines critically the claim that empires are legitimised by the public goods they provide.

Item Type: Journal Article
SOAS Departments & Centres: School Research Centres > Centre for the Study of Colonialism, Empire and International Law
Departments and Subunits > Department of Politics & International Studies
Departments and Subunits > Interdisciplinary Studies > Centre for International Studies & Diplomacy
ISSN: 03058298
DOI (Digital Object Identifier): https://doi.org/10.1177/03058298040330010601
Date Deposited: 03 Feb 2009 10:47
URI: https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/id/eprint/6263

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