A Cultural History of the British Empire

“A useful and knowledgable primer. . . . Tensions, ambiguities and unintended consequences are resonant in John M. MacKenzie’s synoptic history of British imperial culture, which explores ceremony, sport, art, architecture and the mediums of print, radio and film from all sides of the imperial divide.”—Paul Lay, Daily Telegraph

“Mackenzie has perhaps never received the credit he deserves. . . . His work has been as important as that of any postcolonial theorist.”—Stephanie Barczewski, Times Literary Supplement

“MacKenzie has mobilised his formidable knowledge of the many dimensions of an imperial culture rooted in racial hierarchies and designed to secure white power—from ceremonials and sports to the arts and the press—to tell a dynamic story of how colonised and indigenous peoples challenged and disrupted these practices, reconfiguring them to new purposes for new times.”—Catherine Hall, author of Macaulay and Son

“Makes a compelling case for the reassessment of Britain’s ‘informal imperialism’ through various forms of culture. This is the definitive work on the reproduction, imposition, appropriation, and reinvention of British culture in the Empire at large.”—Souvik Naha, University of Glasgow

“MacKenzie’s deep scholarship, honed over a lifetime of pioneering work, is on dazzling show in this lively survey of imperial culture and cultural imperialism. His timely reminder that protest against commemorative statuary is far from new is just one of the important insights sprinkled throughout this important work.”—Philippa Levine, author of The British Empire

“MacKenzie is one of the most influential imperial historians of all times. This magnum opus is the perfect capstone for those familiar with his work, and the essential introduction for readers exploring British imperial culture for the first time.”—Ashley Jackson, author of Mad Dogs and Englishmen