Naturalising Empire: Echoes of Mackinder for the Next American Century?

Abstract

At the start of the twentieth century, Halford Mackinder's geopolitical writings provided a powerful justification for British imperialism. He presented imperialism as a force of nature by emphasising historical rupture, essential conflict and geopolitical strategy. A century later, these same themes re-appear in contemporary accounts of our new world order and serve now to naturalise the imperial mission of the United States. A critical examination of the theses of Mackinder can aid in challenging the presumptions of the new imperialists.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I want to thank Mark Bassin for inviting me to give this paper at the RGS/IBG conference. I also want to thank the following for advice: Millie Glennon, Mike Heffernan, Simon Reid-Henry, Nic Higgins, Phil Howell, Steve Legg, Nick Megoran, Richard Powell, Gerard Toal, Andy Tucker, Hannah Weston, Charles Withers. I am particularly grateful to one of the referees for a careful and constructive reading that taught me a lot.

Notes

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