British Empire

Violent, powerful, vast: the British Empireaffected everyone who lived within its sphere. Colonialism-146;s impact could be felt in every aspect of life - food, language, work and education. The empire is typically viewed as distant and tropical; by contrast, this book examines the effects of the empire on men, women and children across the globe - both those under imperial rule and those who implemented it. Looking beyond politics and diplomacy, Philippa Levine combines a traditional approach to colonial history with an investigation of the experience of living within the empire. Spanning the period from Cromwell-146;s rule to decolonisation in the late twentieth century, and including an extensive chronology for ease of reference, Levine considers the impact of British rule for people in Africa, India and Australia, as well as for the English rulers, and for the Welsh, Scots and Irish who were subject to ''internal colonialism'' under the English yoke. Imperialism often led to serious unrest; Levine examines the cruel side of imperialism-146;s purportedly ''civilising'' mission unflinchingly. Comprehensive, subtle and innovative,The British Empire: From Sunrise to Sunsettells the human story of colonialism alongside the political drama. Philippa Levineis a Professor at the Universityof Southern California. She has written and edited several books, includingGender and Empire(2004),Prostitution, Race and Politics: Policing Veneral Disease in the British Empire(2003), andWomen-146;s Suffrage in the British Empire(2000) andFeminist Lives in Victorian England(1990).