The entangled legacies of empire: race, finance and inequality

Over 25 contributors from around the world have prepared short, accessible essays that take a striking image as a starting point to explore how today’s global financial structures are haunted by the ghosts of empire. Anyone interested in knowing more about the legacies of racism, colonialism and imperialism, whether newcomer or specialists, will enjoy this unique collection of essays. The volume provides many rich examples to draw on, from the City of London to the Australian outback, from Angola’s railways to China’s ghost cities, from the depths of the ocean to the ethereal world of data. It also tells stories of resistance and contestation, from Maori banks to radical muralists, from subtle gestures to mass uprisings. With chapters on global commodities ranging from oil to clothing to the popular drink Milo, the authors in this collection take an interdisciplinary approach, melding political economy with cultural analysis, critical geography with historical acumen. This book is both a fascinating journey for readers and an invaluable tool for teachers in many fields seeking to awaken students’ curiosity about how the global capitalist economy emerged from and reproduces racialized inequalities.