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What is the relationship between capitalism and empire in modern times? The history of capitalism and the history of imperialism are often treated as separate subjects. By contrast, this course begins with the hypothesis that modern empires were the progenitors of capitalist globalization, and that capitalism has been an international or geopolitical system from its earliest inceptions. The purpose of the course, then, is to engage students in a dual exploration of the political economy of modern empires and the geopolitical dimensions of modern capitalism, with a focus on Britain and the United States. We will draw our course readings from a diverse array of theoretical and historical sources on capitalism, empire and global political economy. The overarching aim of the course is to excavate how imperial histories can illuminate the nature of contemporary globalization.