With two substantial books on the representation and the interpretation of the New World behind him, Jonathan Hart sets out in this new study to investigate the central theoretical debates at the heart of the early modern imperialist adventure. In a geographically and chronologically wide-ranging survey, he invokes a rich corpus of texts, both familiar and less well known, which show how, from the very beginning, critical thinking even within the Catholic Church called into question the very justification for empire. This comparative approach to the topic takes into account the rhetorical impact of the works presented as well as their historical, anthropological and political implications. This is a highly valuable contribution to the question of imperialism and power, whose message is as relevant to the present-day world as it is to the historical period it examines. - Philip Ford, Reader in French and Neo-Latin Literature, University of Cambridge
Jonathan Hart's Contesting Empires is a masterly analysis of how the creation of empire was always accompanied and internally haunted by discourses and ideologies of contestation. Hart shows again the dazzling erudition that he displayed in his previous books on relationships between the Old and New worlds, and again he marries incisive historical analysis with subtle readings of texts and challenging engagements with theorists ranging from Jeremy Bentham to Pierre Bourdieu. What is notable about Contesting Empires is the way in which he engages with questions of race, sexuality and social class: he is particularly interesting on the ways in which women articulated their views on slavery in their letters and diaries. This is an essential book for all those interested in how empire and power are maintained, articulated and, especially, challenged from within. - Michael Worton, University College London
