Is America an Empire?

America: A History

On this episode, as America’s foreign relations once again dominates headlines, I want to explore just how powerful the country really is, and whether we should be understanding it as more than just a single nation, as I ask… Is America An Empire?

And to discuss this I am joined by two very excellent guests:

  • Dr. Nicholas Grant, a historian of twentieth century United States and author of Winning Our Freedoms Together: African Americans and Apartheid, 1945-1960. His research focuses on race, internationalism and transnational activism.
  • Dr. Sarah Nelson, an Assistant Professor at the Netherlands’ Universiteit Leiden, and a historian of US empire, global governance, and decolonization. Welcome

Mentioned in this episode:

BOOK: Winning Our Freedoms Together: African Americans and Apartheid, 1945-1960 by Nicholas Grant

BOOK: The Blood of Government: Race, Empire, the United States, and the Philippines by Paul A. Kramer

BOOK: Colossus: The Rise and Fall of the American Empire by Niall Ferguson

BOOK: An Afro-Indigenous History of the United States by Kyle T. Mays

ONLINE: A New Menace in Africa by Nelson Mandela

If you love this, you may also like:

Why Did the USA Drop Atomic Bombs on Japan?

Is America an Empire?

Thank you for listening to our podcast. It's a labor of love by an American history nerd and some smarter folk. Making it does come at a small cost so if you'd like to help:

  • Individuals - support the show with a one-off or monthly donation: https://america-a-history.captivate.fm/support
  • Universities & Colleges - become an academic partner or email hello@podcastsbyliam.com for more info

Your support helps us keep the show running, and it is highly appreciated!

Are you a University, college, or higher education institution? Become an academic partner and your name will appear right here.

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.

Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada