Networking: trade and exchange in the eighteenth-century British empire

N. Glaisyer

doi:10.1017/S0018246X04003759

Networking: trade and exchange in the eighteenth-century British empire

N. Glaisyer

History

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Historians face the problem of how to write the history of the eighteenth-century British empire. How can the history of Britain and the history of its empire be brought together? Recent research has demonstrated the value of employing the idea of networks to describe the interrelatedness of empire. In the history of science and economic history such a notion has been quite thoroughly articulated, particularly in relation to the exchange of botanical knowledge and the transaction of goods. Here it is argued that conceiving of empire as a set of networks through which knowledge and ideas were exchanged, trust was negotiated, goods were traded, and people travelled is an avenue worth pursuing in the project to write the history of the eighteenth-century British empire.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	451-76
Number of pages	26
Journal	Historical Journal
Volume	47
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0018246X04003759
Publication status	Published - Jun 2004

Keywords

IMPERIAL HISTORY
ATLANTIC TRADE
ROYAL-SOCIETY
17TH-CENTURY
ENTERPRISE
AMERICAN
ECONOMY
INDUSTRIALIZATION
NATIONALISM
MERCHANTS

Access to Document

10.1017/S0018246X04003759

http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0018246X04003759

Cite this

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title = "Networking: trade and exchange in the eighteenth-century British empire",

abstract = "Historians face the problem of how to write the history of the eighteenth-century British empire. How can the history of Britain and the history of its empire be brought together? Recent research has demonstrated the value of employing the idea of networks to describe the interrelatedness of empire. In the history of science and economic history such a notion has been quite thoroughly articulated, particularly in relation to the exchange of botanical knowledge and the transaction of goods. Here it is argued that conceiving of empire as a set of networks through which knowledge and ideas were exchanged, trust was negotiated, goods were traded, and people travelled is an avenue worth pursuing in the project to write the history of the eighteenth-century British empire.",

keywords = "IMPERIAL HISTORY, ATLANTIC TRADE, ROYAL-SOCIETY, 17TH-CENTURY, ENTERPRISE, AMERICAN, ECONOMY, INDUSTRIALIZATION, NATIONALISM, MERCHANTS",

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AB - Historians face the problem of how to write the history of the eighteenth-century British empire. How can the history of Britain and the history of its empire be brought together? Recent research has demonstrated the value of employing the idea of networks to describe the interrelatedness of empire. In the history of science and economic history such a notion has been quite thoroughly articulated, particularly in relation to the exchange of botanical knowledge and the transaction of goods. Here it is argued that conceiving of empire as a set of networks through which knowledge and ideas were exchanged, trust was negotiated, goods were traded, and people travelled is an avenue worth pursuing in the project to write the history of the eighteenth-century British empire.

KW - IMPERIAL HISTORY

KW - ATLANTIC TRADE

KW - ROYAL-SOCIETY

KW - 17TH-CENTURY

KW - ENTERPRISE

KW - AMERICAN

KW - ECONOMY

KW - INDUSTRIALIZATION

KW - NATIONALISM

KW - MERCHANTS

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DO - 10.1017/S0018246X04003759

M3 - Article

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VL - 47

SP - 451

EP - 476

JO - Historical Journal

JF - Historical Journal

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