Imperial Steam explores the early history of steamship travel to Britain’s imperial East.
Drawing upon the wealth of voyage narratives which were produced in the first decades of the new route to India, the book examines the thoughts, emotions and experiences of those whose lives were caught up with the imperial project. The potent symbolism of the steamship, which exceeded the often harsh realities of travel, provided a convincing narrative for coming to terms with Britain’s global empire — not just for passengers, but for those at home who consumed the ubiquitous accounts of steamship travel. Imperial Steam thus contributes to our understanding of the role of imperial networks in the production of the British imperial world view.
By:
Jonathan Stafford
Imprint: Manchester University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
Spine: 16mm
Weight: 549g
ISBN: 9781526164483
ISBN 10: 1526164485
Series: Studies in Imperialism
Pages: 264
Publication Date: 17 August 2023
Audience:
General/trade
,
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
ELT Advanced
,
Primary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Illustrations Acknowledgements Introduction 1 ‘Bustle, motion, progress, change’: Steamship modernity 2 ‘A turbulent microcosm’: Steamship space 3 ‘The diurnal economy of these steamers’: Steamship temporalities 4 ‘Not at home, yet so completely at home’: Steamship domesticity 5 ‘Dissolving views in the panorama of travel’: Producing the maritime landscape Conclusion Bibliography Index -- .
Jonathan Stafford is a Research Fellow in History at the Leibniz Centre for Literary and Cultural Research, Berlin -- .
Reviews for Imperial Steam: Modernity on the Sea Route to India, 1837-74
'Imperial Steam makes a substantial contribution to the history of industrialization and empire. It will be useful to maritime historians and specialists on the British Empire, but it also sheds light as a case study on some of the “big” questions on modernity and machines as experienced by travellers, laborers, and consumers.' Technology and Culture, 2023 -- .
