Green Dreamer: Seeding change towards collective healing, sustainability, regeneration 388) Daniel Immerwahr: Empire remade in form through technology
Feb 15, 2023
In this engaging discussion, historian Daniel Immerwahr, the Bergen Evans Professor at Northwestern University and author of *How to Hide an Empire*, explores how the U.S. transformed its imperial strategy through synthetic materials, reducing reliance on colonial territories. He delves into the misleading implications of the 'logo map,' highlights the subtlety of modern power dynamics, and discusses how technologies like drones have changed warfare's acceptability. Immerwahr also emphasizes the need to recognize America’s hidden empire and its influence on national identity.
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Manila Research Trip That Reframed History
- Daniel Immerwahr recounts a research trip to Manila that reshaped his view of U.S. history and empire.
- Seeing Philippine streets and institutions made him realize U.S. territories are integral to American history.
The Logo Map Hides The Empire
- The familiar contiguous U.S. "logo map" hides overseas territories and skews our sense of the country's character.
- Including places like Puerto Rico and Guam forces us to question the U.S. as purely a republic rather than an empire.
Chemistry Replaced Colonies
- Plastics and synthetics replaced many colonial raw materials, reducing the incentive to seize territories.
- The U.S. effectively swapped technology for territory, turning colonies obsolete through chemistry.