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How do empires work?

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How are empires ruled? How do military, economic, logistic and cultural constructs combine to create 'systems of empire'? This free course, How do empires work?, introduces these questions by briefly sketching in the dramatic events of the Anglo-Chinese conflict over Hong Kong from 1839 to 1842.

Course learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

  • understand what a ‘system of empire’ is
  • understand the key components – economic, military, logistic and cultural – which can help to make up a system of empire.

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