Title

Civilization, Empire and History:  Resistance, Terror and Religion

Presenter

Roger van Zwanenberg

Abstract

Roger van Zwanenberg’s presentation will examine the concept of civilization through the lens of empire, history and, resistance to Empire over a 200-year period.  It begins with a brief analysis of the European and North American Civilization and its conquest for empires. Once civilization is defined, the paper moves on to show how civilizations become empires, and subsequently the processes that lead to the fall of empire will be identified. Another central theme that van Zwanenberg will address is the various ways – including terror and religion – through which the rest of the world has resisted against the implosion of Western civilization and empire.

Biography

Roger van Zwanenberg earned his MA and Ph.D. from Sussex University on the labour history of Kenya. From 1969 to 1974 he was a Lecturer  at the Universities of  Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam.  He has authored numerous books and articles on the Economic history of Eastern Africa. In 1976, after taking a nine months course in Business Studies at the London Business School, he founded Zed Press Ltd. Since 1987 he has been the Managing Director of Pluto Books, where he is now the President.