Shigeru Akita and the Study of British Imperial History in Japan

Abstract

Abstract Shigeru Akita’s research into global history is solidly based on his study of British imperial history. Starting his career as an imperial historian by probing the role of the Indian army in Britain’s empire, he incorporated such concepts as gentlemanly capitalism, intra-Asian trade, and structural power into his historical analysis of British rule in Asia, an analysis that provided the framework for his picture of global history. Recently he has been studying the process of industrialization in Asian countries within the historical context of the Cold War and decolonization, focusing on the role of development aid. His organizational talent has been amply displayed by his presidency of the Asian Association of World Historians, by his instrumental role in organizing the early activities of the Study Group of British Imperial and Commonwealth History, and by his successful efforts to make Osaka University a leading research center of global history.