Maintaining Empire

<p>This thesis portfolio examines the structure and consequences of imperialism, exploring the relationship between empires and their subjects using the cases of the United States of America and Japan. While existing research on empire focuses on territorial expansion, this study proposes a working definition of empire that centers on coercion and manipulation of the domestic population to demonstrate how empires sustain themselves. Additionally, this thesis portfolio demonstrates how governments maintain control by influencing how their citizens should interpret their actions. Utilizing primary sources, including legal and legislative documents, government reports, diplomatic correspondence, and visual propaganda, this thesis portfolio argues that empires require constant maintenance of the domestic population to sustain themselves and gather support for their imperial projects. By analyzing the mechanisms embedded in the structures of imperial governments, this thesis contributes to the broader field of empire and to understanding how empires require intentional maintenance to sustain themselves throughout all their stages. </p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

War, Diplomacy and Society

Year

2026

Author dc:creator

• White, Maiya

Contributors dc:contributor

• Stephanie Takaragawa
• Charissa Threat
• Mateo Jarquin

• American Politics

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/war_and_society_theses/51

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.chapman.edu:war_and_society_theses-1052