Cooper Flashcards
Why have scholars linked the idea of globalisation to the history of Western imperialism in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries? Why does Frederick Cooper not find the term very useful?
Scholars have linked the idea of globalization to the history of Western imperialism in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries because the expansion of European powers during this time led to the integration of apparently isolated regions into a European-dominated global system. This period saw the imposition of territorial borders on long-distance trading networks, the monopolization of external trade, and the disarticulation of colonial territories politically, socially, and economically.
Frederick Cooper does not find the term “globalization” very useful because he believes it oversimplifies the complex historical processes of interconnectedness and does not adequately capture the specific mechanisms and limits of the connecting mechanisms. He argues that the concept of globalization draws attention away from the historical depth of interconnections and fails to provide a nuanced understanding of the structures and limits of cross-border connections. Instead, he advocates for more precise and less sweeping concepts that emphasize both the nature of spatial linkages and their limits, and seek to analyze change with historical specificity rather than in terms of a vaguely defined and unattainable end-point.
What does Cooper mean by the ‘lumpiness’ of global power structures?
Cooper refers to the “lumpiness” of global power structures to emphasize the uneven and varied distribution of power and economic relations across different regions and societies. He argues that the interconnectedness of the world is not uniform or systematic, but rather characterized by asymmetries and limitations. This “lumpiness” highlights the fact that certain areas and social relations are more densely connected and powerful, while others remain diffuse and less influential. Cooper’s concept of “lumpiness” challenges the idea of a seamless and uniform global system, and instead underscores the importance of understanding the specific mechanisms and boundaries that shape spatial relationships and power dynamics.
What does Cooper mean by ‘writing history backwards’? Why does he have problems with that?
Cooper’s reference to “writing history backwards” refers to the practice of interpreting historical events and processes in a way that projects present-day concepts and ideals onto the past. He criticizes this approach because it overlooks the specificity, contingency, and contestation of historical developments. By focusing on an idealized version of the present and working backwards to show how everything led up to it, this approach fails to acknowledge the complexities and nuances of historical processes. Cooper argues that history unfolds over time, creating conditions and contingencies in which actors make decisions, mobilize other people, and take actions that both open up and constrain future possibilities. Therefore, he advocates for a more precise and discerning approach to analyzing historical processes, one that takes into account the power, limitations, and mechanisms that shape them.
What proposes Cooper instead of the concept ‘globalization’? With which arguments?
Cooper proposes a more precise and differentiated vocabulary that encourages thinking about connections and their limits instead of using the concept of “globalization.” He argues that the concept of globalization is not a useful analytical category and that scholars and activists should focus on analyzing how regions are linked and bounded and how those links and boundaries shift over time. Cooper suggests that the changing meaning over time of spatial linkages can be understood in a better way than globalization. He also argues for more modest and more discerning ways of analyzing processes that cross borders but are not universal, and that constitute long-distance networks and social fields but not on a planetary scale. Cooper’s arguments are based on the inadequacy of the concept of globalization, the limitations and incoherences of colonial systems, and the need for precision in specifying how commodity circuits are constituted, how connections across space are extended and bounded, and how large-scale, long-term processes can be analyzed with due attention to their power, their limitations, and the mechanisms which shape them.
