Imperialism: from antiquity to now

Samir Saul, Professor, Department of History, Université de Montréal Credit: Amélie Philibert | Université de Montréal In his new book, historian Samir Saul dissects imperialism through the ages to describe its chameleon-like nature and economic underpinnings. Samir Saul, a historian of international relations and professor in Université de Montréal's Department of History, has long had been interested in imperialism. He does not believe it appeared at a specific point in history but rather that it is a form of domination that dates back to the birth of states and has persisted to this day, becoming increasingly sophisticated in the process. In L'Impérialisme, passé et présent ,¹ Saul sheds new light on the changing face of imperialism through the ages, from primitive ancestral practices to its more covert contemporary forms in the guise of capitalism. We asked Saul to summarize the key points of his analysis. Where did the idea to write this book come from, and what did you hope to accomplish?. My research has centred on imperialism ever since my doctoral studies.