Resurrection and Normalisation of Empire

An introductory essay to the special issue, this paper describes key factors that govern, and, at the same time, reflect the resurrection and normalisation of empire today. It elaborates on the normalisation of empire through three modes of thought and practice - the entrenchment of imperial exceptionalism as a norm of governance or political reason; the neo-liberal, economistic rationale for imperial intervention; and the historiographic redemption of empire. After presenting an outline of "imperial indifference", an attitude and practice that perpetuates the legitimation of empire, it describes the focus of each essay in the issue, and concludes with some thoughts on the futures of empire.