The next UA Little Rock Evenings with History lecture series will explore how to define the expansion of the American empire on Tuesday, March 5. 

Dr. Charles Romney, associate professor of history at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, will present “Defining the American Empire,” at 7:30 p.m. at Historic Arkansas Museum, 200 E. Third St. in Little Rock. Refreshments will be served at 7 p.m.

Romney will explain traditional approaches to defining the American empire before exploring more recent interpretations that stress the unusual—and possibly unique—history of zones controlled by the United States.

“Scholars struggle to locate the right analytical framework to understand the expansion of the United States,” Romney said. “Is the American empire similar to the British empire in its features, or is the acquisition of territory by the United States distinct from European imperialism because of America’s republican ideology?”

The Evenings with History series, sponsored by the University History Institute, features presentations by UA Little Rock faculty members sharing their current research. Admission to the series is by subscription to the University History Institute, although visitors to individual talks are welcome to attend for free. UA Little Rock students may attend free of charge.

For more information, contact Dr. Jess Porter, chair of the UA Little Rock Department of History, at jcporter@ualr.edu or 501-569-3236.