Introduction--imperialism: what's in a name? -- Early capitalism and mercantile imperialism -- Liberal imperialism and capitalist expansion -- Classical imperialism, 1882-1945 -- The Cold War, post-war boom and new theories of imperialism -- Neo-imperialism, globalization and geo-politics in the post-Cold War world -- The political economy of neo-liberal imperialism -- Liberalism and 'humanitarian imperialism' -- The end of US hegemony? Contemporary hegemonic challenge and world economic crisis -- Imperialism and anti-imperialism today.