Worlds in Conflict: War, Empire and Revolution (1898-1913)

Overview

Examine a highly formative period of rapid change in world history with this hybrid lecture series.

Between 1898 and 1913 a series of conflicts – some fought on a global scale – brought imperialist rivalries to a new pitch. New imperial powers emerged (such as Japan and the USA), while old empires (such as China and Spain) collapsed. Unprecedented advances in military technology, such as the advent of aerial warfare, offered a grim foretaste of the greater conflict to come. Meanwhile, in different ways the Afrikaners (Boers) of Southern Africa and the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists (“Boxers”) in China offered resistance to imperial domination.

Please note: this event will close to enrolments at 23:59 GMT on 17 January 2026.

Programme details

Lectures take place on Tuesdays, from 11am-12:30pm GMT.

Tuesday 20 January 2026 

From Omdurman to Fashoda: the struggle for the Nile, 1898

In 1898 the British finally took revenge for the killing of General Gordon in 1884, defeating the Mahdist army at Omdurman. The victory consolidated Britain’s hold on the Suez Canal but resulted in a new crisis in relations with its imperial rival France. 

Tuesday 27 January 2026 

The reluctant imperialists? The Spanish-American War of 1898 

In 1898 the United States intervened militarily on the side of anti-Spanish rebels in Cuba and the Philippines.  The swift US victory posed an important question: did the eclipse of the Spanish Empire mark the emergence of a new American empire for the twentieth century?   

Tuesday 3 February 2026

The Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902

The “Boer War” of 1899-1902 marked the height of British imperial expansion. However, it also provided abundant signs of imperial overreach as Britain struggled to crush the two Afrikaner Republics amidst domestic concerns about how and why the war was being fought.  

Tuesday 10 February 2026 

55 Days at Peking; the Boxer Rebellion of 1900  

The so-called “Boxer Rebellion” against foreign influence in China provoked a united, but also very violent, response from the great powers. The rebellion’s suppression helped to shape foreign relations with China well into the 20th century.  

Tuesday 17 February 2026

War and revolution: the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05

In 1904 Russia and Japan went to war for control of Korea and Manchuria. Japan’s victory – a surprise to many observers – precipitated revolution in Russia and a profound change to the balance of power in East Asia and the Pacific. 

Tuesday 24 February 2026

The quickening pace of conflict: Italy, the Ottoman Empire and the Balkans, 1911-1913

In the years before the First World War the Ottoman Empire – declining but far from moribund – was attacked by the new nation states of South-East Europe (Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania and Albania). The Balkan Wars not only prefigured the greater war to come but also magnified the regional tensions that would help to cause it. 

How and when to watch

Each lecture will last approximately 1 hour, followed by questions. Please join in good time before each lecture to ensure that you have no connection problems. We recommend joining 10-15 minutes before the start time.

Fees

Description Costs
In-person event fee (includes tea/coffee and a pastry) £90.00
Virtual event fee £75.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit or are a full-time student in the UK you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees.

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Prof Tom Buchanan

Tutor

Tom Buchanan is Professor of Modern British and European History at the University of Oxford, and Director of Studies in History and Politics at OUDCE. He is the author of three books and numerous articles on British involvement in the Spanish Civil War, and of Europe's Troubled Peace: 1945 to the Present (2nd edition 2012). He published East Wind: China and the British Left, 1925-1976 with Oxford University Press in 2012. His most recent book is Amnesty International and Human Rights Activism in Post-war Britain. He has published an article entitled “The Three Lives of Homage to Catalonia” in The Library, 3, 3 (2002).

Application

Please use the 'Book' button on this page. Alternatively, please contact us to obtain an application form.

Accommodation

If you wish to stay with us before and/or after the event, please contact our Residential Centre for availability and discounted rates.

Call +44 (0) 1865 270362 or email res-ctr@conted.ox.ac.uk

Our accommodation in Wellington Square has been rated as 4-Star Campus Accommodation under Visit England. All bedrooms are modern, comfortably furnished with tea/coffee making facilities, Freeview television, private bath/shower rooms and free WiFi. For more details see our accommodation information.

IT requirements

We will be using Zoom for the livestreaming of this lecture series, and you will be able to submit questions via the Zoom interface. Joining instructions will be sent out prior to the start date. We recommend that you join the session at least 10-15 minutes prior to the start time – just as you might arrive a bit early at our lecture theatre for an in-person event.

Please note that this course will not be recorded.