The old stereotype of the lone, male European explorer conquering and discovering new lands is far from the complete story of the role of gender in Empire. Once seen as a very masculine endeavor, studies by recent historians and Victorian diaries, letters, and travel accounts reveal the complexities of the role of gender in the founding and continuation of Imperialism in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. We will be examining the ways gender defined, circumscribed, and perpetuated Empire, especially in the 19th c. under British Imperialism. Concentrating particularly on India and Africa with discussions of Empire at home and in other areas of the globe, this course will use a variety of primary and secondary sources including novels and film to analyze gender in the context of Empire. Most importantly we will reveal the connections between modern, post-colonial culture and politics and the legacies of Empire.