Date of Award
Summer 8-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
War, Diplomacy and Society
First Advisor
Stephanie Takaragawa
Second Advisor
Charissa Threat
Third Advisor
Mateo Jarquin
Abstract
This thesis portfolio examines the structure and consequences of imperialism, exploring the relationship between empires and their subjects using the cases of the United States of America and Japan. While existing research on empire focuses on territorial expansion, this study proposes a working definition of empire that centers on coercion and manipulation of the domestic population to demonstrate how empires sustain themselves. Additionally, this thesis portfolio demonstrates how governments maintain control by influencing how their citizens should interpret their actions. Utilizing primary sources, including legal and legislative documents, government reports, diplomatic correspondence, and visual propaganda, this thesis portfolio argues that empires require constant maintenance of the domestic population to sustain themselves and gather support for their imperial projects. By analyzing the mechanisms embedded in the structures of imperial governments, this thesis contributes to the broader field of empire and to understanding how empires require intentional maintenance to sustain themselves throughout all their stages.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
White, Maiya. "Maintaining Empire." Master's thesis, Chapman University, 2026. https://doi.org/10.36837/chapman.000754