This title offers new insights on global histories and Western civilization from leading scholars in the field. Described as 'the ""New York Review of Books"" for history', ""Historically Speaking"" has emerged as one of the most distinctive historical publications in recent years, actively seeking out contributions from a pantheon of leading voices in historical discourse from both inside and outside academia. Recent Themes in World History and the History of the West represents some of the best writing on Western civilization and world history in the past five years. This collection of essays and interviews from ""Historically Speaking"" gives leading historians' approaches to the continually evolving field of world history, with a specific emphasis on the relationship of Western civilization to the history of the world. The book also discusses the effect of empire on global history and the many ways empire continues to manifest in the contemporary world. The contributors discuss world history as an intricate story of the connections within the global community, rather than a tidy, static narrative that attempts to summarize everything in our global past. In this volume the study of world history is presented as a constantly comparative endeavor, concerned with the major themes that link and divide humanity. Designed as a supplemental reader for those studying world history and Western civilization, this volume will appeal to students and general readers with an interest in history. The contributors are Lauren Benton, Michael A. Cook, Constantin Fasolt, Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, Hanna H. Gray, John M. Headley, John M. Hobson, Stephen Howe, Harold James, Deepak Lal, Charles S. Maier, Bruce Mazlish, J. R. McNeill, William H. McNeill, Anthony Pagden, Jan Nederveen Pieterse, Robbie Robertson, Dominic Sachsenmaier, and Peter N. Stearns.