States of Imitation

<p> Late Western colonialism often relied on the practice of imitating indigenous forms of rule in order to maintain power; conversely indigenous polities could imitate Western sociopolitical forms to their own benefit. Drawing on historical ethnographic studies of colonialism in Asia and Africa <em>States of Imitation</em> examines how the colonial state attempted to administer control and integrate its indigenous subjects through mimetic governmentality as well the ways indigenous states adopted these imitative practices to establish reciprocal ties with or to resist the presence of the colonial state.</p>