Two sides of the same coin: imperialism and racism in the consolidation of US hegemony

Abstract

The article presents the necessary dialogue between the main theories of imperialism and the engagement of the United States in the contemporary international order, punctuating the instrumentalization of flagrantly racist foreign policy practices as modus operandi for the realization of US imperialism as early as the nineteenth century. It is assumed that international relations theories, as well as the understanding of the role played by the United States in the contemporary international system, would benefit from the debate regarding the core concepts of imperialism theories (classical and contemporary), highlighting themes such as: resistance to ahistoricism; the role of transnational networks and classes in the realignments of contemporary power; the deep dialogue between the international economy and international politics; and the preponderance of the state and its active role in conducting contemporary international relations

Keywords

• relações internacionais. estados unidos. imperialismo. racismo.