The Informal Imperialist

Dr. Clement Williams at the Court of
King Mindon, Mandalay, 1861-1879

Description

“This is a fascinating history, beautifully told. The rich archives that Graham reveals present both the biography of an enterprising individual and the story of cultures in contact at a crucial moment of change in Burmese history.”

Alicia Turner, Associate Professor, Humanities and Religious Studies, York University, Toronto  

“Until now, Clement Williams has been virtually unknown among early European photographers in the Indian Ocean world. Ron Graham tells his story using archival research and nuanced narration. Williams’s exceptionally rare and important photographs, which provide a view of Myanmar before British annexation, are reproduced together here in a large number for the first time.”

Deepali Dewan, Dan Mishra Curator of Global South Asia, Royal Ontario Museum

“This well-written biography of Clement Williams allows the reader to understand how Burmese and British elites engaged in a sort of collaboration that ushered in socio-political transformations of the Burmese kingdom, a process neither smooth nor straightforward.” 

Aurore Candier, Associate Professor, History, and Director of the Center for Burma Studies, Northern Illinois University 

“Bringing a treasure-trove of historical materials to life, The Informal Imperialist is a vivid account of Clement Williams’s residence in Mandalay in mid-nineteenth century Burma. Graham’s richly illustrated volume will captivate history buffs of British Burma and those interested in the visual culture of that period.”

François Tainturier, Executive Director, Inya Institute, Yangon