Imperial Boomerangs: Transnational and Transtemporal Dimensions of Contemporary Conflict Configurations

Abstract

Building on the growing body of literature engaging with the concept of the boomerang, this paper synthesises this literature and suggests an analytical framework of three strands of imperial boomerangs: the governing boomerang, the boomerang of imperial subjectivities, and the material boomerang. Thus, the paper addresses debates around empire and imperialism as well as temporalities in historical International Relations. It offers a fresh lens, emphasising the boomerang’s transtemporal and transnational dimensions in order to make sense of contemporary conflict configurations in imperial metropoles. To illustrate the different strands and how they converge with each other as well as their interplay with global politics, we look at the politics in and around a site within the urban space of Berlin, Germany. This paper shows that illuminating imperial boomerangs is insightful for understanding the ‘imperial terrain’ and ‘imperial presence’ in contemporary conflict configurations.