This article discusses the recent developments in imperial history in Great Britain and France and analyses the state of Dutch research in the light of these new approaches. Raben concentrates on three broadly defined topics – the webbed character of colonial spaces, the impact of empire on metropolitan societies and the moral ramifications of colonial empires. The way imperial histories are written is determined by the experiences with ‘empire’ in the metropolitan countries. Despite essential differences in imperial circumstances in and of the Netherlands, Dutch historiography could be inspired by the British and French developments to explore the spatial, cultural and moral relationships between the various parts of the Dutch colonial world. This article is part of the special issue ' A New Dutch Imperial History '.