Remarks on the Preconditions Alan Lester These notes were the basis of a ten minute talk delivered at the Africa Centre, London as part of a panel in commemoration of the 140th anniversary of the end of the Berlin Conference of 1885.[i] I will aim to complement Dele’s [the previous speaker’s] focus on the discussion and outcomes of the conference itself by discussing its pre-history: the events and ideas that allowed European leaders to conceive it as both possible and legitimate to decide among themselves the fate of another continent while its inhabitants looked on from the sidelines. Such events […]
In this video, Alan Lester, Professor of Historical Geography at Sussex University, tackles common questions about the essential topic of Britain’s role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade and its enduring legacy. Using data from two key resources—Slave Voyages and the UCL Legacies of British Slave Ownership project—Professor Lester addresses common objections from some audiences. He offers a historical comparison between the trans-Atlantic and Islamic slave systems, challenges the idea of “moving on” from the past, and sheds light on the deep-rooted inequalities that still exist due to Britain’s involvement in slavery.Made by After the Flood Documentaries : @atfdocumentary
On 15th September I’ll be in conversation with David Olusoga at the Royal Geographical Society, about the importance of insisting on the realities of the British Empire in the middle of a culture war, and the importance of historians amid the resurgence of nationalism. Do come along!
https://www.sunpub.info/deny-and-disavow
A group of scholars including Andrew Roberts, Robert Tombs, Zareer Masani and the ubiquitous Nigel Biggar, has banded together to create the History Reclaimed Project. It consists at present of a website and social media presence that aims to rescue…
