Content Warning: This episode contains graphic references to colonial violence. In this special episode of 'A Very Brief Introduction to the British Empire', we invite Professor Gerry Kearns of Maynooth University to provide an important outline on the life of Roger Casement, and the legacy of his work documenting imperial atrocities, challenging British colonial rule and in his efforts to argue and fight for Irish independence. The content for this episode is based on a lecture live-s...

This is the first episode of our final module of this series: Unmaking Empire? The last module begins with a lecture on the Inter-war period, providing a comprehensive look at the historical moment often labelled as the 'height' of the British Empire. Yet, when you look deeper into the structure of the empire in this period, you begin to see the cracks in power that had begun to form across the globe. Historian Jan Tattenberg provides an enlightening overview of these cracks, from Irish...

We conclude our second module of the lecture series with a detailed overview of British Imperialism during the First World War. Historian Dr Jack Doyle takes you through the history of anti-colonial rebellion, white nationhood, and 20th-century imperialism. The content for this episode is based on a lecture live-streamed on our Facebook page on July 2nd. The information is aimed at a non-specialist audience who is interested in learning more about the legacies of the British Empire. This podc...

We begin our second module of the lecture series with a detailed overview of British conquest in Asia. Historian Harriet Aldrich takes you through the history of British interaction with the African continent from the 1600s to the First World War. She highlights the importance of geography and maps in how Europeans historically approached the global south, and questions the generalised narrative often used in discussions about the history of a whole continent. The impact of European competiti...

We begin our second module of the lecture series with a detailed overview of British conquest in Asia. Historian Urvi Khaitan provides a discussion of the establishment of the British Raj after the revolt of 1857 and how British trade concerns led to numerous battles across south and east Asia. The substantial changes brought to ecosystems and economies extended beyond just the Indian Peninsula, affecting all surrounding nations and peoples. The Anglo-Burmese wars, the Opium Wars, and the Gre...

Our first module of the lecture series is complete with the release of our fourth episode, focussing on the Pacific Ocean. Historian Sean Philips talks about the development of a pan-pacific region in European thought, juxtaposing it with the long history of settlement across the many island nations in the Pacific Ocean. This episode problematises the legacy of James Cook and memories of 'first encounters' between Indigenous peoples across the Pacific and European colonisers. It finishes with...

Today we are excited to release the third episode of A Very Brief Introduction to the British Empire, highlighting colonisation in the Indian Ocean. Historian Olivia Durand takes a longer view of the concept of 'exploration', explaining how the Indian Ocean and South Asia in general has a long history of different explorers, travelling east to west, as well as west to east. Contextualising the larger cultural context of the region alongside the movements of different empires, this lecture out...

Join us for our second episode of A Very Brief Introduction to the British Empire, highlighting British colonisation in the Atlantic Ocean. Historian Paula Larsson outlines the British settlement of Ireland, North America, and the Caribbean from the Tudor era to the mid-18th century. An overview of imperial terminology and British tactics for maintaining power are discussed alongside the major population changes and the Atlantic slave trade. The content for this episode is based on a public l...

Join us for our special pilot episode of A Very Brief Introduction to the British Empire, focusing on disease in imperial context! Historians Paula Larsson and Olivia Durand discuss the impact of contagion as it shaped conquest, exploitation, and the development of racial theory. Special guest Manikarnika Dutta calls in for a spotlight on the history of cholera. This is a brief introduction to smallpox in the new world, malaria and yellow fever in the Caribbean, cholera and the idea of a 'd...