A Very Brief Introduction to the British Empire
This podcast series is meant to give a very brief introduction to the British Empire for a general audience. It is brought to you by Uncomfortable Oxford, an academic initiative that raises questions about the legacy of the British Empire through public engagement activities. Full transcripts and reading lists are available on our website at www.uncomfortableoxford.co.uk.The perfect resource for schools, teachers, and interested listeners who simply want to expand their general knowledge of the history of the British Empire.
A Very Brief Introduction to the British Empire
Episode 6: Conquest in Africa
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 competition, imperial concerns, and specific individuals like Cecil Rhodes are covered.
The content for this episode is based on a public lecture given in a local cafe in the city of Oxford, in March 2020. The information is aimed at a non-specialist audience who is interested in learning more about the legacies of the British Empire.
This podcast is run by Uncomfortable Oxford and features bi-weekly releases of our public lecture series on the history of the British Empire. Uncomfortable Oxford is run by Doctoral students at the University of Oxford and aims to raise awareness and discourse about 'uncomfortable' issues in the modern world.