The bestselling book "Empireland" by British-born Sathnam Sanghera is very much about widening the debate about how we should be looking at history:
'The real remedy is education of the kind that Sanghera has embraced - accepting, not ignoring, the past' Gerard deGroot, The TimesThe British Empire ran for centuries and covered vast swathes of the world. It is, as Sanghera reveals, fundamental to understanding Britain. However, even among those who celebrate the empire there seems to be a desire not to look at it too closely – not to include the subject in our school history books, not to emphasize it too much in our favourite museums.At a time of great division, when we are arguing about what it means to be British, Sanghera’s book urges us to address this bewildering contradiction. For, it is only by stepping back and seeing where we really come from, that we can begin to understand who we are, and what unites us.
It has been reviewed many times:
Empireland by Sathnam Sanghera book review
Empireland by Sathnam Sanghera review: why we must come to terms with our Imperial pastMany people feel strongly about it, but there is little consensus on what the British empire left us, says the author of this timely new analysis
Inherent to this is a funny contradiction, muses Sathnam Sanghera in his new book Empireland. Many people feel strongly about our imperial past, but there is little consensus on what the British empire left us.
This is not simply an abstract topic that we learn, or in many cases ought to learn, in school. In twelve chapters Sanghera examines the social, economic and geographic impact of a global empire on its motherland.
Empireland lays the legacy of British imperialism at the door of the modern United Kingdom. He attempts to show that empire is in our institutions, in our politics and in the way we live and we hate. The story of how so many artefacts found their way into Britain’s museums, one of the more literal legacies of five centuries of imperialism, is entertaining and relevant. But more interesting is the analysis of our national psyche.
In the conclusion to his book, Sanghera says this, along with other similar approaches, is "less a statement than an invitation to ask questions. A request to tease out the threads of how the present is connected to the past."
In the same section he says he is optimistic about the "encouraging changes already happening in education" - for example:
Across the UK, inspiring teachers are unearthing diverse stories of lesser known historical figures to help students connect with the past – and each other
However, while there have been some 'positive steps', there is still "no consensus emerging on education", with politicians making noises about 'the culture wars' - which means that history has been 'weaponised' around the 'woke' issues of race, migration, nationhood and identity.
Tories bet on culture wars to unite disparate voters | The Economist
John Gray: the nationalist philosopher stoking ‘culture wars’ fires | openDemocracy
And it's happening everywhere:
'Woke' has been weaponized to label those fighting oppression the oppressors
Virtual Hatred: How Russia Tried to Start a Race War in the United States
Back in the UK, education has been in the news again this week:
But in fact, if you look beyond the headlines, whilst there is indeed a lot of political 'psychodrama' going on, the new guidance to history teachers is quite reasonable and balanced:
AnalysisThere can be few issues more certain to raise the blood pressure of Tory MPs than the claim teachers are indoctrinating their pupils with left-wing ideas.
With that in mind, new guidance to schools on political impartiality has to be seen in the context of a wider “war on woke” being waged by Boris Johnson’s Government.
Just days ago, the Conservative Party chairman, Oliver Dowden, denounced what he described as a “painful woke psychodrama” sweeping the West.
Instructing schools not to back campaign groups from the Black Lives Matters movement is just the sort of “red meat” Number 10 insiders promised Tory MPs as part of a reset of Mr Johnson’s premiership in the wake of the partygate affair.
Another part of the guidance advises schools to “focus on” what historical figures are “most renowned for” when teaching younger children about individuals with “contested legacies”.
Although no specific people are named, Sir Winston Churchill is one such figure. Some Tory MPs believe that the wartime hero’s memory – and his statues – are under serious threat.
When you actually delve into the detail of the guidance, much of it is fairly common sense. Existing legal duties are also unchanged. The framing of the guidance in pre-briefed tidbits to the press is more emblematic of the culture wars than the actual content.
Critics of the Government will say it is a solution in search of a problem.
There have indeed been cases where overzealous teachers have foisted their convictions onto students in a way that is inappropriate. But the vast majority of the profession take their duty to be politically impartial seriously and keep their own views outside of the classroom.
As Sathnam Sanghera says in his book, he is not advocating 'decolonising' the history curriculum - a term which he thinks is unhelpful and divisive - but 'widening' how we see the past.
That is the job of any historian.
To finish, here's an interview with the author:
Britain's Imperial Legacy: "It's Absolutely Everywhere" - HistoryExtra
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