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We Need to Talk About the British Empire

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We Need to Talk About the British Empire

By: Afua Hirsch
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About this listen

Making sense of the British Empire's legacy... through the stories of people who lived through it.

Through six intimate conversations with a new generation of writers and historians - journalist Afua Hirsch tries to break through old cliches, and unpick the true legacy of this complicated and difficult inheritance.

She speaks to leading figures in British culture today - from poet Benjamin Zephaniah to actress Diana Rigg, broadcaster Anita Rani to novelist Nadifa Mohamed - discovering vivid family stories of the people who made the Empire what it was. And she hears how its ripples continue to shape our lives, and sense of collective identity today: our attitudes and cultural values, the multicultural, multiracial population of the British Isles today, and the relationships that Britain has with other parts of the world.

A Somethin' Else Production.

This is an Audible Original Podcast. Free for members. You can download all 6 episodes to your Library now.

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Episodes
  • Ep. 1: Anita Rani

    Ep. 1: Anita Rani
    Feb 13 2020

    Broadcaster Anita Rani's story is of a long-hidden family secret, one rooted in India’s Partition in 1947. A secret that changed not just everything Anita thought she knew about Britain’s legacy in India... but rocked her own sense of identity.
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    37 mins
    Free with 30-day trial
  • Ep. 2: Nadifa Mohamed

    Ep. 2: Nadifa Mohamed
    Feb 13 2020

    When British-Somali writer Nadifa Mohamed sought to draw on her father’s life as a colonial subject for her first novel, she never dreamed he would unravel the tale of a modern-day Odysseus - and lift the lid on parts of the British Empire the history books often forget.
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    40 mins
    Free with 30-day trial
  • Ep. 3: Joseph Opala & Emory Campbell

    Ep. 3: Joseph Opala & Emory Campbell
    Feb 13 2020

    The story of a tiny, forgotten island in a West African river delta - and a proud community in the Eastern USA - reveals new and shocking insights into Britain’s involvement in the Transatlantic slave trade.
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    35 mins
    Free with 30-day trial
All stars
Most relevant  
Please re-arrange episodes into their correct order.
Otherwise, a very thought provoking podcast.
Thankyou. :)

Out Of Order

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learnt a lot about empire and it's results on the colonised. Some very sad stories.

Really engrossing

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A handful of valuable perspectives that are somewhat rare these days. Thanks for presenting this.

I needed to hear this.

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My goodness - what damage has been done! Makes me wonder what the world could have looked like had colonial forces not been in a MAD race to conquer the world - or had they not left such a mess upon departure.

Such important information & life stories

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Insightful and poignant, particularly in our current environment. History is written by the 'victors', but it's high time we started telling the stories of those on the other side of history. These are some of those stories. Well worth the listen by anyone, anywhere

A fantastic and thought provoking production

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Very eye opening and engaging! I learned a lot from this series. Has inspired me to research and learn more on my own. Thank you for putting this series together.

Definitely need to talk about the British Empire!

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And by "meh," I most definitely do mean "meh."
The valid & important points being presented are buried in the kind preachy scolding that's anathema to all but rabid sjws. A wasted opportunity.

meh.

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