Martin-thomas-photo-color
Martin Thomas
Matthew-parker
Matthew Parker
Mary-hockaday
Mary Hockaday

The Shadow of Empire in a Globalised World

Martin Thomas and Matthew Parker Mary Hockaday

Monday, 18 March 2024

2:00pm

1 hour

Oxford Martin School: Lecture Theatre

£7 - £13.50

Historians Professor Martin Thomas and Matthew Parker discuss decolonisation and the end of empires and how they have profoundly shaped the globalised world we live in today.

Thomas is author of The End of Empires and a World Remade: A Global History of Decolonization. He tells the story of the end of empires and of decolonisation and how, in the second half of the 20th century, it triggered wars, led to new international coalitions, and reshaped North-South dynamics. He says that while the end of empire promised much for the decolonised countries, globalisation has reinforced economic inequalities and imperial forms of political and cultural influence.  Thomas is professor of imperial history and director of the Centre for Histories of Violence and Conflict at the University of Exeter.

Parker’s One Fine Day: 29 September 1923 Britain’s Empire on the Brink examines the moment that the British Empire reached its maximum territorial size. He focuses on the people and stories of that day and ranges across the empire. Parker says many of the issues are still with us today, including debates around identity in a globalised world, managing multi-ethnic political entities, racism, co-opting of religion for political purposes, and the dangers of ignorance. Parker is author of several history books including Monte Cassino, Panama Fever, The Sugar Barons and Goldeneye: Ian Fleming’s Jamaica. Here they talk to Mary Hockaday, master of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, a former controller of BBC World Service, a former head of the BBC newsroom, and a one-time foreign correspondent for the BBC and The Independent.

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The Oxford Literary Festival sponsors, donors & partners

The Telegraph Festival media partner University of Oxford European Union Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK Cultural Relations Platform Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Oxford Mathematics Spanish Embassy The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture Cervantes Institute, London The Cervantes Institute, London Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller Symington Wines of the Douro Valley Compassion in World Farming Pasture to Plate Oxford Business College Where learning meets opportunity: education partners of the festival Old Bank Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Old Parsonage Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Oxford Brookes University Oxford International Centre for Publishing Critchleys Accountants to the festival Confucius Institute Voltaire Foundation Felicity Bryan Associates Goldmoney Properties Princeton University Press Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024 Oxford University Department for Continuing Education Jewish Book Week Partner of Oxford Literary Festival Jim Mellon Miles Young Tim and Marion Stevenson Martin and Elise Becket Smith Ian and Carol Sellars David Isaac Mary and Cecil Quillen Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Yale University Press London New College New College founded 1379 Exeter College Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314 Worcester College Worcester College founded 1714 Trinity College Trinity College founded 1555 Magdalen College Magdalen College founded 1458 Reuben College Reuben College founded in 2019 Pusey House Brasenose College Brasenose College founded in 1512 New Dutch Writing Human Ecology Project MACROVegan Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design Racalia Olive Oil Olive oil from Sicily Paul Bloomfield Ltd University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Oxford University Images Oxford University Images CAV Oxford The Litmus Partnership Schoolreaders Windrush Group The Oxford Times BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Conference Oxford Ox in a Box OX magazine