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colonialism Articles

The Booker Prize: Empowering or performative?

The Booker Prize: Empowering or performative?

The Booker Prize’s shortlist has been announced, and as always, each entry is laden with polemical and current societal commentaries. But why does this prize champion liberation? Perhaps due to its colonial past and problematic present.
Should museums repatriate stolen artefacts? In conversation with Dr. Njabulo Chipangura

Should museums repatriate stolen artefacts? In conversation with Dr. Njabulo Chipangura

What would it mean to decolonise an inherently colonial centre? We sat down to speak with Dr. Njabulo Chipangura at the Manchester Museum, to find out more about how the museum is re-evaluating its role in colonial knowledge production
England and Son review: A tragic tale of stolen youth, rage, and outrage

England and Son review: A tragic tale of stolen youth, rage, and outrage

Ed Edwards’ poignant play follows Thatcher’s Great Britain, with a father and son struggling to get by as they go into business together. The glory days are over for Industrial England, and an uncertain future lies ahead
Great Expectations in the Raj: In conversation with Tanika Gupta

Great Expectations in the Raj: In conversation with Tanika Gupta

The Mancunion spoke to playwright Tanika Gupta about her newest adaptation of Dickens’s Great Expectations – a re-imagining which casts new historical and political light on the literary classic
Manchester Art Gallery and decolonisation: Has it been successful?

Manchester Art Gallery and decolonisation: Has it been successful?

In ‘Rethinking the Grand Tour’, Manchester Art Gallery tries to decolonise its pieces. After visiting, we explore whether it’s really made an impact
Review: The Cherry Orchard

Review: The Cherry Orchard

Vinay Patel’s sci-fi reimagining of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, which features South Asians in space, is currently orbiting around HOME
Frantz Fanon, Priti Patel, and the Problem with Political Discourse

Frantz Fanon, Priti Patel, and the Problem with Political Discourse

The language around Priti Patel is indicative of the laziness in our political debates, argues Ashwin Venkatakrishnan
West Side Story’s primary problem lies in its repeatedly rewritten signature song

West Side Story’s primary problem lies in its repeatedly rewritten signature song

Theatre Editor Jay Darcy explores the problems of West Side Story through its signature song, ‘America’
Review: As British as a Watermelon

Review: As British as a Watermelon

Alex Bikard reviews Mandla Rae’s As British as a Watermelon at Contact Theatre
International Cinema: Africa and the Middle East

International Cinema: Africa and the Middle East

Our contributors picked their favourite films from Africa and the Middle East in the fourth instalment of the International Cinema series
Colonialism and climate change: how renewables may continue this toxic legacy

Colonialism and climate change: how renewables may continue this toxic legacy

Ava Innes discusses the problem with trying to find sustainable solutions without examining the colonial legacy that underpins our current environmental crisis.
Opinion: Marx and the issue of Apologism

Opinion: Marx and the issue of Apologism

Shaheena Patel takes a look at figures who impact our current modes of thought, and the orientalist viewpoints that affected their work
Colonial nostalgia is rife, so why aren’t we addressing it?

Colonial nostalgia is rife, so why aren’t we addressing it?

Hannah Vallance argues Corbyn’s pledge to change the way the British Empire is remembered and taught is fundamental in order to understand Britain’s place in the world today.
Britain’s war amnesia

Britain’s war amnesia

Is it too late to remember the sacrifices of Britain’s Colonial soldiers?
Racial identity in Southeast Asia as a modern social construct

Racial identity in Southeast Asia as a modern social construct

Exploitative and divisive ideologies around race are a tool of power – just take a look at Southeast Asia

Ignored Histories: Empire in Education with Anindita Ghosh

As we continue our theme of black history month, this week Ellie Tivey talks to UoM senior lecturer Anindita Ghosh to discuss why history classrooms around the country are severely lacking in education on colonialism and how this is affecting our understandings of the world

‘God save the Queen’ stands in the way of progress

Recent protests against national anthems and flags in the United States should inspire Brits to the causes of discriminated peoples at home

Royal Mess Up: Papers misreport anti-racism campaign

Amidst a range of campaigns denouncing universities’ colonial pasts, several papers misreported an anti-racism campaign at Royal Holloway University

The acquisitions of empire

Colm Lock proposes that it is time to stop hanging onto the past regarding our imperial history