Empire, Nation and the British State

Culture, Power, Politics » Podcast · Jun 26, 2023 · 2h 4m

In this coronation year, we are visibly reminded that the trappings of the British state are overlaid with the legacies of its empire. But to what extent are current attitudes, legal frameworks and political arrangements really shaped by this imperialist and colonialist past? Did the very idea of a British ‘nation’ – a relatively novel concept in the post-war period – in fact represent a radical break with the idea of empire? What are the implications of these questions for understanding Britain in the 21st century?

Speakers

David Edgerton, Professor of Modern British History, Kings College…