002: The Rise & Fall Of The British Empire - What People Get Wrong

Prof James Ker-Lindsay · Sep 28, 2026 · 1h 6m · transcript

What really was the British Empire—and how did such a vast system of power come to dominate the world? In this episode, host James Ker-Lindsay is joined by Alan Lester, Professor of Historical Geography at the University of Sussex, to explore the origins, character, and legacy of British imperialism. From the colonisation of Ireland and Virginia to the expansion of the British Empire across the Atlantic Ocean and India, the discussion covers the role of the East India Company, the blight of the transatlantic slave trade, and the emergence of racial ideologies that shaped global colonialism…