Empire, Identity, and Education: How Students Really Learn About the British Empire

Debates over how the British Empire should be taught in England’s schools have become deeply politicised, a pattern echoed globally as young people highlight the ongoing legacies of empire and settler colonialism. Drawing on extensive empirical research in schools, this Element explains what students are actually taught about British imperialism and its complexities. Importantly, it shows that students engage with the topic in diverse and often unexpected ways, shaped by their identities, family backgrounds, peer relationships, social media, and wider public discourse in England. The research demonstrates that, contrary to frequent claims, schools are not sites of ideological ‘indoctrination’. Schooling alone is not decisive in forming young people’s views of empire. Instead, teachers and students are broadly aligned in wanting to explore Britain’s imperial past in greater depth and nuance, and to understand its contemporary resonances. Educators are already developing practices that expand and improve how this history is taught. 

Review:

"Empire, Identity and Education couldn’t be more timely. It provides an excellent short guide to current controversies and debates about Britain’s imperial past, and presents new evidence about how students at secondary level engage with the subject. It will surely be essential reading for all educators involved in teaching Empire, including those of us working in the higher education sector" -- Professor Sarah Stockwell (Professor of the History of Empire and Decolonization, King’s College London)