Histories of empire and histories of education

Abstract

ABSTRACT The past few years have seen a vigorous resurgence of public and academic debate and controversy regarding the British Empire, its place within Britain’s own history and the legacies of British colonial practices. In spite of this reinvigorated discussion of empire, education and schooling seem to have been an area largely overlooked within the field of new imperial history. Nonetheless, histories of education have increasingly been shaped by theoretical shifts in the imperial histories. This article discusses some recent literature concerning the British Empire, and suggests how these could prove useful for future studies of empire and education. First, it surveys a selection of key literature and developments in histories of empire and education. Then, it suggests three areas for future exploration by historians of education with interests in colonialism or empire: non-traditional sources, studies of and by indigenous and non-elite people, and research into the educational legacies of imperialism.