British Colonial Research Articles

English Language Policy in Cyprus under the British Empire Period and it is Impact on Current Sustainable Education Policies

In this research, the foreign language education policy of Cyprus, which was under British rule between 1878 and 1960, with a special reference to the English Language and its reflection on the present day were examined. The study on the period in question is based on a qualitative analysis of British archival documents and domestic sources. As the history of Cyprus, it is still possible to see especially traces of the education policy formulated by the British who ruled the island in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the early years, relatively minor attempts at colonialism were made compared to other British colonies, as the British gave the colonies the autonomy to govern their own languages and educational systems. The influence of the colonial power’s language, particularly in the Cypriot education system, started to be noticed after the 1930s when the political agenda changed and the British attitude changed. As a result, during the colonial period of the United Kingdom in Cyprus, the British tried to bring the education of the society, which was obtained as a result of education, to a common point by gathering it in a central structure.

Accommodation and Compromise in the Contact Zone: Christianity and Chinese Culture in Modern Hong Kong Literature

Situated in the unique historical context of Hong Kong—a contact zone between East and West—this study explores how Christianity’s introduction through British colonialism and missionary efforts has intertwined with and influenced Chinese cultural traditions. By examining selected works of Xu Dishan and Chen Zanyi, this study reveals the dynamic negotiations of identity and values between these two cultural and religious traditions. These literary works not only depict the complexities of cultural hybridity but also provide insights into the evolving nature of cultural identity in Hong Kong, illustrating how global religions and local traditions can merge and transform each other. This study contributes to understanding the intricate dance of religious exchange, conflict, and compromise in Hong Kong’s cross-culture setting, suggesting that such literary explorations can bridge Christianity with the socio-economic, cultural, and historical fabric of Chinese society.

'Microcosm of the Pacific': Colonial encounters at the Central Medical School in Fiji.

While larger British colonies in Africa and Asia generally had their own medical services, the British took a different approach in the South Pacific by working with other colonial administrations. Together, colonial administrations of the South Pacific operated a centralised medical service based on the existing system of Native Medical Practitioners in Fiji. The cornerstone of this system was the Central Medical School, established in 1928. Various actors converged on the school despite its apparent isolation from global centres of power. It was run by the colonial government of Fiji, staffed by British-trained tutors, attended by students from twelve colonies, funded and supervised by the Rockefeller Foundation, and jointly managed by the colonial administrations of Britain, Australia, New Zealand, France and the United States. At the time of its establishment, it was seen as an experiment in international cooperation, to the point that the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific called it a 'microcosm of the Pacific'. Why did the British establish an intercolonial medical school in Oceania, so far from the imperial metropole? How did the medical curriculum at the Central Medical School standardise to meet the imperial norm? And in what ways did colonial encounters occur at the Central Medical School? This article provides answers to these questions by comparing archival documents acquired from five countries. In doing so, this article will pay special attention to the ways in which this medical training institution enabled enduring intercolonial encounters in the Pacific Islands.

The Impact of English Literature and the British Empire on Bengali Literature and Cultural Development.

This research paper delves into the profound impact of English literature and the British Empire on the evolution of Bengali literature and cultural development. It traces the historical intersections between British colonialism and Bengali society, exploring how the introduction of English literature influenced Bengali intellectuals, writers, and cultural paradigms. By analyzing key literary works, socio-cultural changes, and the adaptation of English literary forms within Bengali literature, this study aims to illuminate the multifaceted nature of this impact and its lasting imprint on the cultural identity and literary landscape of Bengal. Through this examination, it seeks to unveil the complex dynamics, transformations, and interplay between colonial influences and indigenous cultural expressions in the context of Bengali literature and cultural development.

Colonial-Imposed Slavery and African Abolitionism: The Early Twentieth- Century Lagos Elites’ Campaign Against the Native House Rule Ordinance

ABSTRACT This article examines the efforts of early-twentieth-century abolitionists in Lagos, Nigeria who campaigned against the Native House Rule Ordinance/Proclamation, a colonial law perceived as perpetuating indigenous slavery in the Niger Delta region. The study enriches the corpus of African abolitionist literature by revealing how a network of Lagos elites employed a strategic top-down approach to advocate for the law's repeal, which they believed sustained a form of slavery instituted by British colonialism. The research utilizes an extensive range of primary sources, including local Nigerian newspaper publications, correspondence, petitions, and archival documents from both Nigerian and British repositories. The paper contextualizes the Native House Rule system, explores the Lagos campaigners’ strategies and arguments against the ordinance, and discusses the law's amendment and eventual repeal. Through detailed case studies and the examination of African-led initiatives, the study acknowledges the previously understated contributions of African activists, thereby rectifying a significant oversight in historical literature. This paper underscores the importance of recognizing indigenous agency in historical narratives, particularly in the context of abolition and resistance to colonial policies.

What Charles Darwin owed to Joseph Banks

History has remembered Joseph Banks as the explorer-botanist of the first voyage of James Cook. Yet, shortly after his return, he got elected president of the Royal Society and, for over 40years, he then played in Great Britain an eminent role in reorganizing natural sciences and advocating an "economic botany". He actively intervened in acclimatization and varietal selection of plants and animals in Great Britain as in the future English colonies. Thus he built an intellectual environment which will promote the emergence of Charles Darwin's thoughts.

Empire, Incorporated: The Corporations that Built British Colonialism, by Philip J. Stern

<i>Empire, Incorporated: The Corporations that Built British Colonialism</i>, by Philip J. Stern

Nigerian Dramatists and the Postcolonial Dreams: Poetics of Ethnic Unity in Diversity

This study examines the ideological persuasions of the pioneer Nigerian dramatists given their penchant to edifying the former British colony. Drawing on primary and secondary data, the study contends that contemporary Nigerian playwrights are steep in their ‘social commitments’ to aspire for a better and unified nation, in the face of ethnic diversities. It critically analyses, John Iwuh’s Birthright and Barclays Ayakoroma’s Castle in the Air, using Ngugi wa Thiong’O’s conceptualization of Liberation and Abiola Irele’s Alienation as a conceptual footing to demonstrate the exceptional social visions in the selected plays. In doing this, the study unpacks the boundary crossing between aesthetic, social-political and cultural realities to reconfigure the fractious environment for the holistic integrated and a better postcolonial Nigeria.

Syncretic Narratives: Ethnic Diversity and Identity Politics in Post-Colonial Malaysia

The account of post-colonial Malaysia is indeed an intricate one, the relationship between the ethnic bunch and identity politics is both dynamic and complicated, creating a syncretic narrative with nuanced understanding of human culture. Delving into the many layers of Malaysia's socio-political landscape to examine the subtle linkages between ethnicity, culture, and power relations. A mosaic of nationalities, each adding to the rich fabric of the country's cultural past. Malaysia is an amalgamation of many customs, dialects, and beliefs, ranging from the Indigenous Orang Asli to the Malay majority, as well as the Chinese diaspora and India. However, underneath the facade of diversity is a crucible of identity politics, where historical grudges and power imbalances collide with current socio-economic realities. The legacy of British Colonialism with its divide and rule strategy, may still be felt in Malaysia's socio-political environment, impacting notions of race and identity today. While attempts to construct a national identity have been made, they frequently collide with notions of ethnic dominance and marginalization, exacerbating tensions and divides within Malaysian society. The quest for a unified national identity is loaded with difficulties, as Malaysia grapples with the complexity of its heterogeneous background while under the constraints of globalization and modernity. Despite the obstructions, there are moments of optimism and resilience as Malaysians traverse the contours of their hybrid identity, gaining strength from the variety that distinguishes their country. Through debate, openness, and a commitment to social justice, Malaysia has the opportunity to break free from identity politics and embrace a more inclusive and equitable future.

On the Origins of Invalidation of British Colonial Legislation by Colonial Courts: The Van Diemen’s Land Dog Act Controversy of the 1840s – Part One

ABSTRACT By 1865 British Imperial governments had accepted that colonial courts had the authority to invalidate colonial statutes which contravened the relevant colony’s constitution. This situation arose notwithstanding the lack of any express grant of such jurisdiction to colonial courts in Imperial or colonial legislation. This paper evaluates the first instance of a colonial court asserting that jurisdiction, during the Dog Act crisis in Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) in the 1840s. Part one of the paper charts the background to, conduct of and judgment in the relevant litigation. The second part, which will appear in a future issue of this journal, explores the consequential attempts of the colony’s Governor to remove the judges from office and to re-enact the invalidated colonial law. The suggestion made is that the Dog Act controversy provides considerable insight into how, despite the absence of any explicit statutory grant of such jurisdiction, the power of judicial review of colonial legislation by colonial courts became established as an orthodox element of British colonial constitutional law in the latter nineteenth century.

Elite schools and slavery in the UK – capital, violence and extractivism

ABSTRACT Elite schools in the UK are bound to the history of British colonialism. This paper examines the material ties between these schools and the transatlantic slave trade. We combine multiple sources to examine which schools and their alumni accrued substantial economic capital derived from the enslavement of Black people. We find two principal connections: first, in donations and foundations of schools from those who made their fortune in the slave trade; and second, through income of boys attending these schools. Drawing on the Legacies of British Slavery dataset, we show that schools with alumni benefitting from the slave trade include the most prestigious British private schools. Moreover, this paper traces the histories of several secondary schools founded by, or in receipt of, substantial donations from slave-owning families. We argue that extractive, violent forms of colonial capital accumulation have been central to, the formation and maintenance of these elite educational institutions.

The rise of Hong Kong’s textile industry, 1945–1974: The role of the Hong Kong Spinners Association (HKSA)

After the Second World War, Hong Kong attracted industrial capital from China, especially in the cotton spinning. As the bamboo curtain unfolded, this sector sought trade opportunities in foreign markets and experienced high growth rates until Hong Kong became a global exporter in the 1970s. This article aims to explore the role of the Hong Kong Spinners Association (HKSA) which managed to control the cotton spinning of Hong Kong and a share of weaving and finishing. This article uses data on industrial growth and foreign trade as well as qualitative sources on HKSA to describe the development of Hong Kong’s textile industry between 1945 until 1974. It discusses the constitution and characteristics of HKSA, its impact in the existing network of local business associations and its role in the British colony. This article argues that Chinese firms and institutions played a leading role in the export-oriented industrialisation of Hong Kong.

The Verandah between Climate Determinism and Climate Consciousness

This article explores the architectural typology of the verandah by following its use in residential buildings during the post-Ottoman British colonization and Independence periods in Sudan and differentiating between the concepts of climate determinism and climate consciousness. It brings new archival family photographs and fieldwork to discuss a modern Sudan that is curiously absent from the scholarship of both African and Islamic architecture in order to write the global history of modernism in higher resolution. It shows that the verandah was a British colonial architectural device in the context of a distinct town planning strategy, conceived after the racist segregation of “white men” from “natives” and used for cooling purposes for the sake of colonizers’ comfort in perceived tropical climates. Comparing Abdel Moneim Mustafa’s designs to those of colonial architects such as Gordon Brock Bridgman and independence-era architects such as Peter Muller, the article defines climate consciousness as a position that resists colonial inequalities of climate determinism but does not reject international connections and the modern know-how of climatization. It shows that the colonial connotations of the verandah were transformed after Sudanese independence, thanks to its creative use by architects who critically employed the technical know-how progressed under the field of tropical architecture. The article identifies this approach as the search for a more equitable internationalism that struggled for self-determination in order to undo the domination of global empires but not foreclose cosmopolitanism.

Involvement of the Anglican Church in Nation Building and Political Development in Nigeria

The Anglican Church in Nigeria has a rich history spanning over 180 years. Here is a brief overview of its journey during this time: In 1842, the first Anglican missionaries arrived in Badagry, Nigeria, which was then a British colony. The study depended on secondary sources of data information and its findings influenced the study conclusion and study recommendation.

Girmityas' Portrayal in Ashwin Desai’s Inside Indian Indenture: An Apprehensive Study

Indentured system was highly tormented form of slavery began when the Britishiers faced the lack of labourers at the sugar, cotton and tea plantation due to the end of African slavery . In this system millions of Indians were contracted to work in the 19 British colonies included Fiji, Trinidad, Guyana, South Africa on low wages.Girmityas refers to those bonded indian slaves who agreed to migrate to british colonies in order to escape from the poverty and famine of british india with dream of getting a life of roses without having any idea of difficulties that they were going to face .Some were also defrauded into Migration without any complete knowledge. They were recruited on different plantations by signing a contract of four to five years with the condition of providing the return amenities at the end of their contract however only seldom time it happened. Many died during the journey that took 10 to 20 weeks and many tried to return to their homeland however , failed. In Literature the representation of these turmoiled indentured labourers were first began in Caribbean literature by ARF. Webber, V.S Naipaul, Ashwin Desai etc. In Ashwin Desai’s Inside Indian Indenture we get the realistic and authentic portrayal of the biography of indentured labourers who were ignored by the history. This book seeks to give voice to those unvoiced people whose stories still remained unknown to the masses . This book is a journey through all those silenced, ignored indentured labourers who were tormented by the hardships showered on them by the proprietors.

Embarking on Friendship: Exploring Early Soviet-Indian Relations

By the onset of the Second World War, the USSR had virtually no experience or established traditions of interaction with South Asian countries. Initially, Soviet-Indian relations could be characterized as tepid, largely due to a lack of accurate information about each other. During the wartime, the USSR underestimated the advantages of forging close ties with Indian left-wing centrists, favoring instead communists who provided the Kremlin with falsified data on the national liberation movement in the country.The article examines how bilateral relations evolved and strengthened as mutual knowledge grew. The second stage of Soviet-Indian relations (1955-1971) can be termed as a period of "birth of friendship," as the image of partnership is consolidated in the eyes of Soviet and Indian politicians and the public. Soviet diplomacy played a pivotal role in shaping policy changes: diplomats sought to gather crucial information about events in the country, transmit it to the USSR, and promote bilateral rapprochement, sometimes even acting in violation of instructions.The article pays particular attention to the activities of Subhas Chandra Bose, the leader of the left wing of the Indian National Congress, who according to Indian sociological surveys on the most prominent politicians of the 20th century, ranks second only to Mahatma Gandhi. During the Second World War, he was an uncompromising fighter against British colonialists. The Soviet Union did not pay sufficient attention to S.C. Bose, although he potentially could have been a valuable partner for Moscow.At present, the problem of mutual lack of awareness has resurfaced, hindering the development of closer political, economic, and cultural-humanitarian ties between Russia and India.

Reimagining urban design of stormwater infrastructure in settler‐colonial Sydney

AbstractAlthough many might consider the Australian city of Sydney as defined by golden beaches and a glittering harbour, the city actually has an abundance of wetlands—swamps and marshes laid out across the eastern Sydney region. Dramatic transformations of these waterscapes have taken place since 1788, when British colonists landed to form the settlement there. Environmental exploitation has been a key part of settler‐colonial projects across the world. Sydney is no different. To contextualise this exploitation, I explore the ways in which a specific water infrastructure system in Sydney—the Tank Stream—has been entangled with, and is emblematic of, settler‐colonial politics. I argue that to reimagine futures where such ecologically and culturally damaging infrastructures no longer have a presence in the city requires a nuanced interpretation of both water and history. I suggest that “conventional” stormwater design features emerged from colonial viewings of Sydney’s waterscapes. The transformation of these geographies was imposed on existing water management systems, set within local, First Nations knowledges. Thus, I also consider the Tank Stream as a site with potential to present an anti‐colonial hydraulic urban co‐design framing. I draw on colonial archival material and field site visits to question the importance that settler‐colonial urban design has had in shaping contemporary ways of thinking about watery spaces. I conclude by arguing that the hydro‐imperial knowledges must make way for a culturally inclusive urban water design that centres and elevates First Nations design.

The Globalization of Guinness: Marketing Taste, Transferring Technology

Abstract Brewed in 50 countries and consumed in 150, Guinness Stout has become a global commodity. Although associated with Irish pubs and diasporic populations, it has also become popular in former British colonies of Africa and Southeast Asia. This article adopts a mobility studies perspective to show how Guinness built its global appeal, first through trade and settlement in the British empire during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and subsequently by navigating the upheavals of decolonization and economic integration in the second half of the twentieth and early twenty first centuries. Transfers of brewing technology and marketing techniques were essential for the company’s success in postcolonial markets. In particular, this article shows that metropolitan exporters could work with colonial subjects to subvert imperial policies. Such alliances were not entirely unexpected, for with its headquarters in a former British colony, Guinness was ideally situated to blend the global and the local, just as the company had successfully bridged the bloody divide of Irish independence, remaining as beloved in Belfast, loyalist heartland of Northern Ireland, as in Dublin, capital of the Irish Republic.

Digging The ‘Dirt’: Roots and Routes of Stigma

Historically, Dalit identity is associated with different stereotypical notions. In this article, we have attempted to explore the underlying factors behind the stigma associated with them from the micro perspective in a small Muslim-dominated context of Bangladesh based on a series of intensive fieldwork. It reveals that Dalit cleaners are widely considered impure, dirty, strange, chaotic, alcoholic, and inferior. We combined two theoretical perspectives to interpret the matter systematically: Douglas’s notion of purity and pollution and Foucauldian discourse. The apparent reasons for the stigma associated with Dalit cleaners at Bhairab are association with ‘Dirty jobs, pig rearing, pork consumption, liquor consumption, and business. However, the empirical pieces of evidence show that different historical, religious, and socio-political factors (such as ideological domination of Hindu scriptures, the intervention of British colonialism, and the negative role of media and local influential businessmen) contribute significantly to the stigma.

Conflicts in the Negotiations Between China and Britain on the Return of Hong Kong

Hong Kong became a British colony in 1840. In the 1980s, the PRC government took the opportunity that Britain sent officials to sound out China’s attitude towards the Hong Kong issue to introduce “one country, two systems” policy. Because the British government, led by Margaret Thatcher, repeatedly made difficulties against China on treaty and sovereignty issues, the negotiation process was challenging. After three changes of attitude in negotiation, the British government gradually realized the tough position of the Chinese government and agreed to return Hong Kong’s sovereignty. However, Hong Kong has encountered the dramatically changing of world pattern over these 40 years. Anti-China movements in Hong Kong have colluded with overseas organizations, repeatedly set off riots and conflicts. Under such conflicts, the restoration of social order and economic development in Hong Kong need to re-examine the government organizations and policies within it, as well as the “one country, two systems”. This paper takes the Sino-British negotiations as the starting point, makes a detailed analysis of the game between the two sides in the negotiations. By relating them with the actual situation of Hong Kong society, especially the 2019 riots, the paper analyzes the Hong Kong problem and examines the roots of the ongoing conflicts in Hong Kong.