Following the UK’s 2016 decision to leave the European Union, discussions surrounding the entangled histories of empire, colonialism, racial justice and decolonisation have become topics of national interest and fierce public debate in Britain. This book brings into view the historical and cultural background to these contemporary debates by exploring the local histories, texts and institutions of empire which have shaped Britain since 1945. In doing so, the diversity of Britain’s ‘postcolonial’ history and society is emphasised and the depth and breadth of the Empire’s legacies are revealed. Bringing together intersecting inquiries in history, literary studies, cultural studies, anthropology and more, this collection explores how the cultural legacies of empire shaped everyday British life, from the postwar era to the present day. Featuring chapters on gig venues, beauty salons, bestselling memoirs and more, this journey across post-imperial Britain investigates how the colonial past is firmly embedded in local and national cultures alike. To do so, the book uses a wide range of methodologies, from close textual analysis of literary and historical sources, to archival research and spatial analysis. When viewed in concert with one another, these offer a view of Britain after the end of the Empire which connects the steps of the British Museum to community-based theatre spaces in West Yorkshire.
