A new initiative by the charity Parallel Histories is providing secondary schools with resources to debate the multifaceted history of the British Empire, encouraging students to examine both its achievements and its harms. The program aims to equip teachers with the confidence to discuss contentious historical topics and to foster critical thinking skills in students.
The "On British Empire" resource encourages pupils to consider the empire as both a potential "force for progress" and a "system of exploitation and oppression." Students are guided to analyze "source-grounded narratives" and engage in debates from opposing viewpoints before forming their own conclusions. This approach seeks to teach history as a constructed and contested subject, rather than a singular, settled narrative.
Parallel Histories, which partners with over 3,000 schools, developed the free online resource in response to requests from educators. Bill Rammell, chief executive of Parallel Histories and a former Labour minister, stated that grappling with historical contradictions is essential for understanding present-day disagreements on politics, identity, and justice. He emphasized that the goal is to trust students to analyze complex issues rather than dictate conclusions.
The initiative comes at a time when discussions around how to teach controversial subjects in schools are ongoing, with some institutions criticized for partisan approaches and others for avoiding such topics altogether.
The "On British Empire" resource draws on diverse perspectives, including those of British politicians who advocated for imperial expansion, Indian nationalists who documented colonial economic impacts, and Caribbean voices discussing slavery and identity. One debate topic frames the discussion as "Empire spread the infrastructure of the modern world versus British imperial growth was built through systemic exploitation," acknowledging both the development of infrastructure and the reliance on exploitation.
The charity asserts that presenting "parallel stories" rather than a single narrative builds intellectual resilience. They believe that avoiding contested histories risks leaving younger generations susceptible to divisive forces and online outrage. Parallel Histories was co-founded in 2017 by history teacher Michael Davies, who passed away in 2024.
This approach to teaching the British Empire follows similar resources created by Parallel Histories on other divisive subjects, such as the Israel-Palestine conflict and figures like Margaret Thatcher.