Sabrina Mahfouz once sat in a Whitehall interview room and was interrogated about everything from her political leanings to her private life. It was ostensibly a job interview, but implicit in their demands was the unspoken question: as a woman of Middle Eastern heritage, could she really be trusted?
Years later, Sabrina found herself confronting the meaning behind this interrogation, and how it was specifically informed by the British Empire's historical dominance in the Middle East. These Bodies of Water investigates this history through the Middle Eastern coastlines and waterways that were so vital to the Empire's hold. Interwoven with her own personal experiences, Sabrina combines history, politics, myth and poetry in a devastating examination of this unacknowledged part of Britain's colonial past.
In Uncommon Wealth, Kojo Koram traces the tale of how after the end of the British empire an interconnected group of well-heeled British intellectuals, politicians, accountants and lawyers offshored their capital, seized assets and saddled debt in former 'dependencies'. This enabled horrific inequality across the globe as ruthless capitalists profited and ordinary people across Britain's former territories in colonial Africa, Asia and the Caribbean were trapped in poverty. However, the reinforcement of capitalist power across the world also ricocheted back home. Now it has left many Britons wondering where their own sovereignty and prosperity has gone...
Decolonisation was not just a trendy buzzword. It was one of the great global changes of the past hundred years, yet Britain - the protagonist in the whole, messy drama - has forgotten it was ever even there. A blistering uncovering of the scandal of Britain's disastrous treatment of independent countries after empire, Uncommon Wealth shows the decisions of decades past are contributing to the forces that are breaking Britain today.
Chaired by Ruth Wishart
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Want to be the first to hear about what's happening in Glasgow? Just hit 'Like' on our Facebook page, join the What's On Scotland Facebook Group and 'Follow' on our Twitter account and you're all set!Glasgow Mitchell Library Classics Book Group runs on the first Thursday of each month with the library kindly providing books for all members, so there is no cost involved!
READ MOREUnearthed: The Power of Gardening, a free display at The Mitchell Library, explores the transformative, enriching and sometimes radical power of gardening.
READ MOREAre you a musician looking for free advice from an industry professional? Ask Music Broth's Musician-In-Residence!
READ MOREStarting out on your family history journey can be daunting... join one the Mitchell Library librarians for a FREE introductory session on library resources for family history.
READ MOREFind out more about using the British Newspaper Archive and how it can help with Family History research at the Mitchell Library on Tuesday 3rd June.
READ MOREMix historic Persian paintings from the Mitchell Library with modern Glasgow by using a free coding app on your phone to create a tiny game or animation.
READ MOREGlasgow Mitchell Library Classics Book Group runs on the first Thursday of each month with the library kindly providing books for all members, so there is no cost involved!
READ MOREGlasgow's Book Fair, Books at the Botanics, is held every month in the Hopkirk building at Glasgow's Botanic Gardens!
READ MOREJoin Bookface Sip & Swap at Rickshaw & Co. for a fun afternoon sipping drinks, swapping books, and supporting Refuweegee!
READ MORENot your typical book club... this is for the imperfect book girlies who want to have a laugh, discover some fab reads, and enjoy a laid-back night in a boujee space with fellow book lovers!
READ MOREJoin The Witches of Scotland Podcast hosts Dr Zoe Venditozzi and Dr Claire Mitchell for a discussion and talk based on their new book How to Kill a Witch at Provan Hall!
READ MOREEnjoy coffee, croissants and fizz, swap books, and chat with Kate Foster at Bookface Sip & Swap on Saturday 31st May!
READ MOREJoin the New York Times best-selling author Matty Matheson as he shows you the magical insanity of creating his latest cookbook Soups, Salads, Sandwiches!
READ MOREThis year, Glasgow turns 850 years old, the perfect excuse for a party! To mark the occasion, Glasgow Science Festival will run from the 5th to 15th June 2025 with the theme 'Glasgow Celebrates'.
READ MORELibrarians across Glasgow are picking their favourite STEM (science, technology, engineering & maths) themed books for you to check out and enjoy as part of this year's Glasgow Science Festival!
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