CLICK HERE TO ADD YOUR EVENT

Sabrina Mahfouz and Kojo Koram When Empires Fall

Two striking new writers take on different aspects of the British Empire as part of Aye Write 2022.

Sabrina Mahfouz and Kojo Koram When Empires Fall

About Sabrina Mahfouz and Kojo Koram When Empires Fall

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

Sponsored Links

City Of Glasgow Chorus
Connect Choir
Glasgow City Council
Cancer Research UK
Glasgow Blythswood Festival
City Sightseeing Glasgow
Pawrade

Other Events at The Mitchell Library and Theatre or Aye Write!

Glasgow Mitchell Library Classics Book Group

Selected dates between 5th December 2024 - 4th December 2025

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 MORE

Unearthed: The Power of Gardening

2nd May 2025 - 10th August 2025

Unearthed: The Power of Gardening, a free display at The Mitchell Library, explores the transformative, enriching and sometimes radical power of gardening.

READ MORE

Ask Our Musician In Residence

Selected dates between 13th May 2025 - 24th June 2025

Are you a musician looking for free advice from an industry professional? Ask Music Broth's Musician-In-Residence!

READ MORE

Library Resources For Family History

17th May 2025

Starting 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 MORE

Introduction to the British Newspaper Archive

3rd June 2025

Find 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 MORE

From Persia to Glasgow - Coding The Collections

12th June 2025

Mix 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 MORE

Sponsored Links

Glasgow Music City Tours
Napier Uni
Fayre Play
Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust
Napier Uni
ATG
Go Radio

Similar events you might like...

Glasgow Mitchell Library Classics Book Group

Glasgow Mitchell Library Classics Book Group

Selected dates between 5th December 2024 - 4th December 2025

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 MORE
Books at the Botanics

Books at the Botanics

Selected dates between 1st February 2025 - 14th December 2025

Glasgow's Book Fair, Books at the Botanics, is held every month in the Hopkirk building at Glasgow's Botanic Gardens!

READ MORE
Bookface Sip & Swap for Refuweegee at Rickshaw & Co.

Bookface Sip & Swap for Refuweegee at Rickshaw & Co.

18th May 2025

Join Bookface Sip & Swap at Rickshaw & Co. for a fun afternoon sipping drinks, swapping books, and supporting Refuweegee!

READ MORE
Diors Bookclub at The Marlborough

Diors Bookclub at The Marlborough

22nd May 2025

Not 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 MORE
The Witches of Scotland in conversation with author C.J. Cooke

The Witches of Scotland in conversation with author C.J. Cooke

31st May 2025

Join 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 MORE
Bookface Sip & Swap with Kate Foster

Bookface Sip & Swap with Kate Foster

31st May 2025

Enjoy coffee, croissants and fizz, swap books, and chat with Kate Foster at Bookface Sip & Swap on Saturday 31st May!

READ MORE
Matty Matheson

Matty Matheson

1st June 2025

Join 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 MORE
Glasgow Science Festival

Glasgow Science Festival

5th June 2025 - 15th June 2025
Various Locations Glasgow

This 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 MORE
Glasgow Science Festival STEM Book Displays at Glasgow Libraries

Glasgow Science Festival STEM Book Displays at Glasgow Libraries

5th June 2025 - 15th June 2025
Various Locations Glasgow

Librarians 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!

READ MORE

Find other events in Glasgow

Sponsored Links

City Of Glasgow Chorus
Connect Choir
Glasgow City Council
Cancer Research UK
Glasgow Blythswood Festival
City Sightseeing Glasgow
Pawrade
Glasgow Music City Tours
Napier Uni
Fayre Play
Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust
Napier Uni
ATG
Go Radio

Popular Events

Summer Nights at the Bandstand
The Summer Nights at the Bandstand festival returns to Kelvingrove Park for a tenth year with 13 nights of live music from elbow, Billy Ocean, Hue And Cry, Teenage Fanclub and many more!
Glasgow Summer Sessions: Punk All Dayer
The Punk All Dayer, with Sex Pistols (Steve Jones, Paul Cook, Glen Matlock) featuring Frank Carter, The Stranglers, The Undertones and more comes to Bellahouston Park in June!
Partick Farmers Market
This popular farmers market brings rural Scotland to the centre of Glasgow's West End twice a month!
Summer Nights on The Southside
Del Amitri, The Saw Doctors, Echo & The Bunnymen and Ocean Colour Scene will all headline The Big Top Tent in Queens Park when Summer Nights on the Southside returns in 2025!
Silencing The Inner Critic - Meditation Course
Learn to recognise your inner critic as it operates in your life and relationships and discover through meditation how to let go of this painful habit.

Popular Listings

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum King's Theatre Glasgow King Tut's Wah Wah Hut O2 Academy Glasgow SEC Armadillo Theatre Royal Glasgow The Pavilion Theatre Glasgow The Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall The OVO Hydro