British academia to soften British colonial violence narrative
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Professors at the University of Glasgow have reported ongoing debates and attempts to water down the grotesque reality of British colonial violence around the world.
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The public officials, according to an unnamed academic, were "reluctant to engage with Britain's violent past as a colonial power"
The Guardian on Friday reported that the UK Home Office has attempted to 'soften' a university course on British history by omitting material having to do with race, empire, and British colonialism, according to lecture developers at the educational facility.
The launch of the course has not taken place yet, although it was scheduled to launch in June 2021. The ongoing debates regarding the inclusion of British colonial violence have delayed the scheduled launch date.
The public officials, according to an unnamed academic, were "reluctant to engage with Britain's violent past as a colonial power" and sought to create such lectures that would not make its employees feel "browbeaten."
A professor of sociology and the University of Glasgow, Jason Arday, said that he was very concerned over the changes that were being made to the course.
"There seemed to be a reluctance to fully engage with how bad Britain has been in terms of its role in upholding empire and its subsequent hangover. It felt as though the material had been sanitized by civil servants and parliamentarians who did not want to engage with the crux of racism. I felt like we were being asked to engage in historical amnesia," Arday said.
A Home Office spokesperson revealed that the course may be launched later in 2022, and it will include video lectures, podcasts, and online lessons.
