In my research, I examine British colonial history in East Africa and the Indian Ocean world through material and visual culture. I particularly focus upon the collection and circulation of objects in the 19th and 20th centuries as British influence extended around the Western Indian Ocean rim, with particular attention to the local influences upon such practices. I am also interested colonial architecture in order to better understand the spaces within which objects were displayed and used.
This chapter explores the history of prison tourism and its various contemporary manifestations i... more This chapter explores the history of prison tourism and its various contemporary manifestations in four colonial and postcolonial settings associated with the British Empire: Fremantle (Walyalup) and Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) in Western Australia; the Andaman Islands of India; and Changuu [Prison] Island in Zanzibar. It will analyse how and why each of these sites emerged historically as tourist attractions, and how and why they remain appealing to visitors today. Part of the explanation lies in the ecology of spaces that were attractive as prisons and remain alluring as leisure destinations, but it is also to do with their imbrication in wider narratives of nationalist struggle, (de)colonization, and nation building. Convicts were sometimes used as a means of colonizing remote locations and, even where they were not, colonial prisoners were often sent to jails in the furthest reaches of Empire.
Supported by a research fellowship from the Leverhulme Trust, this project examines collecting pr... more Supported by a research fellowship from the Leverhulme Trust, this project examines collecting practice and material representations of British-controlled islands in the western Indian Ocean during the age of 'high imperialism'.
As one of the most monumental and recognisable landmarks from Zanzibar’s years as a British Prote... more As one of the most monumental and recognisable landmarks from Zanzibar’s years as a British Protectorate, the distinctive domed building of the Peace Memorial Museum (or Zanzibar Museum) is widely known and admired by Zanzibaris and visitors alike. Yet the complicated and compelling history behind its construction and collection has been overlooked by historians until now. Drawing on a rich and wide range of hitherto unexplored archival, photographic, architectural and material evidence, this book is the first serious investigation of this remarkable institution. Although the museum was not opened until 1925, this book traces the longer history of colonial display which culminated in the establishment of the Zanzibar Museum. It reveals the complexity of colonial knowledge production in the changing political context of the twentieth century British Empire and explores the broad spectrum of people from diverse communities who shaped its existence as staff, informants, collectors and teachers. Through vivid narratives involving people, objects and exhibits, it exposes the fractures, contradictions and tensions in creating and maintaining a colonial museum, and casts light on the conflicted character of the ‘colonial mission’ in eastern Africa.
Insularities Connected is a major international conference dedicated to the study of islands as a... more Insularities Connected is a major international conference dedicated to the study of islands as a constituent part of seascapes, imperial contexts or any other conceptual framework. Going beyond mere typologies of islands, or the study thereof as a distinct object of inquiry, we invite conference participants to consider the spatial attributes of islands in different historical coordinates. In other words, how insularity, i.e. the condition of being an island, changes over time, place, and context. The study of islands as a spatial category situated within a bigger analytical whole has offered new perspectives in Mediterranean, Caribbean or Indian Ocean studies; we aspire to bring the insights gained by those approaches in a trans-regional dialogue of global scope. The conference therefore enquires into what can be gained by looking at islands not as scattered parts of a regional maritime story, but scans the horizon from the vantage point of islands themselves to find broader, less obvious connections.
This chapter explores the history of prison tourism and its various contemporary manifestations i... more This chapter explores the history of prison tourism and its various contemporary manifestations in four colonial and postcolonial settings associated with the British Empire: Fremantle (Walyalup) and Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) in Western Australia; the Andaman Islands of India; and Changuu [Prison] Island in Zanzibar. It will analyse how and why each of these sites emerged historically as tourist attractions, and how and why they remain appealing to visitors today. Part of the explanation lies in the ecology of spaces that were attractive as prisons and remain alluring as leisure destinations, but it is also to do with their imbrication in wider narratives of nationalist struggle, (de)colonization, and nation building. Convicts were sometimes used as a means of colonizing remote locations and, even where they were not, colonial prisoners were often sent to jails in the furthest reaches of Empire.
Supported by a research fellowship from the Leverhulme Trust, this project examines collecting pr... more Supported by a research fellowship from the Leverhulme Trust, this project examines collecting practice and material representations of British-controlled islands in the western Indian Ocean during the age of 'high imperialism'.
As one of the most monumental and recognisable landmarks from Zanzibar’s years as a British Prote... more As one of the most monumental and recognisable landmarks from Zanzibar’s years as a British Protectorate, the distinctive domed building of the Peace Memorial Museum (or Zanzibar Museum) is widely known and admired by Zanzibaris and visitors alike. Yet the complicated and compelling history behind its construction and collection has been overlooked by historians until now. Drawing on a rich and wide range of hitherto unexplored archival, photographic, architectural and material evidence, this book is the first serious investigation of this remarkable institution. Although the museum was not opened until 1925, this book traces the longer history of colonial display which culminated in the establishment of the Zanzibar Museum. It reveals the complexity of colonial knowledge production in the changing political context of the twentieth century British Empire and explores the broad spectrum of people from diverse communities who shaped its existence as staff, informants, collectors and teachers. Through vivid narratives involving people, objects and exhibits, it exposes the fractures, contradictions and tensions in creating and maintaining a colonial museum, and casts light on the conflicted character of the ‘colonial mission’ in eastern Africa.
Insularities Connected is a major international conference dedicated to the study of islands as a... more Insularities Connected is a major international conference dedicated to the study of islands as a constituent part of seascapes, imperial contexts or any other conceptual framework. Going beyond mere typologies of islands, or the study thereof as a distinct object of inquiry, we invite conference participants to consider the spatial attributes of islands in different historical coordinates. In other words, how insularity, i.e. the condition of being an island, changes over time, place, and context. The study of islands as a spatial category situated within a bigger analytical whole has offered new perspectives in Mediterranean, Caribbean or Indian Ocean studies; we aspire to bring the insights gained by those approaches in a trans-regional dialogue of global scope. The conference therefore enquires into what can be gained by looking at islands not as scattered parts of a regional maritime story, but scans the horizon from the vantage point of islands themselves to find broader, less obvious connections.
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