In the shadow of Jallianwala: Race, empire and nationalism in 1920s Britain

About

The First World War saw 1.5 million volunteers from India rallying under the British flag and fighting for their lives in the trenches.

Less than six months later, the Jallianwala Bagh massacre saw hundreds of innocent men, women, and children killed.

The end of the war did not bring respite from conflict and all those who had fought returned to a different India.

1920s Britain also saw the dawn of a new era. As political boundaries in Europe were redrawn and the bright lights were switched on again, Britain saw a renewed emphasis on empire and glory.

From the Empire Exhibition at Wembley to the growing spirit of nationalism among young Indians in Britain, in this talk Shrabani Basu looks at how the 1920s laid the foundation for the turbulence and tension that lay ahead within the British Empire.

Shrabani Basu is a journalist and Sunday Times best-selling author. Her books include the critically acclaimed The Mystery of the Parsee Lawyer(2021) , For King and Another Country (2015), Victoria & Abdul (2010, now a major Oscar-nominated motion picture)and Spy Princes: The Life of Noor Inayat Khan(2006).

Shrabani is a frequent commentator on Indian history and Empire

What's Online is a series of talks, in conversation events and webinars delivered by our experts and special guests. Events last approximately one hour, including an audience Q&A.

This event will be presented on Microsoft Teams. You do not need a Teams account to join an event, and can select the Join anonymously option to join from your browser if preferred. If you are accessing the event from a mobile device, you will need to download the Teams app. For the best experience we recommend using either a laptop or desktop computer.

You will receive a reminder email, including a link to join in advance of the event. For more information on attending a Teams event, please visit: https://bit.ly/3hWNWwn