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Britain and the Aftermath of Empire Kojo Koram

Festival of Economics

Watershed  |  £5 – £10

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Kojo Koram uncovers the scandal of Britain’s disastrous treatment of independent countries after empire – and how those decisions continue to affect the damage being done in Britain today and to its economy.

In his book Uncommon Wealth: Britain and the Aftermath of Empire, Kojo Koram traces the tale of how an interconnected group of British intellectuals, politicians, accountants and lawyers offshored their capital, seized assets and saddled debt in former territories of the British Empire.

This enabled horrific inequality across the globe as ruthless capitalist profited and ordinary people across Britain’s former territories were trapped in poverty. It has also had ramifications back home in Britain, where many are wondering what happened to sovereignty and prosperity in the years following decolonisation. 

He joins us at the Festival of Economics to discuss the impact of Britain’s disastrous treatment of independent countries following the end of the empire – and how the decisions of this time have contributed to the forces that are breaking Britain today.

Koram draws on his own personal history of growing up between Britain and its former colony of Ghana, as well as his research in international law, history and economics, to offer a fresh narrative through which we can understand the crisis engulfing Britain.

Buy Kojo Karam’s Uncommon Wealth: Britain and the Aftermath of Empire now from Bookshop.org.

Kojo Koram is a writer and an academic, teaching at the School of Law at Birkbeck College, University of London.

Ore Ogunbiyi co-hosts The Economist’s daily podcast, The Intelligence, which boasts three million monthly listeners. She was previously the health-care and consumer correspondent in the paper’s business section.

The Festival of Economics is supported by

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Please note we only refund tickets if the event is cancelled. Events start punctually and, out of consideration to other audience members and speakers, our policy is not to admit or issue refunds to latecomers. Full Terms and Conditions here.

Accessibility

  • Watershed’s main entrance and Box Office are both on the ground floor which is accessible via a ramped, electronically assisted entrance door.
  • There are two Blue Badge parking spaces to the rear of Watershed on Canons Road.
  • Guide dogs and hearing dogs are very welcome.
  • The first floor of Watershed is accessible via lift from the main entrance and includes level access to all areas, including the cinemas and event spaces.
  • The cinemas and event spaces have induction loops.
  • There is an accessible toilet (with baby changing facilities) near Cinema 1. Follow the signs for the Cinemas and the accessible toilet is just on your left through the double doors before Cinema 1.
  • There are gender neutral toilets in the cinema corridor on the first floor.

Visit Watershed’s Access page for more information.

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