Teaching British Imperial History to Children in English Secondary Schools, c.1965-1995

The following thesis examines the ways in which the history of empire was taught in late twentieth century English secondary schools. In the immediate post-war years, imperial history occupied a stable but supporting role in the national narrative. From the 1960s onwards, developments in and beyond the classroom pushed imperial history further towards the margins of school curricula. However, the influence of imperial(ist) ideological frameworks persisted. I argue that resistance and contestation created moments of slippage where more radical histories of British imperialism can be glimpsed. Even in the absence of conscious rebellion, the individual subjectivity of schoolchildren meant that the education given was rarely the education received. As such, this thesis views education as a process, rather than a product. While I draw upon teaching materials destined for use in twentieth century classrooms, I also tackle the harder-to-access areas of teaching practice and its reception.
Overall, my work makes three key interventions. It demonstrates the impact of a national culture of ‘postcolonial melancholia’ on teaching and learning in mid-to late-twentieth century Britain. Secondly, it helps to reconceptualise education as a multidirectional process: not only the teacher, but also students, their families, and their communities are demonstrated to be significant actors. This is emphasis is most prominent in my third chapter. Third, it serves as a powerful reminder that what history we choose to teach matters to students, especially those who are downwardly racialised.