Episode 4: The Pacific Ocean

A Very Brief Introduction to the British Empire

Our first module of the lecture series is complete with the release of our fourth episode, focussing on the Pacific Ocean.

Historian Sean Philips talks about the development of a pan-pacific region in European thought, juxtaposing it with the long history of settlement across the many island nations in the Pacific Ocean. This episode problematises the legacy of James Cook and memories of 'first encounters' between Indigenous peoples across the Pacific and European colonisers. It finishes with a brief discussion of decolonisation and modern impact of European control.

The content for this episode is based on a public lecture given in a local pub in the city of Oxford, back in December 2019. The information is aimed at a non-specialist audience who is interested in learning more about the legacies of the British Empire.

This podcast is run by Uncomfortable Oxford and features bi-weekly releases of our public lecture series on the history of the British Empire. Uncomfortable Oxford is run by Doctoral students at the University of Oxford and aims to raise awareness and discourse about 'uncomfortable' issues in the modern world.