Signatories say manual paints a questionable picture of historic slavery in the UK (portrayal)
London:
Nearly 200 historians on Wednesday denounced what they said was the “misrepresentation of slavery and empire” in the historical section of the British citizenship test, calling for this to be corrected.
This is the latest volley in an increasingly fierce battle over the legacy of Britain’s colonial past, sparked by a recent wave of anti-racist protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, during an arrest by US police.
“Until the history chapter is corrected and rewritten, it should be officially withdrawn from the test,” historians said in an open letter signed by 181 academics, including some of the country’s top universities.
Parts of the official handbook for potential UK citizens and residents to prepare for the ‘Life in the UK’ exam were ‘fundamentally misleading and in places patently bogus’, they argued.
“The purpose of the official manual is to promote tolerance and fairness and to facilitate integration,” they wrote.
“In its current version, the historical pages do the opposite.”
The signatories included 13 fellows from the British Academy – the leading institution for the humanities and social sciences – and two former presidents of the Royal Historical Society.
The test manual, which includes 24 questions on British traditions and customs, covers everything from history and politics, sports, culture and culinary habits.
The signatories of the open letter argued that the manual paints a questionable picture of historic slavery in Britain, for example by suggesting that it ended in the 18th century.
“ Immediate review ” required
The guidelines also downplayed the country’s role in the international human trade, failing to note the large number of British ships used to transport slaves and the huge number of dead, they alleged.
The letter objected to the impression left that the end of colonialism in the middle of the last century was an “orderly transition from empire to the Commonwealth”.
This ignored the many ongoing violent rebellions against British rule, he said.
“Colonial dwellers and people of color in the UK are nowhere actors in this official story,” the letter said.
“The manual promotes the misleading idea that the Empire ended simply because the British decided it was the right thing to do.”
The call for “an immediate official review” of the history chapter comes as the growing Black Lives Matter movement has refocused its attention on Britain’s colonial past.
It saw protesters toppling a statue in Bristol, southwest England, of a slave trader, and a successful campaign for an Oxford University college to remove a statue of the colonialist Cecil Rhodes.
Elsewhere, calls were made for the streets named after merchants and traders who profited from the slave trade or labor to be renamed.
A spokesperson for the UK Home Office said the handbook provided “a starting point for exploring our past and helping those looking to live permanently in the UK to gain a basic understanding of our society.”
“We have published several editions of the manual since its launch and we will continue to review its content and take into account any comments we receive,” he added.
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
