Britain's Contested History

In Britain: A Contested History, eminent historian Bernard Porter explores the most contested aspects of British history from 1800 to the present day. Recent years have seen a re-examination of Britain's imperialist past, with changes to how its citizens understand, study and scrutinize its history. Examining issues such as Brexit, recent reassessments of Winston Churchill's historical record, the so-called 'culture wars' and Britain's uncomfortable reckoning with its imperial past, the book reconsiders what it means to be a "patriot” in Britain.

Bernard Porter is Emeritus Professor of Modern History, University of Newcastle, UK. He is a regular contributor to LRB, TLS, Literary Review, Guardian, History Today, academic journals and has lectured around the world. Alongside this, he has also appeared on national radio and television shows. He is based in Stockholm, Sweden. His book, Absent-Minded Imperialists: Empire, Society, and Culture in Britain (2004) won the American Historical Association's Morris D. Forkosch Prize in 2005.