Scottish Centre for Global History

Dr Alex Sessa discusses his doctoral research on Jane Haining, the Scottish missionary who died during the Holocaust. Alex elaborates on the findings of his research, his methodologies, the popular memories of Miss Haining and the wider state of Holocaust remembrance in Scotland. He also discusses his own public history work with the Imperial War Museum, the Wiener Holocaust Library and the Historians Magazine.

Dorothee Boulanger discusses her PhD research on post-colonial Angolan literature. She outlines the findings of her book, Fiction as History: Resistance and Complicities in Angolan Postcolonial Literature, which explores the relationship between history, politics and literature in Angola.

Dorothee highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of the prestigious status of Angolan fiction writers, discusses the masculine nature of this literature and calls upon historians to utilise fiction as a historical source.

Siobhan Amelia Smith, a PhD student at the European University Institute in Italy discusses her research on the role of the United Nations in Rhodesian and Zimbabwean decolonization. She highlights the crisis of decolonisation within the UN, the contested claims between white minority power in Rhodesian and Zimbabwean nationalist parties and the role her research plays in highlighting the complexities of viewing the UN as a political history.

Frédéric Spillemaeker of the French Institute of Andean Studies in Bogota, discusses his PhD research on the wars of independence in Venezuela and Colombia. He highlights the contributions of the guerilla fighters during the conflicts and addresses the social divisions apparent during these wars. Spillemaeker also details his current post-doctoral research project.

Diana Mendez Rojas shares her doctoral research on the growth agricultural knowledge in Mexico between 1940-1980. She focuses on fellowship winners, from the Rockefeller Foundation, and how their graduate experiences across the world influenced Mexico's knowledge and agricultural practice. Diana also talks about how this history links to the Green Revolution and Mexico's role in this development.

PhD student Niels Boender discusses his project on reconciliation in post-colonial Kenya, the Migrated Archives and his work on the recent documentary A Very British Way of Torture.

Amie Campos discusses her doctoral research on rural history in Chile in the 19th century. She elaborates on the state relationship with indigenous communities in the south of the country. Amie also tells us about her research experience in Chile. Finally, she shares her move out of academia and reflects on the PhD process.

Alex White talks about his doctoral research on British radio propaganda in East Africa during the decolonisation process.

Benjamin summarises his book by highlighting his main arguments and sources for the project. He also discusses the reasons for writing a popular history. Thereafter, Benjamin talks about the experience of doing Latin American history in the UK. He shares his personal journey through the PhD in the UK, contrasts the UK and US system and elaborates on the importance of Latin American history in Britain.

Veronica Ehrenreich-Risner discusses her book on Apartheid South Africa. She explains the Bantu Authorities System before discussing why the Apartheid state created it, how it operated, and how it adapted during the regime.

Aran MacKinnon also joins the discussion to share his views on Veronica's work and discuss the topic of the Bantu Authorities System.