Legacies: Enslavement, Freedom, Futures

Past actions leave a legacy of attitudes, behaviours and societal structures that impact culture, communities and individuals for generations. This theme brings together scholars from all disciplines and those outside of academia who are exploring the intricacies of historical transitions and their lasting societal implications.

Whether addressing issues such as colonialism, enslavement and indentureship, or legacies of war, conflict and political upheaval, this theme seeks to consolidate research efforts into a cohesive framework that not only acknowledges historical injustices but also fosters dialogue and reflection towards potential forms of redress.

Theme leads

Dacia Viejo Rose, Associate Professor in Heritage and the Politics of the Past; Director of the Cambridge Heritage Research Centre

Pedro Ramos Pinto, Professor of Contemporary History, Convenor for the Legacies of Enslavement Special Initiative

Legacies of the Past

Funded by our Research Framework, this project brought together scholars to explore the meaning of ‘legacies’ and bring different disciplinary perspectives to research on this theme. Events include curated interdisciplinary conversations, methodology workshops, focused writing sessions tailored for Early Career Researchers (ECRs), the development of a public facing Uncomfortable Cambridge tour, and a culminating conference with international partners to synthesise findings and foster further collaboration.

Video contributors

Find out more about the specific projects mentioned in the video by visiting the profiles pages of the researchers:

Dacia Viejo Rose, Associate Professor in Heritage and the Politics of the Past; Director of the Cambridge Heritage Research Centre

Stanley Onyemechalu, PhD student, Department of Archaeology

Paola Di Giuseppantonio Di Franco, Senior Lecturer in Heritage and Digital Humanities, University of Essex; Affiliated Member, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre

Erin O’Halloran, Research Fellow,  Cambridge Heritage Research Centre

Olivia Durand, Research and Partnerships Director, Uncomfortable Cambridge

With thanks to the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology for providing locations for some of the filming.

Legacies of Enslavement special initiative

Our School is home to the University’s Legacies of Enslavement special initiative which is taking forward the recommendations of a 2022 report into the University’s links to t history of enslavement.   

Get involved

If you’re interested in this theme and would like to explore opportunities for collaboration, please contact the theme leads.

We welcome interest from researchers of any discipline within and outside of the University of Cambridge, as well as community groups, policy actors, NGOs, funding bodies and philanthropic donors.