Wilberforce Institute Our story Business services Our work Our people Postgraduate Study News and events Subedi Essay Prize Our publications Contact us More Back Completed projects European Colonial Heritage Modalities in Entangled Cities (ECHOES) Get in touch Got a question or want to collaborate? Contact us The Challenge ECHOES explores European heritage, ex-colonial countries and the relationship between them. There’s a pressing dilemma at the heart of contemporary Europe. How can the European history of empires and colonialism form a part of its identity in a way that does not alienate its migrant population? People that may have been glorified in the past for example – think of a philanthropic merchant being honoured with a statue, despite making their fortune in the slave trade - would today be viewed in an unpopular way. ECHOES explores European heritage, ex-colonial countries and the relationship between them. Heritage in terms of the things we value enough to pass on to future generations will be explored including statues, plaques, commemorative events and cultural norms. ECHOES is working with researchers in China, Brazil and South Africa to understand how museums engage with histories of colonialism. The Approach Lead researchers Project funded by We will lead a team of international scholars on this pan-European project. We will assess if migrant groups are alienated by European cultural norms and heritage and we’ll discover how we can create policies to establish new heritage that is inclusive of migrant communities, not alienating to them. ECHOES combines the innovative theoretical conceptualization of ‘de-colonial entanglements’ with deep empirical exploration of both EU institutional activities and programs together with key European and non-European city innovations and connections. The major research objectives are as follows: To analyse the EU’s expanding engagement with ‘heritage politics’ through investigating the (missing) place of colonialism in key EU initiatives, policies, or programs, and thus more broadly with contemporary notions of European identity and quests to legitimate the EU’s global initiatives. To explore and assess heritage practices in and entanglements between European and non-European cities, focusing on city museums, artistic creations and citizen activities. To share insights and knowledge via a form of science diplomacy, thus introducing the practices in cities into EU-level debates. The Impact This major European project will have significant policy implications for relations and reparations with former European colonies. Ultimately it will help to establish an understanding of European culture that accurately reflects its history and yet is considerate and inclusive of all its communities. The project is funded by EU Horizon 2020. Get in touch Got a question or want to collaborate? Contact us Other completed research projects View all projects Completed project The Antislavery Knowledge Network The Antislavery Knowledge Network: community-led strategies for creative and heritage-based interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa. Completed project Antislavery Usable Past Using lessons learned from previous abolition movements to bolster the present-day fight against slavery. Completed project Redrawing Slavery Redrawing slavery: debt, law, and the market in the process of enslavement. Completed project Trans-Atlantic slave trade database Harnessing decade’s worth of research expertise in historical slavery, the database rose to the challenge of documenting the estimated 36,000 voyages taken to transport slaves. Completed project Stolen Lives A vibrant and interactive collection of films, stories and songs that use the power of imagery and music to raise awareness of modern slavery issues among schoolchildren. Completed project Remembering 1807 How did the UK mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery? With more than 300 events - now preserved in an archive. Completed project Scotland's diasporas in a global context Uncovering Scotland’s slavery past. Helping inform effective modern-day migration policies. Completed project Debt, poverty and slavery in historical perspective Exploring the historial relationship between debt and slavery. Top Browser does not support script. Browser does not support script. Browser does not support script. Browser does not support script. Browser does not support script. Browser does not support script. Browser does not support script.