Colonialism

Jean Baptiste Colbert Satue in Paris in France
#56

Jean Baptiste Colbert Statue in Paris

France

By Contested Histories Initiative

For many years, Jean-Baptiste Colbert was praised for his involvement in creating a strong French state. In recent years, however, this status has been called into question, notably concerning his involvement in laying the foundation of the Code Noir, a legal text which legitimised slavery in the French colonies. In… Read More

#85

Rodolfo Graziani Monument in Affile

Italy

By Contested Histories Initiative

A mausoleum inaugurated in August 2012 in the town of Affile, located in metropolitan Rome, has been subject to vandalism and protests by various anti-fascist groups. While the local right-wing mayor, Ercole Viri, claims that the publicly funded mausoleum was commissioned to honour Italian war veterans, the structure appears to… Read More

#50

Columbus Lighthouse in Santo Domingo

Dominican Republic

By Contested Histories Initiative

The Columbus Lighthouse of Santo Domingo is an enormous mausoleum which is said to contain Christopher Columbus’ remains. The first plans to build a monument to Columbus date back to the mid-nineteenth century, and a competition to decide the design of the project was launched in 1928. The final project… Read More

A woman stands in front of a sculpture, depicting a centaur strangling a man.

Contested Heritage on Film

An interview with Oxford student & former intern Issabella Orlando on her award winning documentary ‘The Return Address’

By Mechteld Visser 11 March 2021

When Issabella Orlando joined the Contested Histories team for a week-long research assignment in December 2020, she already had an extensive project on contested heritage under her belt. While studying full-time at Oxford University, Issabella wrote and directed the short documentary ‘The Return Address: Where Does Heritage Belong?’. The film… Read More

Statue of General Redvers Buller, in it's previous ungraffitied state.
#168

A Reverse on Buller

How a Council Rescinded its Decision for Relocating a Statue

By Oliver Anthony 26 February 2021

There is a strange irony in Exeter City Council’s recent reversal of their decision to relocate a statue of nineteenth-century military leader, General Sir Redvers Buller; the man who had already earned himself the nickname ‘Reverse Buller’ for his garish military tactics and organisational failings. On January 12th, 2021, it… Read More

A statue of Robert Towns sits beside a tree.
#6

Robert Towns’ Statue and his Blackbirding Legacy

By Grace Sahota 29 September 2020

We are pleased to present the case on a statue of Robert Towns in Townsville, Australia, as part of a series of in-depth studies for the Contested Histories Initiative. We hope that this series will provide insights and lessons learned for engaging with and addressing instances of disputed historical legacies… Read More

A collection of headlines about the Cecil Rhodes statue controversy at Oriel College in Oxford.
#167

The Legacy of Cecil Rhodes at Oriel College

By Oliver Anthony 13 August 2020

When a protestor left a sign on the doors of Oxford’s University Church reading ‘Rhodes, You’re Next’, there was little doubt that the monumental Black Lives Matter movement, sweeping the world after the death of George Floyd, would next be turning its attention to the statue of the imperialist figure… Read More

A statue of Sir Stamford Raffles in Singapore, with skyscrapers rising in the background.
#138

Monuments Matter

A Singaporean Solution

By Miranda Richman 27 July 2020

We are pleased to present the case on The Statue of Sir Stamford Raffles and His Legacy as part of a series of in-depth studies for the Contested Histories Initiative. We hope that this series will provide insights and lessons learned for engaging with and addressing instances of disputed historical legacies… Read More

#36

João Maria Ferreira do Amaral Statue in Macau (SAR)

China

By Contested Histories Initiative

João Maria Ferreira do Amaral was the Portuguese Governor of Macau between 1846-1849, his commitment to formalizing Macau and Portugal’s colonial relationship, lead to his assassination by Chinese peasants. He became emblematic of the ambiguous colonial relationship between the two countries, leading to his statue being removed during the decolonization… Read More

#65

Carl Hagenbeck Zoo in Hamburg

Germany

By Contested Histories Initiative

The zoo Tierpark Hagenbeck in Hamburg, Germany, was founded in 1907 by Carl Hagenbeck, a trader of wild animals who was notable for his exhibitions of people of colour in Völkerschauen or ‘human zoos’. Since 2020, petitioners and protestors have been demanding a critical reexamination of Hagenbeck’s legacy, calling for… Read More

#104

The Marine Memorial in Swakopmund

Namibia

By Contested Histories Initiative

The Marine Denkmal (Marine Memorial) in Swakopmund, Namibia, commemorates the German imperial soldiers who fought against Indigenous Namibians in the Herero Wars (1904-1908). Amid fraught Namibian-Germany relations and contested national memory politics, this monument has become a reminder of unresolved colonial legacies and traumas. Indigenous Namibian groups have pursued legal… Read More