ignorance of history serves many ends
January 14, 2021 5:14 PM Subscribe
There was no single moment when I began to sense the long shadow that Cecil John Rhodes has cast over my life, or over the university where I am a professor, or over the ways of seeing the world shared by so many of us still living in the ruins of the British empire. But, looking back, it is clear that long before I arrived at Oxford as a student, long before I helped found the university’s Rhodes Must Fall movement, long before I even left Zimbabwe as a teenager, this man and everything he embodied had shaped the worlds through which I moved. Oxford professor Simukai Chigudu gives a personal account of colonialism and decolonialism. [Audio link.]
Thank you for this, a very eye opening perspective. I deeply hope all of the recent and ongoing madness provides a catalyst to compel recognition of our history and inspire a true effort towards reconciliation. Myopic perhaps, but I must hope.
For a deeper dive into exactly how big a piece of shit Cecil Rhodes was, I highly recommend Robert Evans Behind the Bastards podcast episodes covering him.
posted by calamari kid at 8:07 PM on January 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
For a deeper dive into exactly how big a piece of shit Cecil Rhodes was, I highly recommend Robert Evans Behind the Bastards podcast episodes covering him.
posted by calamari kid at 8:07 PM on January 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
That was a really fantastic piece, thanks for sharing it. Very well worth the read.
posted by biogeo at 9:24 PM on January 14, 2021
posted by biogeo at 9:24 PM on January 14, 2021
I agree, the writing is extremely good, and the way he weaves his personal narrative together with his recounting of the history and legacy of colonialism both in Zimbabwe and England is wonderful.
Nothing says "the spirit of colonialism is alive and well" quite so forcefully as Oxford's resistance to removing a statue of Cecil Rhodes. What a lot of work there is to do...
posted by dougfelt at 11:04 PM on January 14, 2021
Nothing says "the spirit of colonialism is alive and well" quite so forcefully as Oxford's resistance to removing a statue of Cecil Rhodes. What a lot of work there is to do...
posted by dougfelt at 11:04 PM on January 14, 2021
Thanks. That was very interesting reading. Working within the academy to change it is the only way to progress and extend thinking and learning.
More than 10% (just) of Australia's prime ministers have been Rhodes Scholarship recipients, enjoying an Oxford graduate education on Cecil's dime - Bob Hawke, Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull - and each has been active in furthering the colonial project in Australia during their tenure as colonists-in-chief. No longer should we use the term 'Rhodes Scholar' to represent something noteworthy in front of their names, as is often done.
posted by Thella at 3:20 AM on January 15, 2021
More than 10% (just) of Australia's prime ministers have been Rhodes Scholarship recipients, enjoying an Oxford graduate education on Cecil's dime - Bob Hawke, Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull - and each has been active in furthering the colonial project in Australia during their tenure as colonists-in-chief. No longer should we use the term 'Rhodes Scholar' to represent something noteworthy in front of their names, as is often done.
posted by Thella at 3:20 AM on January 15, 2021
spitbull, thank you for posting that - I only discovered Julian Brave Noisecat within the past year or two, and I am such a fan of his work.
I wonder if it would be possible to rename the Rhodes Scholarship going forward.
posted by kristi at 10:30 AM on January 15, 2021
I wonder if it would be possible to rename the Rhodes Scholarship going forward.
posted by kristi at 10:30 AM on January 15, 2021
Once again, Robert Evans and the others at Behind the Bastards have provided a well researched history of an impactful racist.
Part One: Cecil Rhodes: The First Proud Boy and Part Two
posted by Gor-ella at 12:09 PM on January 15, 2021
Part One: Cecil Rhodes: The First Proud Boy and Part Two
posted by Gor-ella at 12:09 PM on January 15, 2021
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His writing is great (and I appreciate his making the small effort of helping the reader keep track of the history in the "Beginning in 1963" paragraph), but his experience and his perspective are especially valuable to me. Thanks to MetaFilter, my distressing ignorance of the legacy of colonialism is slightly less massive than it was, and I really appreciate getting to read Chigudu's story and reflect on his thoughts.
Thank you so much for posting this, ChuraChura! (With luck, I'll finish reading it tomorrow and be back with another comment.)
posted by kristi at 7:05 PM on January 14, 2021 [3 favorites]