From Brexit the British may learn a great deal about themselves as a result of having voted to 'Leave'. Not least that Britain, and even Brexit, has its roots in the British Empire. Traditionally British Geography, a subject that was partly born in its current form in Britain due to Empire, has not been very good at explaining what the Empire was and why it mattered so much to Britain. Brexit may well be the point at which the English, in particular, finally learn about the importance of geography. Geography is central to Brexit - from the Irish border through to the modern day priorities of India. In hindsight, living with the highest rate of income inequality in Europe was arguably the real problem for the British, rather than being in the EU per se. The source of British woes was not immigrants or some perceived lack of sovereignty, but of their own making, and possibly (at least in part) an outcome of having so recently been at the heart of the largest empire the world has ever known.

Danny Dorling is the Halford Mackinder Professor in Geography at the University of Oxford. He was previously Professor of Geography at the University of Leeds and the University of Sheffield, and earlier held academic posts in Newcastle, Bristol, and New Zealand. His most recent books are ‘Peak Inequality’ (with Sally Tomlinson), which was published in 2018 and ‘Brexit (“Rule Britannia”)’, published in January 2019.

Refreshments will be available from 5.30pm onwards.

This lecture is free and all are welcome to attend.

The Keele Nursery will be open and free of charge for staff and students attending the lecture.

Please note that are no restrictions for visitors on parking in areas marked for staff parking, including the Keele Hall courtyard, from 5.00pm.

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