Liberating Narratives
@liberatingnarratives.com
Liberating Narratives is a newsletter about decolonizing the teaching of world history. It is written by @bramhubbell.bsky.social
LN: https://www.liberatingnarratives.com/
Bram: https://www.bramhubbell.com
LN: https://www.liberatingnarratives.com/
Bram: https://www.bramhubbell.com
I include some excellent excerpts of Asian women challenging European imperialism
October 4, 2025 at 6:23 PM
I include some excellent excerpts of Asian women challenging European imperialism
This first post includes lots of maps and two 10th-century primary source excerpts describing Swahili Coast trade. One is by Coast. Buzurg ibn Shahriyar.
![Because the land had trade goods, … such as ivory, tortoise-shell, panther skins, and ambergris, and because they [Arab and Persian traders] wanted to obtain Zanj [slaves], … they could not take it because the town is surrounded by a strong wall and an estuary, in the middle of which Qanbalu is like a castle.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:jliod2tv25qxuemsrggwbzur/bafkreigujij7ficrd65kfimmv3whwpd4k5hl7rquf5fkfaprpy2zi6k3s4@jpeg)
July 26, 2025 at 7:06 PM
This first post includes lots of maps and two 10th-century primary source excerpts describing Swahili Coast trade. One is by Coast. Buzurg ibn Shahriyar.
For example, Punjabi artist Pran Nath Margo’s painted Farewell in 1945. It shows Indian soldiers leaving for war on a train (something captured in photos and paintings all over the world) but also includes a distinctly Indian practice.
January 15, 2025 at 3:21 PM
For example, Punjabi artist Pran Nath Margo’s painted Farewell in 1945. It shows Indian soldiers leaving for war on a train (something captured in photos and paintings all over the world) but also includes a distinctly Indian practice.
The British, Dutch, French, & Spanish all depended on revenue from opium to finance their colonies in Southeast Asia in the late 19th century
January 10, 2025 at 3:38 PM
The British, Dutch, French, & Spanish all depended on revenue from opium to finance their colonies in Southeast Asia in the late 19th century
Opium production and exports expanded dramatically in Qatar Persia and Ottoman Anatolia in the second half of the 19th century. Persians even supported free trade!
January 10, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Opium production and exports expanded dramatically in Qatar Persia and Ottoman Anatolia in the second half of the 19th century. Persians even supported free trade!
And here's a little preview of why we want to use Afroeurasia
December 2, 2024 at 1:32 PM
And here's a little preview of why we want to use Afroeurasia
Or we can focus on how Europeans developed infrastructure to economically exploit Africa by extracting resources.
November 18, 2024 at 6:58 PM
Or we can focus on how Europeans developed infrastructure to economically exploit Africa by extracting resources.
When teaching European colonization of Africa, the maps we use can tell different stories. Too often, the story is about which European states conquered which parts of Africa. But what if we focus on how often and where Africans revolted against Europeans? The map below shows LOTS of uprisings.
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November 18, 2024 at 6:58 PM
When teaching European colonization of Africa, the maps we use can tell different stories. Too often, the story is about which European states conquered which parts of Africa. But what if we focus on how often and where Africans revolted against Europeans? The map below shows LOTS of uprisings.
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For the next month, I’ll focus on teaching global migration in world history. Here’s a good map to get you thinking
November 16, 2024 at 2:31 PM
For the next month, I’ll focus on teaching global migration in world history. Here’s a good map to get you thinking
One easy way to teach the impact of the Haitian Revolution on the Atlantic world is w/ this map showing just some of uprisings by enslaved Africans in the Caribbean from 1791 (start of the HR) to 1848.
🗺️🗃️ #haitianrevolution
🗺️🗃️ #haitianrevolution
November 14, 2024 at 3:18 PM
One easy way to teach the impact of the Haitian Revolution on the Atlantic world is w/ this map showing just some of uprisings by enslaved Africans in the Caribbean from 1791 (start of the HR) to 1848.
🗺️🗃️ #haitianrevolution
🗺️🗃️ #haitianrevolution
And you can use this fun illustration by Mákina de Cuzcuz!
October 30, 2024 at 2:14 PM
And you can use this fun illustration by Mákina de Cuzcuz!
When teaching decolonization, I have students read excerpts from Frantz Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth. It helps them understand why many colonized people turned to violence to win their freedom.
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October 30, 2024 at 2:14 PM
When teaching decolonization, I have students read excerpts from Frantz Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth. It helps them understand why many colonized people turned to violence to win their freedom.
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When teaching imperialism, I always prefer to have the people being colonized describe what is happening rather than the colonizers. One of my favorite sources for teaching the British colonization of India is Amrita Lal Roy, a Bengali.
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October 29, 2024 at 2:08 PM
When teaching imperialism, I always prefer to have the people being colonized describe what is happening rather than the colonizers. One of my favorite sources for teaching the British colonization of India is Amrita Lal Roy, a Bengali.
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One of my favorite resources to use when teaching the transatlantic slave system is Belinda Sutton's 1783 petition to the Massachusetts General Court. After her former enslaver fled, she asked for a pension. She also described her experience as an enslaved woman.
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October 27, 2024 at 4:21 PM
One of my favorite resources to use when teaching the transatlantic slave system is Belinda Sutton's 1783 petition to the Massachusetts General Court. After her former enslaver fled, she asked for a pension. She also described her experience as an enslaved woman.
🗺️🗃️
(🧵1/2)
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(🧵1/2)
Excited to be leading an important workshop with @mrshistorylee.bsky.social & Eric Beckman at NCSS in Boston
We need to highlight more Black, Indigenous, and female voices in the Age of Revolutions
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We need to highlight more Black, Indigenous, and female voices in the Age of Revolutions
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September 26, 2024 at 7:32 AM
Excited to be leading an important workshop with @mrshistorylee.bsky.social & Eric Beckman at NCSS in Boston
We need to highlight more Black, Indigenous, and female voices in the Age of Revolutions
🗃️ 🗺️
We need to highlight more Black, Indigenous, and female voices in the Age of Revolutions
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Colonized peoples sometimes revolted (as on previous map) and more often they resisted subtlely using cartoons that criticized Europeans
September 24, 2024 at 8:49 PM
Colonized peoples sometimes revolted (as on previous map) and more often they resisted subtlely using cartoons that criticized Europeans
5. Highlight the persistence of resistance
There were lots of uprisings!
There were lots of uprisings!
September 24, 2024 at 8:49 PM
5. Highlight the persistence of resistance
There were lots of uprisings!
There were lots of uprisings!
Europeans frequently staged photos to make colonized people seem primitive. Many European cartoons about imperialism are racist.
September 24, 2024 at 8:49 PM
Europeans frequently staged photos to make colonized people seem primitive. Many European cartoons about imperialism are racist.
3. Be Careful Using Images
Here’s a postcard from French Senegal (c.1905)
Here’s a postcard from French Senegal (c.1905)
September 24, 2024 at 8:49 PM
3. Be Careful Using Images
Here’s a postcard from French Senegal (c.1905)
Here’s a postcard from French Senegal (c.1905)
Focus on students understanding the causes of imperialism
A good cartoon can show students that nationalism and greed caused imperialism
A good cartoon can show students that nationalism and greed caused imperialism
September 24, 2024 at 8:49 PM
Focus on students understanding the causes of imperialism
A good cartoon can show students that nationalism and greed caused imperialism
A good cartoon can show students that nationalism and greed caused imperialism
2. Fewer conquest, more causes
Students don’t need to color in maps of colonies.
Students don’t need to color in maps of colonies.
September 24, 2024 at 8:49 PM
2. Fewer conquest, more causes
Students don’t need to color in maps of colonies.
Students don’t need to color in maps of colonies.
1. Begin with New Imperialism (c.1860 - c.1940). Late nineteenth century European empires differed from older empires, such as the Roman, Chinese, or Mongols. New Imperialism was “more extensive” and “more intensive.”
September 24, 2024 at 8:49 PM
1. Begin with New Imperialism (c.1860 - c.1940). Late nineteenth century European empires differed from older empires, such as the Roman, Chinese, or Mongols. New Imperialism was “more extensive” and “more intensive.”
5 Tips For Teaching Imperialism
A Thread
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A Thread
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September 24, 2024 at 8:49 PM
5 Tips For Teaching Imperialism
A Thread
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A Thread
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Hi folks. I’m currently traveling in the Balkans planning a study tour for history educators for next summer in July. It would focus on the Balkans as a crossroads of world history and visit Bosnia & Herzegovina and Croatia.
I’m wondering who would be interested.
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I’m wondering who would be interested.
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September 18, 2024 at 11:59 AM
Hi folks. I’m currently traveling in the Balkans planning a study tour for history educators for next summer in July. It would focus on the Balkans as a crossroads of world history and visit Bosnia & Herzegovina and Croatia.
I’m wondering who would be interested.
🗺️🗃️
I’m wondering who would be interested.
🗺️🗃️
