Decolonising Otherwise - A Conversation with Driss Ghali

Driss Ghali, author of A Counter-History of French Colonization, will be in conversartion with Marie Kawthar Daouda and Lord Biggar

Oriel College

Join us in Oriel College's Senior Library for an informative and stimulating conversation about the French colonial legacy, followed by drinks . Driss Ghali, French-Moroccan author and political commentator presents an original and illuminating view on the colonial problem. Eschewing both the victimhood narrative that turns colonised people into innocent Noble Savages, and the nostalgia for an imperial Golden Age that never really happened, Ghali examines French colonisation in Africa and in Asia as a mistake that deeply shaped the culture and politics of France and its former colonies, for better and for worse.In A Counter History of French Colonization, Ghali surveys the modern history of French colonization in comparative perspective, from the capture of Algiers in July 1830 to the wave of decolonizations that followed the Second World War. The story Ghali tells is a tragic one: despite what were often the best of intentions, French colonial administration was generally a slapdash affair, ill-conceived, ill-executed, and largely indifferent to the well-being of native populations and the long-term interests of France alike.But it was not just the French who squandered the opportunities presented by their colonial adventure: once liberated from their colonial oppressors and with a few notable exceptions, France's former colonies signally failed to make good on the promise of independence, in many cases reverting to the violent, corrupt, and unjust ways that had characterized their societies prior to the arrival of France.Driss Ghali will be in conversation with Marie Kawthar Daouda, also French and Moroccan, lecturer in French language and literature at Oriel College, Oxford. Daouda's recent book Not Your Victim: How Our Obsession with Race Entraps and Divides Us explores how the current decolonial discourse perpetuates ethnic clichés and entraps ethnic minorities in a situation pf permanent dependence towards the West.The conversation will be chaired by Lord Biggar of Castle Douglas, author of the best-selling Colonialism: A Moral Reckoning and Reparations: Slavery and the Tyranny of Imaginary Guilt." Programme: 5pm: Doors open - Presentation by Driss Ghali5.30pm: Driss Ghali in onversation with Marie Kawthar Daouda and Lord Biggar od Castle Douglas5.50pm: Open conversation with the audience6.30-7pm: Drinks and informal conversation

Our {communityGuidelinesLink} describe the sort of content we prohibit on Eventbrite. If you suspect an event may be in violation, you can report it to us so we can investigate.

To report other categories of prohibited or illegal content, submit {link}

Decolonising Otherwise - A Conversation with Driss Ghali

More events from this organizer

Follow organizers to get events picked for you

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in Oxford and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.

Decolonising Otherwise - A Conversation with Driss Ghali

More events from this organizer

Follow organizers to get events picked for you

More Community events

Browse more Community events with different dates, prices, and formats to find your next great experience.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in Oxford and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.