Filip Raffelt
Colonial Misconceptions: The British Raj
This module explores British Crown rule over South Asia, focusing on the colonization of India (1857–1947) and its future impacts. Using case studies, the module will address common misconceptions, particularly those of the British public. The examples will introduce a variety of voices, interests, and projects and present them in a decolonial way, aiming to expose the underlying coloniality within Western modernity and the things we accept as “normal.” Overall, this module aims to educate—or re-educate—learners about the topic of The British Raj and British colonial rule in India, as well as give them the toolset to analyze other topics in a similar fashion.
This module can be taken by anyone; however, its intended target audience is people who identify as British or live in Britain, particularly those who were educated in Britain. This learning module has two main purposes. Firstly, if you are engaging with this module and have not explored the history of the British Raj and colonization of India, then this module will introduce you to some gaps in your knowledge that you may not be aware of. Secondly, if you have prior knowledge of the British Raj and colonization of India, then the purpose of this module is to help you identify and correct widespread misconceptions.
Structure
This module features four initial cases. You can navigate between the sections freely, and there is no set order. I recommend tackling 1 case per week, which should take you about 1–2 hours weekly (around 50 pages of reading or an equivalent viewing time). After working independently to understand the background of each misconception, I recommend that learners identify one or more people to discuss their findings with. For this reason, the module would suit a classroom setting structured by collective engagements with the readings/videos followed by a group discussion of findings. It could also suit an online forum setting, where learners can post their findings and proceed to comment on other learners’ posts.
By completing this module,
individuals who realize that they have limited prior knowledge will be able to describe key features of the specific case studies in the British Raj from a decolonial perspective, as well as have the skills and perspectives to analyze new information that they are exposed to and determine what perspective this information is coming from;
individuals who realize they have inaccurate knowledge will be able to do the same as learners in group 1, and also be able to reflect on and differentiate being taught from a colonial perspective versus a decolonial perspective;
finally, both groups can go on to educate and share resources with others who might have limited knowledge or misconceptions, from a decolonial standpoint.
For an overview of the differences between colonial, postcolonial, anticolonial, and decolonial perspectives, check out our Keywords page.
Filip Raffelt is majoring in Biological Sciences at the University of Chicago.
Learning Resources
Case #1: The Bengal Famine of 1943
Misconception: British colonial rule and foreign policy were successful in India; they improved Indian peoples’ quality of life and guided them through events such as natural disasters.
Reality: British failures in government and foreign policy had detrimental impacts on the Indian people, as seen in the over 3 million deaths during the Bengal Famine of 1943.
Learning materials:
The Famine Inquiry Commission. 1943. Selections from Report on Bengal.
Contents (pp i–ii)
Introduction (pp iii–iv)
Chapter X to Chapter XI (pp 76-107)
Chapter IV (pp 132-142)
Read Section 6: The Great Bengal Famine (pp 52–85).
Case #2: Curry
Misconception: “Curry” has Indian origins, and it became popular in Britain due to trade and the good relationship between British officers and Indian merchants.
Reality: “Curry” is an anglicized version of an indigenous word that doesn’t mean curry. The category is both a form of cultural appropriation and stems from economic exploitation.
Learning materials:
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). 1983. “Curry Around the World.” The Spice of Life Series (25 minutes)
Case #3: Language
Misconception: The English language is good for India and helped it to access education and the global economy.
Reality: There is ongoing linguistic discrimination against speakers of Indian English, as well as linguistic racism in the British workplace. Further, India’s “obsession with English” is having a detrimental impact on children in the Indian education system.
Learning materials:
Ro, C. “The pervasive problem of ‘linguistic racism.’” BBC Worklife
Mody, A. “India’s obsession with English is depriving many children of a real education.” Quartz
Case #4: The End of the British Raj
Misconception: The reason for the end of colonial rule was righteous. The British wanted to give the Indian people independence, which aided the Indian people.
Reality: Due to World War II and other factors, the British Empire was crippled in terms of economy, and as they could not afford to administer the country, they had to relinquish their rule in India. Along with partition, this had a detrimental impact on nearly all of those involved.
Required learning materials:
Rajan, M. 1969. The Impact of British Rule in India. Journal of Contemporary History, 4(1), 89–102
BBC News. “Partition: Why was British India divided 75 years ago?”
BFI. Lahore: Refugees from India. 1947. (Video, 3:20 runtime)