James has written and taught on imperialism and international relations, writing in the Journal of Pacific History, the Fiji Times and elsewhere. He is a British journalist who writes and lectures on economic regeneration. James is director of the think-tank Audacity.org. James writes for Art Review, Spiked Online, and The Times Education Supplement. James has had articles published in the Guardian, the Telegraph, The Times, Blueprint, The Architects' Journal, the Review of Radical Political Economy, Rising East and Cultural Trends.
The Aborigines’ Protection Society with James Heartfield
Image Above: Book cover of 'The Aborigines Protection Society: Humanitarian Imperialism in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Canada, South Africa, and the Congo, 1837-1909' by James Heartfield
Thursday, 14 July 2011 - 7:15pm to 9:00pm
For more than 70 years, the Aborigines’ Protection Society, a select group of the great and the good, fought for the natives of the British Empire and against the tide of white supremacy to defend the interests of aboriginal peoples everywhere. Active on four continents, the Society brought the Zulu King Chetswayo to meet Queen Victoria, and Maori rebels to the Lord Mayor’s banqueting hall. The Society’s supporters were denounced by senior British Army Officers and white settlers as Zulu-lovers, ‘so-called friends of the aborigines’, and even traitors.
James Heartfield discusses the arguments in his new book that the failure of today’s ‘humanitarian imperialism’ has its roots in the thinking and practices of nineteenth-century campaigners for natives’ rights.
The book tells the story of the three-cornered fight among the Colonial Office, the settlers and the natives that shaped the Empire and the pivotal role that the Society played, persuading the authorities to limit settlers’ claims in the name of native interests. Against expectations, the policy of native protection turned out to be one of the most important reasons for the growth of Imperial rule.
James Heartfield’s comparative study of native protection policies in Southern Africa, the Congo, New Zealand, Fiji, Australia and Canada explains how those who held the best of intentions ended up unwittingly championing further colonisation. Pointing to the wreckage of humanitarian imperialism today, Heartfield sets out to understand its roots in the beliefs and practices of its nineteenth-century equivalents
James' book 'The Aborigines Protection Society: Humanitarian Imperialism in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Canada, South Africa, and the Congo, 1837-1909 is due to be published shortly and is available to pre-order at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aborigines-Protection-Society-Humanitarian-Imper...
Speaker
Chair
Sean is a founder member of The Brighton Salon and a journalist who formerly worked in the local press industry and on the magazines Computing and Campaign. Sean has written dozens of reviews of salon events and occasionally contributes to other publications. He has been involved with many and various political and cultural campaigns for many years.
Sean writes freelance about the relationship between journalism the public and runs an editing and proofing company. He also organises activities for The Brighton Salon as its secretary.