Melissa Bennett - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Melissa Bennett
Bulletin of the History of Medicine, 2018
Those working on or with colonial archives and collections face a number of challenges arising fr... more Those working on or with colonial archives and collections face a number of challenges arising from the historical contexts of these materials: where they came from, how they were brought together (or separated), and who has been their custodian. In these circumstances, it is important that contemporary professionals do not repeat or entrench the mistakes of the past. Nowadays, there are seemingly simple solutions to some of the problems that we come across. Firstly, we must share the archives we use or care for with the people to whom they relate, allowing them to access what was lost or in most cases taken from them. Secondly, we have a responsibility to re-connect archives that have been dispersed and disrupted by colonialism. Finally, we have to write responsibly: whether that's in our books and research papers or our catalogues. However, in 'solving' the problems raised by colonial archives and collections, are we creating new problems for ourselves and for future generations? Can the archive actually be decolonised?
Journal of Historical Geography, 2018
Slavery & Abolition, 2018
Beyond their role in expanding and securing the British Empire, the West India Regiments (WIRs) w... more Beyond their role in expanding and securing the British Empire, the West India Regiments (WIRs) were used to sell the Caribbean region to tourists and potential investors. Soldiers travelled in person and in photographic form to numerous world's fairs that brought the empire to London and major American cities such as Chicago and New Orleans. Through their representation at these events their likeness, and in some cases their actual physical presence, was showcased to a range of audiences who did not have to venture outside of their home countries for the experience. For nations such as Britain, who controlled vast empires, the fairs provided a justification for empire by showcasing the lack of development of some native peoples and the advancement of others under colonial rule through human exhibits. The WIRs were used as key examples of this progress and decorated promotional stands related to the West Indian colonies, unlike representatives of African ethnic groups who were used to populate constructed 'native villages'.
Despite the enthusiasm of local studios, visitors to the Caribbean, and military officers for cap... more Despite the enthusiasm of local studios, visitors to the Caribbean, and military officers for capturing images of the West India Regiments (WIRs), photographs have often been neglected as a source for the history the British Army’s first ‘official’ black units (established in the 1790s). Relegated to the covers or glossy middle pages of books, the insights that the contested image of the WIRs can provide have been ignored. The use of photographs of the WIRs solely for illustrative purposes has meant that their role in reflecting and shaping broader ideas about race and empire has not been fully explored. This thesis will argue that the varied and sometimes contradictory ways in which the rank-and-file of the West India Regiments have been represented visually reflect their ambivalent position within the British Empire’s racial hierarchies. Whilst as colonial subjects of African descent they were designated as ‘others’ with racialised physical and cultural traits, their place within ...
Bulletin of the History of Medicine, 2018
Those working on or with colonial archives and collections face a number of challenges arising fr... more Those working on or with colonial archives and collections face a number of challenges arising from the historical contexts of these materials: where they came from, how they were brought together (or separated), and who has been their custodian. In these circumstances, it is important that contemporary professionals do not repeat or entrench the mistakes of the past. Nowadays, there are seemingly simple solutions to some of the problems that we come across. Firstly, we must share the archives we use or care for with the people to whom they relate, allowing them to access what was lost or in most cases taken from them. Secondly, we have a responsibility to re-connect archives that have been dispersed and disrupted by colonialism. Finally, we have to write responsibly: whether that's in our books and research papers or our catalogues. However, in 'solving' the problems raised by colonial archives and collections, are we creating new problems for ourselves and for future generations? Can the archive actually be decolonised?
Journal of Historical Geography, 2018
Slavery & Abolition, 2018
Beyond their role in expanding and securing the British Empire, the West India Regiments (WIRs) w... more Beyond their role in expanding and securing the British Empire, the West India Regiments (WIRs) were used to sell the Caribbean region to tourists and potential investors. Soldiers travelled in person and in photographic form to numerous world's fairs that brought the empire to London and major American cities such as Chicago and New Orleans. Through their representation at these events their likeness, and in some cases their actual physical presence, was showcased to a range of audiences who did not have to venture outside of their home countries for the experience. For nations such as Britain, who controlled vast empires, the fairs provided a justification for empire by showcasing the lack of development of some native peoples and the advancement of others under colonial rule through human exhibits. The WIRs were used as key examples of this progress and decorated promotional stands related to the West Indian colonies, unlike representatives of African ethnic groups who were used to populate constructed 'native villages'.
Despite the enthusiasm of local studios, visitors to the Caribbean, and military officers for cap... more Despite the enthusiasm of local studios, visitors to the Caribbean, and military officers for capturing images of the West India Regiments (WIRs), photographs have often been neglected as a source for the history the British Army’s first ‘official’ black units (established in the 1790s). Relegated to the covers or glossy middle pages of books, the insights that the contested image of the WIRs can provide have been ignored. The use of photographs of the WIRs solely for illustrative purposes has meant that their role in reflecting and shaping broader ideas about race and empire has not been fully explored. This thesis will argue that the varied and sometimes contradictory ways in which the rank-and-file of the West India Regiments have been represented visually reflect their ambivalent position within the British Empire’s racial hierarchies. Whilst as colonial subjects of African descent they were designated as ‘others’ with racialised physical and cultural traits, their place within ...