Past matters. Spreading the word: writing constitutions and making Empire

The gradual world-wide spread of written constitutions after 1787 is conventionally linked with the rise of the nation state and with the growing allure of democracy. But, from the outset, these documents were also often instruments of empire and of international power and influence. Linda Colley discusses the reasons for this and the continuing global repercussions.

Professor Colley (University of Princeton) is the first Visiting Deas Fellow in History and Society. Internationally renowned for her work on Britain's past in a broader European, imperial, and global context, she also writes for the Guardian, New York Times, and the London Review Of Books, and will discuss her most recent book on written constitutions, identity and empire.

The talk will be followed by a drinks reception.

Venue: Watershed, 1 Canon's Rd, Bristol, BS1 5TX.

Admission free, but booking required in advance.