Human Resources

Slavery and the Making of Modern Britain - in 39 Institutions, People, Places and Things

Author: Arisa Loomba, Renay Richardson

Read by: Liyah Summers

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At a Glance

Format
Digital Audiobook

Duration
08:30.23

Published: 5th June 2025

Digital Audiobook

$44.99

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The transatlantic slave trade is often seen as separate part of British history: a module in a history course, a chapter in a book. But - from the maps we use to clothes we wear and the science that underlies our understanding of the world - its legacy and influence is everywhere.

Human Resources explores how the slave trade transformed Britain, using places, objects, institutions, commodities and activities we encounter everyday - without ever pausing to think about their origins. It will take you to art galleries and sports events, into offices and financial institutions, and reveal the dark past of the items in your own kitchen cupboard.

Human Resources is the true story of the British empire and its legacies, showing us that slavery is not just part of our story, it is our story - and how the past connects to the present in extraordinary and unexpected ways.