Sadiah Qureshi in conversation with David Olusoga about extinction

Join us for a thought-provoking evening that delves into the complex histories of extinction and empire, as David Olusoga and Sadiah Qureshi explore the themes of Qureshi’s powerful new book, Vanished: An Unnatural History of Extinction.

Anyone alive today is among a tiny fraction of the once living: over 90% of species that ever existed are now extinct. How did we come to think of ourselves as survivors in a world where species can vanish forever, or as capable of pushing our planet to the verge of a sixth mass extinction? Join us for an event exploring these questions with David Olusoga in conversation with Sadiah Qureshi to mark the launch of her new book Vanished: An Unnatural History of Extinction published by Allen Lane/Penguin Press.

Extinction, is a surprisingly modern concept and far more than a scientific idea. In Europe until the late eighteenth century, species were considered perfect and unchanging creations of God. Then in the age of revolutions, scientists gathered enough fossil evidence to determine that mammoth bones, for example, were not just large elephants but a lost species that once roamed the Earth alongside ancient humans. Extinction went from being regarded as theologically dangerous to pervasive, and even inevitable. Europeans and Americans quickly used the notion that animal extinction was a natural process to justify forced migration, persecution and genocide, predicting that Indigenous nations from Newfoundland’s Beothuk to Aboriginal Australians were doomed to die out from imperial expansion.

Exploring the tangled and unnatural histories of extinction and empire, this event will discuss how extinction is a political choice that has led to devasting consequences. It will explore how histories of extinction offer important lessons for illuminating our past and choosing a better future.

Speaker Biographies:

David Olusoga is a British author, historian, presenter and BAFTA-winning film-maker. He is Professor of Public History at The University of Manchester. He specialises in the British Empire and how we experience its lasting effects in modern society. David has presented historical television programmes on the BBC. His television credits include Civilisations, Black and British, Our NHS: A Hidden History, A House Through Time and the BAFTA award-winning Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners.

Sadiah Qureshi is Professor of Modern British History at the University of Manchester. She is a prize-winning historian of science, race, and empire. Her research explores how the very notion of extinction emerged, and shaped our understanding of life on earth, genocide, and empire within the Anthropocene. She has written for the London Review of Books, Times Literary Supplement and New Statesman. She cannot bear the thought of living in a world without birdsong, trees or tigers.

Thank you to the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in the Arts (CIDRAL), University of Manchester for generously supporting this event and making it possible.

Accessibility

The venue is fully accessible, but we endeavour to ensure this event is open to all, so welcome you to contact us regarding any specific requirements you may have before the event.

Email: info@manchesterhistories.co.uk

Call: 0161 306 1982

Event Capacity

Due to the popularity of this event, tickets are in high demand. If you've booked a ticket but can no longer attend, please let us know as soon as possible by emailing info@manchesterhistories.co.uk. This will allow us to offer your place to someone on our waiting list.

Seating is unallocated for this event so please arrive promptly to take your seat.

Comfort

Please bring your own soft drink or water as no refreshments will be served at the event as the main museum will be closed.

Photography

Please note, photographs will be taken at the event, if you do not want your image to be taken please inform a member of the team. Thank you.

Donations

This event is free to attend, but you're welcome to make a donation to Manchester Histories when checking out and reserving your ticket. Every donation, no matter what size, can make a big difference by directly supporting our small charity, helping us continue our community engagement and year-long programme of events.

Data Gathering

When registering for this event we will ask you some questions about your age, gender, ethnicity, disability and postcode. Gathering this information helps us to report back to our funders and enables us to better understand our audiences so we can ensure we reach as many people as possible now and in the future. The information is given anonymously.

This event is being funded and supported by Manchester Histories, CIDRAL, Modern British History and Race, Roots and Resistance Collective, Department of History, University of Manchester. Special thanks to Manchester Museum.