Sarah Longair is an Associate Professor in the History of Empire at the University of Lincoln. Her research focuses on the British Empire in the Indian Ocean world, and she is a passionate advocate for engaging people of all backgrounds and ages with history through material culture.
Before moving to the academic sector, she worked for fourteen years in museum and gallery education, an experience which has shaped her pedagogy in HE and her commitment to learning through objects. While it is often the ‘stuff’ of the past which excites young people about history, as students go through school and university, it is text which dominates. Sarah’s focus on object-based learning challenges this trend, enabling students to apply their critical thinking skills to the material world. Object-based learning is inclusive and engaging, encouraging students to ask questions and research further. History through Material Culture, her 2018 book co-authored with Leonie Hannan, provides an ideal introduction for students, scholars and teachers to support them in bringing a material approach to their research, teaching and learning.
Sarah’s research into material culture and the British Empire demonstrates how such objects can reveal untold histories of empire, offering new insights into the complex histories which shaped Britain and many other parts of the world. Objects offer diverse perspectives on the past, some of which are silenced when we only focus on text. The material legacies of empire, including statues and museum collections, are the subject of contemporary debates, therefore it is essential that we understand their histories better.
Sarah is committed to sharing these approaches with the wider community, in particular schools and teachers, to enable them to bring material culture into the classroom. She regularly supports teachers across the country in bringing objects into their teaching, for example, through the Objects of Empire project, improving their confidence in approaching contested histories and new source material. She also champions closer links between the university and school sectors, sharing examples of best practice to enable the two constituencies to develop effective and meaningful collaborations.