History Extra podcast A new history of multicultural Britain
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Nov 17, 2025 Kieran Connell, a historian and Reader of History at Queen's University Belfast, discusses his book, "Multicultural Britain: A People’s History." He reframes multiculturalism as an everyday experience rooted in personal stories. Connell highlights the significant yet often overlooked diversity in 19th-century port cities and the impact of mixed relationships on shaping multicultural Britain. He also reflects on the societal roles of urban spaces like cafés and the lasting legacies of events like the Windrush and the 1958 Nottingham riots.
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Reframe Multiculturalism As Everyday Experience
- Multiculturalism in public debate has been conflated with policy labels and turned into a divisive 'ism.'
- Kieran Connell reframes it as 'actually existing' everyday multiculturalism experienced in communities.
Windrush Is Symbolic, Not Year Zero
- Windrush is a useful symbol but not the true starting point of Britain's ethnic diversity.
- Connell traces multiculturalism back to 19th-century port communities like Cardiff's Tiger Bay.
Love And Intimacy Shaped Early Diversity
- Many early interracial relationships formed between local white working‑class women and newly arrived men.
- Connell highlights those ordinary couples and their children as front‑line participants in multicultural Britain.
