Our Research
Historical Forms of Slavery
Liverpool is home to a thriving research community exploring the history of slavery across a number of geographic contexts.
Liverpool is one of the foremost clusters of scholars, in the UK and internationally, researching Haitian and Francophone studies. Recent research has focused on the legacy of the Haitian Revolution in the Atlantic World.
The University of Liverpool has a strong record of research in the history of North American slavery, in large part thanks to Dr Michael Tadman, now an Honorary Senior Research Fellow following his retirement from the department of History. The black experience, marginal histories, and exploitation continue to sit at the heart of the research of current staff and PhDs.
As the former 'capital of the slave trade', Liverpool is an appropriate home to study British Slavery and Abolition. Scholars at the university have worked variously on British anti-slavery, the transatlantic slave economy, and the legacy of emancipation in Britain’s Caribbean colonies.
Contemporary Forms of Slavery
The University of Liverpool is at the forefront of research on the political and legal questions surrounding novel forms of labour exploitation. Recent years have seen the international community pay increasing attention to the development of new forms of unfree labour. At Liverpool scholars are particularly interested in the role of the state, and legislation such as the UK Government’s 2015 Modern Slavery Act, in shaping responses to contemporary forms of human bondage.
Commemoration and Legacies of Slavery
Because the Centre is a collaboration between the University of Liverpool and National Museums Liverpool, our members have taken a strong interest in the commemoration of slavery. Scholars at the University have explored commemoration of slavery in Britain, France, and Germany. CSIS members have also contributed to museum exhibitions at Tate Liverpool, as well as the International Slavery Museum, and other public history ventures.
