A Training School for Elephants. Colonialism, its Enduring Legacies and what we need to do about it

Inspired by Sophy Roberts' latest book, *A Training School for Elephants*, this public discussion examines the history of European colonialism through the lens of nineteenth-century imperial expansion and its far-reaching consequences. Asian elephants were taken to Africa in the 19th century for what was purported to be a training school, but in reality were used for exploitation. To what extent were colonial projects driven by ideas of conquest, scientific curiosity, economic exploitation and cultural domination? They certainly shaped not only the lives of colonised peoples but also the natural world. The discussion will explore how colonialism transformed societies, displaced communities, extracted resources, and influenced the collection of knowledge, animals and cultural objects; and how these historical processes continue to resonate today in global inequalities, museum collections, environmental challenges and ongoing debates about historical responsibility, restitution and remembrance.

Sophy Roberts, a British award-winning author and journalist specialising in literary non-fiction, travel, history, conservation and cultural storytelling. She is known for her immersive reporting from remote and historically significant regions around the world. Sophy Roberts studied at Oxford and Columbia University in New York and has written for publications including *The Guardian*, *The Economist* and *Financial Times Weekend*. Her first book, *Siberia’s Forgotten Pianos*, was published by Zsolnay in 2020.

Moderation
Tessa Szyszkowitz, Author and journalist for the Austrian weekly *Falter* and other publications. Distinguished Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London (RUSI)