How charity helped shape Britain after empire
A new book by Matthew Hilton, Professor of Social History at Queen Mary University of London, explores how charity became a central response to global poverty in Britain after the end of empire.
Book cover of Charity After Empire
Published today, 19 February 2026, Charity After Empire: British Humanitarianism, Decolonisation and Development traces the rise of major humanitarian agencies such as Oxfam, Save the Children and Christian Aid, showing how they became enduring actors in global poverty alleviation.
Through detailed case studies in the UK and southern Africa, including Botswana, Zimbabwe and Kenya, Hilton reveals how the politics of race and decolonisation shaped not only international aid but also everyday ideas of charity, responsibility and moral obligation. He argues that humanitarianism played a key role in redefining Britain’s relationship with the world after empire, influencing both public attitudes and government policy.
Rather than presenting charity as neutral or inevitable, the book examines its contradictions, ambitions and limitations. It highlights the individuals, institutions and political contexts that shaped humanitarian action and explains why charity became one of the most trusted ways of responding to global inequality in the late twentieth century.
Matthew Hilton said:
“The book asks why charity became so central to how people in Britain understood poverty, development and moral responsibility after empire. It shows how humanitarianism was shaped by decolonisation and why those legacies still matter today.”
Charity After Empire has been described by historians as a landmark contribution to the study of humanitarianism, development and post-imperial Britain.
The book will be launched at a public event at Queen Mary University of London on Tuesday 24 March 2026, with a panel discussion reflecting on British humanitarianism, decolonisation and development.
The panel will bring together scholars from across the School of Society and Environment:
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Ria Kapoor (History)
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Kavita Datta (Geography)
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David Williams (Politics and International Relations)
The event is delivered in partnership with the Raphael Samuel History Centre and will take place in the Arts Two Lecture Theatre, Mile End campus, from 6.00–8.00pm.
🔗 Register via Eventbrite
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-launch-charity-after-empire-tickets-1981162909594