Faithful citizens: Dissent and the making of democracy in the age of revolution - Dr Emma Major

British Academy Fellowship holder, Emma Major, paints a vivid portrait of the poet, teacher and pamphleteer, Anna Barbauld.

Emma explores how this member of an influential Dissenting community helped shape modern ideas of democracy, citizenship and human rights during the turbulent years of the French Revolution.

Barbauld’s ideas and arguments – she predicted the rise of America and decline of the British Empire – are shown to be as powerful and relevant today as they were more than 200 years ago when she campaigned for the abolition of slavery, condemned an unjust war, and argued for full citizenship rights for Dissenters.

This lecture was given at YorkTalks 2016. Styled on the highly successful TED Talks lecture series, YorkTalks features short, accessible 15-minute presentations on some of our most innovative and thought-provoking research.