The Psychic Lives of Statues

Reckoning with the Rubble of Empire

An exploration of global statue controversies and cultural memory

'An unimpeachable, erudite jewel of a book, showing how tenaciously the shadows of colonialism reach into our lives' - Neel Mukherjee, Booker Prize shortlisted author of The Lives of Others

'Compulsively readable. The struggle over statues is about how we live with and relate to one another, and the fight over equality and dignity' - Laleh Khalili, author of Extractive Capitalism

'Powerfully grounded and eminently thoughtful. Rao's account of how we grapple with the imperial past and present will stand even as statues rise and fall' - Priyamvada Gopal, author of Insurgent Empire

Statues around the world have become lightning rods for public debates over the meaning of our imperial past and postcolonial present. The Psychic Lives of Statues is an insightful exploration of these global controversies, demonstrating that beneath their surface lie deeper struggles over race, caste and the politics of decolonisation.

Rahul Rao takes readers on an international journey, revealing how these controversies have dramatically rearranged anticolonial political thought through the multifaceted lenses of justice, cultural memory and belonging.

The Psychic Lives of Statues explores both the toppling of colonial statues and the erection of postcolonial ones, illuminating how statues remain powerful and compelling forms of memorialisation. Engaging with artists, scholars and activists, Rao offers a fresh and exciting perspective on how we understand our past and present through iconography.

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