An Empire of Many Cultures

Bahá’íS, Muslims, Jews and the British State, 1900–20
Based upon original research and bringing to life the words and actions of Bahá’í, Muslim, and Jewish leaders during the early 20th century, this study sheds light on each found meaning and value in the diversity that characterised the British Empire, enabling the creation of relationships that would have an impact on future generations.
Based upon extensive archival research and bringing to life the words and actions of extraordinary individuals from the early 20th century, this book calls into question contemporary assumptions about the appreciation of diversity as a solely postcolonial phenomenon. It shows how Bahá’í, Muslim, and Jewish leaders prior to and during WWI found value in the existence of many different religions, races, languages, nations, and ethnicities within the British Empire. Recognition of this heterogeneity combined with sympathy for certain liberal traditions allowed those historical actors to engage with that imperial state and culture in ways that would have an impact on future generations and relevance to modern debates.