Ronald Robinson
Encyclopedia
Ronald "Robbie" Edward Robinson, FBA
(3 September 1920 – 19 June 1999) was a distinguished historian of the British Empire
who between 1971 and 1981 held the Beit Professorship of Commonwealth History
at the University of Oxford
.
After schooling at Battersea Grammar School
, he proceeded to St. John's College, Cambridge, as a History Scholar in 1938 and with the outbreak of the Second World War he joined the Royal Air Force
, eventually spending most of his armed service in Africa
. After the end of the war, between 1947 and 1949, Robinson worked on the subject of "trusteeship" for his doctorate at Cambridge. He was subsequently elected a Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, in 1949.
Robinson's extraordinarily influential work, Africa and the Victorians: The Official Mind of Imperialism, was co-authored with John Gallagher
(with the help of Alice Denny) and first published in 1961. The latter work had been preceded by a widely-read article – also co-authored with Gallagher – entitled, "The Imperialism of Free Trade". Published in 1953, the latter constitutes a groundbreaking essay among theorists of imperial expansion and "is reputedly the most cited historical article ever published".
Upon Robinson's retirement from Oxford in 1987, a book of essays entitled Theory and Practice in the History of European Expansion Overseas was published in his honour.
FBA
FBA may refer to:*Fellow of the British Academy*Federation of British Artists*Federal Bar Association*First Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia*Flux Balance Analysis, in chemical engineering/systems biology*Freshwater Biological Association...
(3 September 1920 – 19 June 1999) was a distinguished historian of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
who between 1971 and 1981 held the Beit Professorship of Commonwealth History
Beit Professor of Commonwealth History
The Beit Professorship of Commonwealth History is one of the senior professorships in history at the University of Oxford. It was established in 1905 as the Beit Professorship of Colonial History. The post is held in conjunction with a fellowship at Balliol College, Oxford.- Beit Professors :*...
at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
After schooling at Battersea Grammar School
Battersea Grammar School
Battersea Grammar School was a Voluntary-Controlled Secondary Grammar School in South London. It was established in Battersea by the Sir Walter St John Trust in 1875 and moved to larger premises in Streatham in 1936....
, he proceeded to St. John's College, Cambridge, as a History Scholar in 1938 and with the outbreak of the Second World War he joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, eventually spending most of his armed service in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. After the end of the war, between 1947 and 1949, Robinson worked on the subject of "trusteeship" for his doctorate at Cambridge. He was subsequently elected a Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, in 1949.
Robinson's extraordinarily influential work, Africa and the Victorians: The Official Mind of Imperialism, was co-authored with John Gallagher
John Andrew Gallagher
John "Jack" Andrew Gallagher, FBA was a distinguished historian of the British Empire who between 1963 and 1970 held the Beit Professorship of Commonwealth History at the University of Oxford and from 1971 until his death was the Vere Harmsworth Professor of Imperial and Naval History at the...
(with the help of Alice Denny) and first published in 1961. The latter work had been preceded by a widely-read article – also co-authored with Gallagher – entitled, "The Imperialism of Free Trade". Published in 1953, the latter constitutes a groundbreaking essay among theorists of imperial expansion and "is reputedly the most cited historical article ever published".
Upon Robinson's retirement from Oxford in 1987, a book of essays entitled Theory and Practice in the History of European Expansion Overseas was published in his honour.
External links
- Obituary from Kenneth Wilburn of East Carolina University
- R.E. Robinson obituary in The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, June 1999