As governments change, history gets edited, cut, and re-reviewed: Dalrymple

Sun Dec 15 17:22:34 UTC 2024: ## Popular History Podcast “Empire” Discusses Global Reach and Political Influence at Bangalore Literature Festival

**Bengaluru, India (December 16, 2024)** – Historian William Dalrymple highlighted the political manipulation of historical narratives at the 13th Bangalore Literature Festival. Speaking on a panel alongside Anita Anand and Arcopol Chaudhuri, Dalrymple emphasized how governments worldwide influence historical curricula, leading to revisions and edits reflecting changing political landscapes. This was a key theme of their discussion surrounding their podcast, “Empire,” which boasts a staggering 2.5 million monthly downloads.

Chaudhuri, representing the podcast’s producer, Goalhanger, revealed that a remarkable 66% of “Empire’s” listeners reside outside the UK, a stark contrast to other Goalhanger podcasts. This global reach, according to Dalrymple, stems from the podcast’s apolitical approach, avoiding national agendas to focus on a broad range of historical empires, from Cuba to Persia.

The panel also speculated on the future of the podcast, considering the potential to expand its focus to corporate empires. Anand expressed hopes to explore the growing corporatization of the world, while Dalrymple offered provocative comparisons, likening Mark Zuckerberg to Clive of India and Elon Musk to General Dyer. The discussion underscores the podcast’s growing influence and its unique ability to engage a global audience interested in unbiased historical perspectives.