What happens to people when empires fall, but the traces they leave behind remain? In her brand-new book, The British Empire – A Family Story from Mombasa, Nairobi, Lahore and London, author and journalist Nazneen Khan-Østrem draws on her own family history to explore the legacy of British colonial rule and its significance today.
Through personal stories and historical perspectives, she traces the connections between the power structures of the British Empire and contemporary questions of identity, belonging, migration and society. In recent years, horrific stories have emerged from Kenya about the brutality that accompanied the beginning of the Kenyan struggle for independence. When India was partitioned in 1947, it had far-reaching consequences for the population, leaving traumas that people in both Pakistan and India, as well as their diasporas, continue to carry.
Meet Nazneen Khan-Østrem in conversation with journalist Jan Zahl as they discuss history, power and the stories that shape who we are.
Nazneen Khan-Østrem is a journalist, public commentator and author, known, among other things, for her book London. Born in Nairobi, she grew up in both the United Kingdom and Norway. Through her writing, she has explored history, diversity and international perspectives.
The event is part of Kapittel – Stavanger International Festival of Literature and Freedom of Expression, taking place from 16–20 September 2026. For more information, the full programme and tickets, visit www.kapittel.no.
At some events at Sølvberget and during the Kapittel Festival, photographs and video may be taken for documentation purposes and for use on social media.
