Come what may, we’re here to stay, in conversation with Taj Ali
About this Event
British South Asians have a long tradition of radical political activism. The 1970s and 1980s saw the community grappling with prejudice in the workplace and violence in the streets. But this history is deeper than you might think, from students agitating for independence at the heart of the British Empire to seafarers organising global strikes on the eve of the Second World War.
In Come what may, we're here to stay, journalist and debut author Taj Ali reveals how successive generations fought for rights, dignity and a sense of belonging while actively shaping the country they now call home. He shows that British South Asian political life has often been defined less by religious difference than by shared commitments to anti-imperialism and anti-racism. In pursuit of these goals, alliances have been forged with other movements, from Irish republicanism to Black Power.
As racism rears its ugly head again, Come what may, we're here to stay asks: are we doomed to repeat the past or will we learn from our mistakes and build a better world together?
Taj Ali is a journalist and historian. He is the former editor of Tribune and regularly appears as a commentator on the BBC, as well as contributing to the Guardian, Al Jazeera English and others. In 2025 he set up Anti-Racist Radar, an organisation that monitors and reports on racist attacks in the UK. For his work on hate crime and Islamophobia he was chosen as a finalist for the 2026 Orwell Prize.
Our conversation host, Dr Anita Sethi, was born and grew up in Manchester, UK and is an award-winning writer and author of the acclaimed book
She has also been published in the anthologies Women on Nature edited by Katharine Norbury, The Wild Isles, Common People, the Seasons nature writing anthology, Seaside Special: Postcards from the Edge, We Mark Your Memory and Solstice Shorts among others.
She has written columns, features and reviews for various newspapers and magazines. In broadcasting she has appeared on several channels including BBC Radios 2, 3, 4 and 5, the BBC World Service, Times Radio, ITV, BBC One, Sky News, and ABC Australia. She is currently a British Academy research fellow at the UK’s national centre for the Humanities.
Join us at Manchester Museum for an evening of conversation with Taj Ali, as he discusses his debut book with writer and broadcaster Anita Sethi, reflecting on the histories of resistance, solidarity and political activism that have shaped British South Asian communities. Following the talk, there will be an audience Q&A and the opportunity to have your copy of the book signed.
Copies of Come what may, we're here to stay will be available to purchase from the Museum shop on the evening.
Agenda
🕑: 06:00 PM - 07:00 PM
Taj Ali in conversation
🕑: 07:00 PM - 07:30 PM
Audience Q&A
🕑: 07:30 PM - 08:00 PM
Book signing
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 0.00
