Audra A. Diptee

Audra A. Diptee is a historian and educator specializing in the history of colonialism and imperialism in the Caribbean and Africa. She is affiliated with the Department of History in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, where she applies critical historical thinking to contemporary social justice issues and advocates for the importance of critically applying historical methodologies rather than merely 'using history' for rhetorical purposes.

Her educational background includes:

• B.A. from York University
• M.A. from University of Toronto
• Ph.D. from University of Toronto

Diptee's research focuses on the intersection of history, memory, and social justice, with particular emphasis on slavery, childhood in colonial contexts, and the African diaspora. Her concept of 'Critical Applied History' has become central to her scholarship, arguing that to advance social justice we need to critically apply historical thought rather than simply invoke history. She examines how historical consciousness shapes contemporary understandings of race, human rights, and modern-day slavery through transnational and comparative frameworks that connect Caribbean, African, and Atlantic world histories. Her work consistently bridges academic scholarship with public history engagement.

Her publications reveal a sustained focus on historical narratives of slavery and their contemporary legacies, particularly regarding child slavery and human trafficking. Diptee frequently examines how colonial discourses continue to shape modern humanitarian efforts, with special attention to how childhood is constructed in historical and contemporary contexts. Her scholarship demonstrates how controlling historical narratives (as seen in British 'Operation Legacy') represents attempts to control future possibilities in post-colonial societies.

Her notable awards and recognitions include:

• 2019: Professeure Invitée, l'Université Sorbonne-Nouvelle (Paris 3)
• 2018: Writing Residency Fellowship, Bellagio Center (Italy), The Rockefeller Foundation
• 2012: Visiting Fellowship, Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition, Yale University
• 2010: Workshop Grant and Standard Research Grant from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada
• 2003: David Nichols Memorial Prize from the Society of Caribbean Studies, United Kingdom

Diptee has secured significant research funding from major granting agencies including the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Her current project 'Chained in Paradise' examines the British 'Operation Legacy' policy and its impact on Caribbean historical narratives. She is actively engaged in public history through multiple platforms including the BBC HistoryExtra Podcast, graphic histories, animated lessons, and her 'History Watch' podcast series, demonstrating her commitment to bringing historical scholarship to broader audiences beyond academia.