TaPRA 2026 Conference

Queen Mary University of London’s ties to European colonialism are complex and manifold. Among the most direct is the university’s association with King Leopold II of Belgium, who personally controlled the Congo Free State from 1885 to 1908 and presided over a brutal system of colonial exploitation, expropriation and terror. Under his rule, millions of Congolese died as a result of targeted killings, indiscriminate violence, famine, disease, forced labour and profound social disruption. The atrocities committed in the Congo Free State have been characterised by many scholars and commentators as genocidal.

In 1887, Leopold visited the People’s Palace at Mile End, on what is now QMUL’s campus, and laid the foundation stone of its library, today known as the Octagon. Plaques commemorating Leopold’s involvement in this early chapter of the institution’s history remained on display there until 2016. That year, QMUL students and staff, particularly members of the Pan-African Society, supported the “Leopold Must Fall” campaign, which called for the plaques to be removed and Leopold’s relationship to the institution to be critically recontextualised.

The plaques were subsequently removed from public display during the refurbishment of the Octagon. However, the absence of a prominent public reckoning with, or sustained contextualisation of, their removal has attracted criticism from members of the QMUL community. Critics argue that simply taking the plaques out of view risks concealing, rather than confronting, the university’s colonial connections.

Students and staff continue to research, discuss and critically engage with QMUL’s historical ties to European colonialism—connections embedded in the university’s institutional history and physical fabric. We welcome your support for and contributions to this ongoing work. If you would like to discuss these issues further or have any questions, please contact one of the conference leads.

A comprehensive campus access guide is available online.

Quiet and relaxed spaces are available across campus. See below for information on dedicated quiet conference spaces. 

Please note that the accessible toilet near the Octagon is currently out of use due to construction works. Accessible toilets are available in all other conference buildings.

A limited number of accessible parking bays are available for Blue Badge holders. We recommend contacting the campus security team in advance to check availability.

A dedicated quiet space is available for delegates in the Martin Harris Room in the Queens’ Building, next to the Octagon. When it is not being used for lunch, the adjacent Colette Bowe Room will also be available as a quiet space.

For all plenary sessions, a relaxed viewing space will be available in the Film and Drama Studio in the Arts Two Building, where each plenary will be livestreamed. This space will also serve as overflow seating for plenary sessions.

All delegates are welcome to use the campus Wi-Fi free of charge via the “QM-Visitor” network. You can find simple instructions for getting connected in the QM-Visitor access guide. Eduroam is also available throughout the campus.

If you need to print during your visit, or would like information about other library services, please see the QMUL Library website.

On-Campus Accommodation

For any booking-related queries, please contact QM Stay at stay@qmul.ac.uk

Other Accommodation Options

There are many accommodation options in the local area, especially in Whitechapel, Stratford, Bethnal Green and Shoreditch. Queen Mary Housing Services offers a list of local accommodations to get you started.

TaPRA 2026 will take place at Queen Mary’s Mile End Campus. The campus is well served by public transport, including the Underground and local bus services. The nearest Underground stations are Mile End and Stepney Green.

Please note that there is no on-campus car parking for delegates, although bicycle parking is available.

Further information about travelling to and from the campus, along with campus maps, is available on the Queen Mary website.