'Interwar Pro-Empire Propaganda and European Colonial Culture: Toward a Comparative Research Agenda'

Abstract

Histories of colonial culture in Europe have been narrowly focused, whereas comparative and transnational studies can provide more fruitful results. By resisting the traditional approach to imperialistic culture, which focuses on individual nation-states and their empires, one can examine common themes and practices across Western Europe, for instance during the interwar period. During that time, states, pro-empire interest groups, and others repeatedly portrayed empires as singular, unified entities as well as realms of untold fortunes, even when in most instances they were neither. Reinforcing these themes were a number of near-universal practices, including the holding of so-called `colonial days' and the creation of ethnographic exhibits of colonial subjects, often at international expositions. An examination of pro-empire propaganda between the wars demonstrates that European states with overseas colonies in the twentieth century did not develop distinct colonial cultures; rather, they shared a number of common premises and performances. This suggests the coming into being of a broader European colonial culture and the need for comparative and transnational studies in this field. The states included in this analysis are Britain, France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Portugal, and the Netherlands.