070327 SE Seminar - Soft Power on Display (2024S)

International exhibitions and world fairs provide countries an opportunity to showcase various aspects of themselves, including their culture, ethnic diversity (or national unity), and their economic, technic and social progress. The representation of the national " self" in the context of these exhibitions poses a major challenge. During the time of the Empires, were minorities and/or other nations represented in "national" pavilions or spaces? How were the newly independent East European states in the inter-war period? What impact do these representations have on the historical process?
The study of the participation of different states in these exhibitions and the organisation of their exhibition space allows for an exploration of several historical concepts: nation and ethnic group, national and popular culture, centre and periphery, event, representation and practice, gender.
We will particularly focus on identifying and critically analysing a diverse array of sources.