Performing the Cold War in the Postcolonial World: Theatre, Film, Literature and Things

The book explores how the Cultural Cold War played out in Africa and Asia in the context of decolonization, focusing on the different forms of influence by the United States, the Soviet Union, and East European states. It looks at Western-style theatre's institutionalization, Soviet Union's cultural diplomacy, artists and agency, and everyday objects infused with affect, nostalgia, and ideology.

Format: Hardback
Length: 254 pages
Publication date: 20 July 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

In the context of decolonization, this volume delves into the intricate dynamics of the Cultural Cold War that unfolded across Africa and Asia. Both the United States and the Soviet Union, along with their Eastern European counterparts, exerted substantial efforts to shape the cultural landscape of the newly independent, postcolonial world. This book explores the diverse manifestations of influence that permeated these regions. The contributions are organized into four thematic sections. Networks and Institutions examines the ways in which Western-style theatre was institutionalized in the decolonial world, particularly in Africa. Cultural Diplomacy delves into the Soviet Union's activities in India during the late 1950s and 1960s, exploring its engagement in book publishing and the circus, two very different arenas. Artists and Agency explores the utilization of West African filmmakers, such as Ousmane Sembène and Abderrahmane Sissako, and European authors, such as Brecht and Ibsen, for various Cold War strategies. Lastly, Cultures of Things investigates how everyday objects, such as books and iconic theatre buildings, became imbued with emotional significance, nostalgia, and ideological undertones.

This book holds immense appeal for students of the Cold War, postcolonial studies, theatre, film, and literature. Chapters 1, 4, 8, and 11 of this book are freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons [Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND)] 4.0 license. This project was funded by the European Research Council Project Developing Theatre.

Weight: 650g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032051581