Cultural relations between Britain and Yugoslavia 1945-1961

Thesis

This thesis examines British-Yugoslav cultural diplomacy during the early Cold War period. It is the first comprehensive study of cultural relations between these two countries in the period 1945 to 1961. It focuses on the cultural history of the Cold War, aiming to explore the interaction between politics and culture. Based on original archival materials, this thesis looks at how Britain and Yugoslavia used culture to gain recognition and influence, especially from the Yugoslav perspective. It documents the trials and errors of both sides in pursuing their respective diplomatic goals. This thesis sheds new light on Cold War cultural relations beyond superpower antagonism, and probes how and why exporting national culture mattered so much to both countries in this period.

Through cultural events organised by these two countries, we can see the increasing significance attached to culture and soft power in the Cold War, especially between countries that were ideologically different. For Yugoslavia, international recognition was very important in its effort to develop and maintain a neutral position between the East and the West after its split with the Soviet Union in 1948. It explored how to use cultural diplomacy to construct a positive image for the country. Its cultural diplomacy was influenced and shaped by both domestic and international politics. For Britain, wielding its cultural influence in a socialist country like Yugoslavia helped further its diplomatic goal of approaching Yugoslavia as a wedge in the socialist bloc.

The thesis offers a new perspective on bilateral cultural relations between these two relatively small countries, which aims to enrich the revisionist scholarship of Cold War history on the binary system of superpower antagonism. Contextualised in the Cold War cultural history, this thesis proves that the Iron Curtain was not impermeable and opened up opportunities to build new relations across the Cold War divide.

Authors: Mao, M

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-bpdejakdb
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: cultural relations; Britain; Cold War culture; Yugoslavia; cultural diplomacy
• Subjects: Cold War History; Cultural History; Cultural diplomacy