New Books Network
Waiyee Loh, "Empire of Culture: Neo-Victorian Narratives in the Global Creative Economy" (SUNY Press, 2024)
Mar 3, 2025
Waiyee Loh, an Associate Professor at Kanagawa University, explores how Victorian narratives continue to shape modern culture in her book, 'Empire of Culture.' She delves into the global impact of British imperialism on literature, fashion, and media, discussing overlaps between Japanese and British creative industries. Loh highlights the rise of neo-Victorian themes in contemporary narratives, such as Lolita fashion in Singapore and the film 'The Handmaiden.' The conversation also ventures into future research on colonial port cities, illustrating the ongoing legacy of cultural hybridity.
33:11
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Quick takeaways
- The podcast discusses how Britain's colonial past shapes global perceptions of its culture, presenting it as a universal standard in contemporary marketing.
- It highlights the impact of the Thatcher government's heritage privatization, reflecting a shift in the ownership and commercialization of cultural properties over time.
Deep dives
The Impact of Imperial History on Modern Culture
The book investigates how Britain's colonial history continues to influence contemporary global culture and perceptions of British heritage. It suggests that the enduring belief in British culture as a universal standard affects how it is marketed globally, with the British heritage industry benefiting from this assumption. This idea promotes a view of British culture that often overlooks the complexities of cultural exchange and competition among various nations. The research underscores the necessity of understanding these cultural interconnections, which resist simplistic narratives of colonizer versus colonized.
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