Iron Curtains or Artistic Gates? Communism and Cultural Diplomacy in the Global South (1945–1991 and Beyond)

How did cultural interaction since 1945 unfold outside the realm of Western dominance, shaping omitted global narratives? While Cold War studies have long acknowledged the role of culture and the arts as instrument of „soft power,“ scholars have traditionally framed this role within a binary East-West narrative. More recent studies have highlighted the necessity of a complex, interconnected, and global view of this conflict, with a particular focus on the decolonization process. This workshop will explore cultural interactions between state socialist countries in Europe and those in the Global South, with the aim of challenging and deconstructing traditional Cold War narratives.