The Soft Power of Anglia: British Cold War Cultural Diplomacy in the USSR

Davies, S.R.

Abstract

This article contributes to the growing literature on the cultural Cold War through an exploration of the British national projection magazine Anglia, produced by the Foreign Office for distribution in the USSR from 1962 to 1992. As well as drawing attention to the significance of national magazines in general, the article sheds light on Britain's distinctive approach to propaganda and cultural diplomacy during the Cold War. It considers why the magazine was set up and endured for so long, despite considerable reservations about its value. It examines how Britain was projected in a manner that accorded with British understandings about the need for ‘subtle’ propaganda. Finally, it addresses the question of the magazine's impact in the USSR.

Citation

Davies, S. (2013). The Soft Power of Anglia: British Cold War Cultural Diplomacy in the USSR. Contemporary British History, 27(3), 297-323. https://doi.org/10.1080/13619462.2013.794695

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Jun 24, 2013
• Publication Date: Sep 1, 2013
• Deposit Date: Sep 24, 2012
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 22, 2016
• Journal: Contemporary British History
• Print ISSN: 1361-9462
• Electronic ISSN: 1743-7997
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 27
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 297-323
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13619462.2013.794695
• Keywords: Britain, Soviet Union, Cold War, Propaganda, Cultural Diplomacy, Soft Power.
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1472857