Postwar France: Empire, Consumer Culture, and the Politics of Everyday Life
Saturday, October 10, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
In conjunction with the Poster House exhibition, “Cuteness, Conservatism, and Consumption: Lefor-Openo and Postwar France,” Fordham history professor Gregory Valdespino, PhD, will discuss the political landscape of France following World War II. As the country embraced colorful advertising, new consumer products, and modern design, it also grappled with the end of its colonial empire alongside unprecedented economic growth, raising profound questions about what it meant to be French. Through posters and other examples of popular culture, Professor Valdespino will examine how politics, economics and everyday life became deeply connected during this period, offering new perspectives on the world reflected in this exhibition.
