This article examines the concept of colonial anxiety, drawing attention to the inherent problem with the topic that is the lack of definition. It is argued that an interdisciplinary debate is necessary in order to more accurately define the nature of how it may be applied and understood. This study has used personal histories, viewed through the prism of dream content and Lacanian schematics, in order to argue for a more structured approach to colonial anxiety and the rehabilitation of personal histories into postcolonial discussions. This is in line with the recent growth in interest in such histories, and points to the usefulness of such research. This study uses through epistolary examination to identify signifiers of anxiety in the dreams of two colonial servants: Warren Hastings, Governor-General of India (1772-85) and Alexander Hall, factor at Sumatra (1751-64). These have further been contextualised with the concept of desire to add greater depth to the discussion of colonial anxiety.

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This article examines the concept of colonial anxiety through the prism of printed postcards sent from the colonial Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, during the early twentieth century. The argument is that picture postcards featuring colonial images or scenes act as multimodal forms of communication, allowing the sender to promulgate colonial-imperial assumptions while sending an often-banal tourist message to friends and family back home. The study approaches the topic by examining the postcolonial exchange in terms of a symbolic structure through which the coloniser and the colonial society produce symbolic knowledge, through items such as picture postcards, to portray their authority and knowledge of the colonised other. This is contextualised with the Lacanian understanding of structural anxiety to demonstrate the slippage which occurs when symbolic knowledge breaks down. Finally, this article calls for a more inclusive debate on colonial anxiety, drawing attention to the relative lack of definition of the term and the tendency for certain former colonies, such as Indonesia, to be excluded from discussion in favour of the oft-used South Asian example. Read more

This article explores the cultural, technological, and commemorative significance of warships as depicted on picture postcards during the early and mid-twentieth centuries. Against the backdrop of rapid naval innovation and geopolitical tension, warships emerged as both tools of military dominance and symbols of national identity. The study situates these vessels within the broader context of the history of technology, examining how they embodied societal values and industrial progress. It highlights the role of naval arms races in driving technological advancements, such as the transition from pre-dreadnought to dreadnought battleships and the advent of specialised vessels like aircraft carriers and destroyers. The article also investigates the public engagement fostered by the circulation of warship postcards. These mass-produced visual artefacts served as accessible records of technological achievement and propaganda tools, cultivating national pride and bridging the gap between industrial modernity and everyday life. The study further contextualises this phenomenon within the framework of international arms limitation efforts, such as the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, which imposed restrictions on warship construction. By juxtaposing the technological and cultural narratives of warships, this article argues that picture postcards played a vital role in shaping public perceptions of modernity, power, and memory, and play an important role in educating later generations.. Ultimately, it underscores the value of maritime history as a lens for understanding the complex interplay of technology, geopolitics, and public consciousness in the modern era. Read more