
CUREJ - College Undergraduate Research Electronic Journal
Unity in Identity, Disunity in Execution: Expressions of French National Identity at the 1937 Paris World’s Fair
Division: Humanities
Dept/Program: History
Document Type: Undergraduate Student Research
Mentor(s): Kristen Stromberg Childers
Date of this Version: 06 December 2006
This document has been peer reviewed.
Abstract
The 1937 Paris World’s Fair was a celebration of “peace” and “progress” at time when the continent was about to descend into total war. In this era of feuding ideologies and hyper-competitive nationalism, France’s attempt to project an idealized national identity fell scattered. A closer examination of three examples of French architecture—the Palais de Chaillot, the Regional Pavilions, and the Pavilion de Temps Nouveaux—illustrate that this idealized portrayal of unity was undermined by the execution of the buildings themselves. The result was a much more accurate picture of the country during the inter-war period.
Suggested Citation
Feldman, Peter, "Unity in Identity, Disunity in Execution: Expressions of French National Identity at the 1937 Paris World’s Fair" 06 December 2006. CUREJ: College Undergraduate Research Electronic Journal, University of Pennsylvania, https://repository.upenn.edu/curej/52.
Date Posted: 01 May 2007
This document has been peer reviewed.