Building Influence Through Architecture: The British Council's Film Van in Post-War Turkey

Abstract

This article examines a film van constructed by the British Council in the late 1940s, used to screen short documentary films across Anatolia to reach a broader audience. This and other cultural activities organised by the Council, including English language teaching, exhibitions, film screenings, and lectures, were part of Britain's wider soft power strategy, aimed at fostering good will abroad during and after World War Two. The film van resonates with broader strategies of cultural influence adopted by the British Council beyond Turkey. Through these activities, Britain sought to cultivate a positive image amidst the tense geopolitical climate of the war. Architecture emerged post-war as a medium for cultural exchange between the two nations, serving as a symbol of cultural identity and a tool of soft power. This article shows that exploring architecture's role in conveying soft power concerns intangible, ephemeral, and mobile dimensions as much as the built environment.