Research Symposium

BIO

Hannah Glaydura is a second-year student from Tampa pursuing a dual degree in Editing, Writing, & Media and Economics. She worked with Dr. Michael Neal on FSU's Postcard Archive alongside other UROP students on a research team. She is involved with Phi Eta Sigma and the Asian American Student Union on campus. This summer she will be interning at FSU's study center in Valencia with the Editing, Writing, & Media program. After undergraduate school, Hannah hopes to start a career in the publishing industry.

Framing Indochina through Visual Rhetoric: A Colonial Gaze of Vietnam in the French Empire

Abstract

From the late eighteenth century to the early twentieth century, France established colonial rule in Vietnam, beginning with its conquest of the southern region. The establishment of French Indochina followed a broader pattern of Western imperial expansion, as nations justified their conquests through claims of economic, political, and social benefit. This study examined vintage French colonial-era postcards and the ways they showcased imperial control while reflecting Western ideals and expectations of “civilization.”

This project explored the history of Vietnam and the tense relationship between occupied nations and their colonizers. Working with FSU’s Postcard Archive also influenced the direction of this research. Scanning postcards depicting a variety of themes and subjects revealed the importance of metadata, which archivists and researchers rely on to organize, understand, and interpret historical material.

This curated postcard exhibition demonstrates how representations of French architecture, language, and exoticism reinforced stereotypes and rationalized expansion into Indigenous lands. The legacy of French colonization remains visible in modern-day Vietnam, where prominent monuments, buildings, and statues serve as lasting reminders of France’s colonial era. Further study could strengthen this argument, particularly through comparative analysis of other Asian or African regions that underwent Western imperial rule. Overall, this investigation suggested the profound impact of France on Vietnamese society, effectively transforming the country’s cultural landscape.

Keywords: postcard, colonization, visual rhetoric