Edge of Empire: transnationalism and identity in Wellington, New Zealand, ca . 1860- ca . 1920

Aspects of transnationalism and identity in the period from the 1860s to the mid 1920s, which set in motion a form of globalization related to empire, are focused upon. The notion of 'regimes of representation' is adapted as a broad conceptual framework for exploring the role of colonial directories in establishing the identity of metropolitan commercial culture in Wellington, New Zealand. This outpost of empire is examined through a detailed analysis of the images presented in a series of directories by Kelly's and Wise. These reveal how British commerce established a strong and lasting identity in the colony through a variety of 'acts of representation'. It is concluded that colonial directories are a worthwhile but neglected source for exploring the geographies of empire.