This collection of essays discusses the significance of colonial and foreign participation at the Great Exhibition in 1851, including the exhibits, publications, officials, and visitors, before, during, and after the event in London's Crystal Palace. These essays consider the ways that the Exhibition connected London, England and many parts of the world, suggesting strong imperial, international and global connections and meanings. In doing so, the contributors consider the importance of the event for England and the participating colonies and nations, as well as the ways by which that participation affected their relationship to Britain and how the British saw their place in the world. Unlike other publications, this one emphasizes both nationalism and internationalism, domestic and foreign issues.

Part 1 England, Exhibitions and Empire; Chapter 1 Mission Impossible: Globalization and the Great Exhibition, Paul Young; Chapter 2 The World within the City: The Great Exhibition, Race, Class and Social Reform, Kylie Message, Ewan Johnston; Chapter 3 *A Visiting Fellowship at Yale Center for British Art enabled Louise Purbrick to carry out research on Ireland at the Great Exhibition of 1851, and she would like to thank the Center for its generous support and the staff for their help., Louise Purbrick; Chapter 4 'A Valuable and Tolerably Extensive Collection of Native and Other Products': New Zealand at the Crystal Palace, Ewan Johnston; Chapter 5 'Nothing Very New or Very Showy to Exhibit'?: Australia at the Great Exhibition and After, Peter H Hoffenberg; Part 2 Europe, the Orient, and the Spaces in Between; Chapter 6 *Research for this essay was made possible by a Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship from the United States Department of Education, and grants from the Indiana University Russian and East European Studies Institute and Department of History., David C Fisher; Chapter 7 The Great Exhibition and the German States, John R Davis; Chapter 8 Modern to Ancient: Greece at the Great Exhibition and the Crystal Palace, Debbie Challis; Chapter 9 Degrees of Otherness: The Ottoman Empire and China at the Great Exhibition of 1851, Francesca Vanke;