Introduction : empire as world and idea : colonialism and society in Germany
Estrangement : structures and limits of the colonial public sphere
World of work, world of goods : propaganda and the formation of its object
No place in the sun : the people's empire
Carnival knowledge : enlightenment and distraction in the field of culture
Ethnographic-fantastic : working-class readers at the colonial library
The Hottentot elections : colonial politics, socialist politics
Conclusion : magic lantern empire : reflections on colonialism and society.