The first reference work to the political, cultural and economic contexts of postcolonial literatures stemming from the empires of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal and Spain as well as Latin America and the Philippines. Written by recognised scholars the entries cover major events, ideas, movements and figures in postcolonial histories. They cover European overseas exploration, settlement, colonisation and decolonisation and highlight the relevance of colonial histories to the cultural, social, political and literary formations of contemporary postcolonial societies and nations. Each entry provides a succinct account of an event or topic, as well as suggestions for further reading in literary works and histories. By outlining the historical contexts of postcolonial literatures, the Companion provides an important key to understanding complex contemporary debates about race, colonialism and neo-colonialism, politics, economics, culture and language.