Tag: African History
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The Biafran Crisis: How Famine Redefined Humanitarianism
The Nigerian Civil War, 1967-1970, arose from tensions between different and diverse ethnic groups following a forced union by British colonial powers. These struggles continued post Nigerian independence, and Louisa Steijger explores international responses to the Civil War which prompted a form of neo-humanitarianism.
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The Role of Lourenço da Silva Mendonça in Challenging the Atlantic Slave Trade
When studying the key abolitionists of the Atlantic slave trade, we often think of European figures like William Wilberforce, Thomas Clarkson and Granville Sharp. However this negates the efforts of African individuals, such as Lourenço da Silva Mendonça, who made extraordinary efforts to combat the Atlantic slave trade. Louisa Steijger analyses Mendonça’s legacy in an…
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Cycles of Displacement in the Rwandan Refugee Crises
The persisting conflict in Rwanda amounting to the genocide of 1994 caused one of the largest refugee crises in modern history. Louisa Steijger recounts the history leading up to the refugee crisis and analyses the wavering efficacy of aid agencies during large-scale humanitarian conflicts.
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The Assassination of Patrice Lumumba and the Legacy of Neocolonialism in the Congo
With the recent anniversary of the assassination of Patrice Lumumba, the first democratically elected prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Edie Christian explores the enduring legacies of Cold War power struggles and neo-colonialism.
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Advancing African Liberation: The Role of Cold War Alliances in Portuguese Colonial Resistance movements
Jake Beecroft explores the complex impact Cold War alliances and ideology had on African Liberation movements. Specifically Beecroft highlights the strategic choices of Cold War superpowers in their alliances with countries in the process of decolonisation.
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V. S. Naipul’s A Bend in the River: The Necessity of the Attempt
History can be used as tool for modernization and for tradition. Kate Phillips analyzes V.S. Naipul’s A Bend in the River to illustrate this dichotomy in a newly independent African country following decolonization.
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A History of Spanish Colonial Control in Equatorial Guinea, 1778 – 1968
The Spanish control of Equatorial Guinea is a contentious episode in the history of European colonialism. Isabelle Shaw offers a concise history of the Spanish involvement.
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Lethal Mobility on the Cheap: The Past and Present of the Plucky Technical
The technical is known for its affordability and mobility, making it vital for certain unconventional types of conflicts. Aleksandrs Skulte describes the history of this peculiar but ingenious military vehicle.
Retrospect Journal 