Race and Diplomacy in Zimbabwe: The Cold War and Decolonization,1960-1984

The Rhodesian crisis and the early-1980s crisis of independent Zimbabwe were influenced by Cold War historical transformations, including African decolonization, the failure of American power in Vietnam, and the rise of Third World political power. Timothy Scarnecchia's book examines the rivalry between Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe and how foreign relations bureaucracies in the US, UK, and South Africa created a Cold War race state notion of Zimbabwe that rationalized Mugabe's state crimes in return for Cold War loyalty to Western powers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 09 March 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The Rhodesian crisis of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as the early-1980s crisis of independent Zimbabwe, can be comprehended within the context of the historical transformations wrought by the Cold War. These transformations were influenced by various factors, including African decolonization in the 1960s, the failure of American power in Vietnam, and the rise of Third World political power. In this examination of the diplomacy of decolonization in Zimbabwe, Timothy Scarnecchia delves into the rivalry between Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe. He explores how both leaders capitalized on Cold War racialized thinking about what Zimbabwe should be. Scarnecchia's research is based on a wealth of archival source materials, which he uses to uncover how foreign relations bureaucracies in the US, UK, and South Africa created a Cold War race state notion of Zimbabwe. This notion allowed them to rationalize Mugabe's state crimes in exchange for Cold War loyalty to Western powers.

The Rhodesian crisis of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as the early-1980s crisis of independent Zimbabwe, can be comprehended within the context of the historical transformations wrought by the Cold War. These transformations were influenced by various factors, including African decolonization in the 1960s, the failure of American power in Vietnam, and the rise of Third World political power. In this examination of the diplomacy of decolonization in Zimbabwe, Timothy Scarnecchia delves into the rivalry between Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe. He explores how both leaders capitalized on Cold War racialized thinking about what Zimbabwe should be. Scarnecchia's research is based on a wealth of archival source materials, which he uses to uncover how foreign relations bureaucracies in the US, UK, and South Africa created a Cold War race state notion of Zimbabwe. This notion allowed them to rationalize Mugabe's state crimes in exchange for Cold War loyalty to Western powers.

The Rhodesian crisis of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as the early-1980s crisis of independent Zimbabwe, can be comprehended within the context of the historical transformations wrought by the Cold War. These transformations were influenced by various factors, including African decolonization in the 1960s, the failure of American power in Vietnam, and the rise of Third World political power. In this examination of the diplomacy of decolonization in Zimbabwe, Timothy Scarnecchia delves into the rivalry between Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe. He explores how both leaders capitalized on Cold War racialized thinking about what Zimbabwe should be. Scarnecchia's research is based on a wealth of archival source materials, which he uses to uncover how foreign relations bureaucracies in the US, UK, and South Africa created a Cold War race state notion of Zimbabwe. This notion allowed them to rationalize Mugabe's state crimes in exchange for Cold War loyalty to Western powers.

The Rhodesian crisis of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as the early-1980s crisis of independent Zimbabwe, can be comprehended within the context of the historical transformations wrought by the Cold War. These transformations were influenced by various factors, including African decolonization in the 1960s, the failure of American power in Vietnam, and the rise of Third World political power. In this examination of the diplomacy of decolonization in Zimbabwe, Timothy Scarnecchia delves into the rivalry between Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe. He explores how both leaders capitalized on Cold War racialized thinking about what Zimbabwe should be. Scarnecchia's research is based on a wealth of archival source materials, which he uses to uncover how foreign relations bureaucracies in the US, UK, and South Africa created a Cold War race state notion of Zimbabwe. This notion allowed them to rationalize Mugabe's state crimes in exchange for Cold War loyalty to Western powers.

ISBN-13: 9781009281706
Edition number: Revised ed