The Stimson Center and United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (UNA-NCA) are hosting a discussion with Alanna O’Malley, author of the forthcoming book, The Diplomacy of Decolonisation, America, Britain and the United Nations during the Congo crisis, 1960-64.
The book reinterprets the role of the UN during the Congo crisis from 1960 to 1964, presenting a multidimensional view of the organisation. Through an examination of the Anglo-American relationship, the book reveals how the UN helped position this event as a lightning rod in debates about how decolonisation interacted with the Cold War. By examining the ways in which the various dimensions of the UN came into play in Anglo-American considerations of how to handle the Congo crisis, the book reveals how the Congo debate reverberated in wider ideological struggles about how decolonisation evolved and what the role of the UN would be in managing this process. The UN became a central battle ground for ideas and visions of world order; as the newly-independent African and Asian states sought to redress the inequalities created by colonialism, the US and UK sought to maintain the status quo, while the Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld tried to reconcile these two contrasting views.
About the author:
Dr. Alanna O’Malley has a PhD in History from the European University Institute in Florence and is Assistant Professor of History and International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands. She is currently a Fulbright Scholar and Visiting Researcher at the History Department of George Washington University and has previously been a Kathleen Fitzpatrick Visiting Fellow at the Laureate Research Program in International History at the University of Sydney.
WHAT: An on the record discussion with Allana O’Malley on the role of the UN during the Congo Crisis from 1960 to 1964. Lunch will be served.
WHERE: Stimson Center, 1211 Connecticut Avenue NW, 8th Floor, Washington, DC 20036
WHEN: Tuesday, October 17, 2017, 12:15 PM – 1:45 PM (Lunch will be served at 12:15 and the program will begin promptly at 12:30)
LIVESTREAM: A link to the livestream will appear on this page prior to the start of the event.
RSVP: Click here to RSVP for the event.
FOLLOW: @StimsonCenter, @UNANCA, @AM_OMalley, @RichardPonzio on Twitter for event news and use #StimsonToday to join the conversation.
Featuring:
Alanna O’Malley, Assistant Professor of History and International Relations, Leiden University
William Durch, Distinguished Fellow, Just Security 2020, Stimson Center (Discussant)
Richard Ponzio, Director, Just Security 2020, Stimson Center and Co-Chair, Peace and Security Committee, United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (Moderator)