In this thesis the undiscussed role of the Dutch Red Cross amublance in the Second Italo-Abyssinian war is disuccused. Furthermore it analyses the Dutch perspective on this war and explains why it...Show moreIn this thesis the undiscussed role of the Dutch Red Cross amublance in the Second Italo-Abyssinian war is disuccused. Furthermore it analyses the Dutch perspective on this war and explains why it should be seen as one of the precursors of World War II.Show less
Scattered across the whole of southern Africa, impressive North Korean monuments celebrate the rise of young, independent African nations. In an extraordinary fashion, these constructions merge...Show moreScattered across the whole of southern Africa, impressive North Korean monuments celebrate the rise of young, independent African nations. In an extraordinary fashion, these constructions merge typical North Korean socialist realism with African nationalism. The research question of this thesis is why the regimes of Namibia and Zimbabwe use the services of the North Korean firm Mansudae Overseas Projects to construct their National Heroes’ Acres. This phenomenon can be explained through the historical connections that existed between the southern African liberation movements and the DPRK, that have been fostered since the 1960s. The DPRK funded southern African liberation movements during their struggle for independence and thereby strengthened their ideas on post-colonial history writing. It will be argued that the Heroes’ Acres can be understood as potent symbols of nationalist history, used to legitimize the rule of the former liberation movements and inspired by the example that the DPRK has set for their African allies.Show less
Julius Malema is one of the most controversial figures in comtemporary South African politics. He is regularly described as a populist promoting an incoherent political programme for personal gain....Show moreJulius Malema is one of the most controversial figures in comtemporary South African politics. He is regularly described as a populist promoting an incoherent political programme for personal gain. This thesis investigates Malema's use of the work of Frantz Fanon in the ideology of the Economic Freedom Figthers(EFF). It studies the writings of Fanon on colonialism and post-colonial politics as well as the revolutionary ideology brought forward by Julius Malema and the Economic Freedom Fighters(EFF)in their political manifestos as well as Malema's speeches. This ideology has appropriated the works of Fanon to bring togehter the different ideological positions within the EFF. Fanon serves to bring together socialist as well as pan-Africanist and Black Conciousness crtitiques of the ANC's government of South AFrica since 1994. While these ideologies are historically at odds with one another, the appropriation of Fanon serves to bring a degree of coherence to a revolutionary ideology drawing on different ideologies and grassroots critiques of the ANC. While this makes the EFF's ideology seem incoherent or shallow it does allow the EFF to appeal to different sections of South Africa's population and to unify different political movements into one political party.Show less
This thesis argues that the Angolan Bush War should be studied as a global conflict. The war involved a variety of state actors, from South Africa and Angola to Cuba and the Soviet Union, and a...Show moreThis thesis argues that the Angolan Bush War should be studied as a global conflict. The war involved a variety of state actors, from South Africa and Angola to Cuba and the Soviet Union, and a global perspective is required to understand the conflict as a whole. While much of the existing literature on the subject is focused on the political aspects of the war, the analysis of accounts from Soviet soldiers serving in Angola demonstrates that these political dimensions often played a minimal role in the lives of the troops on the ground. However, the accounts examined give detailed commentary on the interactions between the Soviet advisers and their foreign counterparts, including both their battlefield allies and adversaries, and thus offer unique insight into this complex episode of history.Show less
This study investigates the effect of population density on the development of land rights in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe from 1923 to 2013. By comparing three former British colonies with...Show moreThis study investigates the effect of population density on the development of land rights in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe from 1923 to 2013. By comparing three former British colonies with remarkably different population densities, this thesis explores the hypothesis that a denser population leads to stronger individual property rights over land. Through an in-depth analysis of the history of land rights, the relationship between people and land before, during and after colonialism is uncovered, ultimately challenging a Eurocentric model of (economic) development and contributing to the debate on land reform and economic inequality and in Southern Africa.Show less
How did British, Dutch, and American news media report during the Second Anglo-Boer War? Focussing on two much debated topics, the use of forbidden expansive bullets and the Boer concentration...Show moreHow did British, Dutch, and American news media report during the Second Anglo-Boer War? Focussing on two much debated topics, the use of forbidden expansive bullets and the Boer concentration camps, the author makes an analysis based on more than a hundred articles of how British, Dutch, and American journalists reported about these topics. This brings to light significant differences between newspapers of all the three countries in selecting information, attitude towards sources, and phrasing. The goal of this thesis is to underline the importance of objectivity in journalism, media ownership, and the role of the public in wartime journalism.Show less
Was the TAZARA railway a successful instrument in the development of an economic nation state in Zambia? The effects of state, nation and market building on Kasama during 1976 - 1986