Topic and Abstract:

The Discourse of the Asian African Conference of 1955:  The Economic Implications for Africa-Asia Relations

The Bandung (Asian-African) Conference of 1955 was multidimensional in its objectives and ambitions but the discourse regarding the conference tends, on the whole, to be uni-dimensional in the way it focuses on the conference’s political imperatives. As a result the narrative about the event repetitively revolves around the themes of anti-colonialism, decolonization, and racism.  Post-war historians tend to analyse the conference in the context of the Cold War, which emphasises the super-power hegemonic rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union and invariably brings into perspective the issues concerning imperialism and anti-colonialism.

My current interest in the Bandung Conference concerns the economic content of the event, the economic imperative, and attempts to evoke the aspirations of the countries at the conference for economic development and industrial growth. The argument I wish to make is that economic development and industrialization were conceivably the most pressing concerns of the organisers of the event and indeed most of the participants at the conference. With particular reference to Japan I will attempt to demonstrate how central the economic imperative was to the ambitions of the conference.  This begs the question, why and how did the geo-political factors overwhelm the essence of the conference? The discussion will also explore Africa’s role in the  conference and how that reflects on the evolving relations between the African and Asian countries.

Venue-Kofi Drah Conference Centre, Department of Political Science.

Date-March 21, 2018

Time-15:00hrs