The International Solidarity and the Struggle for Self-determination and Independence of Portuguese Colonies

International Conference

CEI-IUL, Centre for Historical and Political Studies on Africa and the Middle East of the Department of Political and Social Sciences, University of Bologna, Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra / West University of Timișoara, IHC-UNL

 

Lisbon, 30 June – 1 July 2016

 

The struggle for self-determination and independence of Portuguese colonies benefited from an international solidarity promoted by different entities, namely governments, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations, such as churches, trade unions or political, student and women’s organizations. The solidarity was instigated by different ideological commitments across the national boundaries and aimed different goals.

Due to the wide range of activities conducted, the Communists, the Socialists, the Nordic and some African countries engaged in a wide range of activities in supporting the mobilization against Portuguese colonialism. In addition – despite of the official support of most of the Western governments to the Portuguese colonial policy -, a multitude of transnational, national and local solidarity movements were established in the United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, France, Federal Republic of Germany or Italy to provide moral, political and material assistance to the fight for independence.

In opposition to the efforts lately carried out to study other examples of international solidarity, namely regarding the anti-apartheid movement, in what concerned the Portuguese colonies the subject has not yet been the center of attention. In the absence of comprehensive analysis, it is not possible to find yet a detailed account of the role of the international solidarity in the support to the struggle for self-determination and independence of Portuguese colonies. The main feature of the existing academic literature is the dispersion owing to the lack of a global account.

Having in mind this situation, we intend to explore the international dimension of the struggle for self-determination and independence of Portuguese colonies in a conference that will take place in Lisbon, at the Contemporary History Institute of the New University of Lisbon, between 30 June and 1 July 2016.

 

We welcome proposals for 20-minutes presentations regarding these and other topics:

– the role of individual personalities, governments, non-governmental organizations, international organizations and other non-state actors engaged in the support to the struggle for self-determination and independence;

– the networks established at national and international level by those involved in the solidarity;

– the moral, political and material assistance given to the national liberation movements;

– the initiatives to promote the isolation, boycott and weakening of Portuguese government;

– the arrangements to influence the public opinion regarding Portuguese colonialism;

– the Portuguese reaction to the international solidarity towards its colonies;

– the influence of the Cold War in shaping the international solidarity;

– the idea and visions about independent states that were shaped by the relationship between nationalist movements and solidarity networks.

 

The proposals should be submitted in the application form available in: https://sites.google.com/site/solidarityconference/home/call-for-papers

 

The deadline for application is 11 March 2016.

The notification of acceptance will be communicated on 1 April 2016.

 

 

The organization foresees the publication of the communications.

 

Organizers:

Ana Mónica Fonseca – Center for International Studies, ISCTE-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (CEI-IUL)
Aurora Almada e Santos – Contemporary History Institute of the New University of Lisbon (IHC-UNL)
Corrado Tornimbeni – Centre for Historical and Political Studies on Africa and the Middle East of the Department of Political and Social Sciences, University of Bologna
Iolanda Vasile – Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra / West University of Timișoara