This seminar will present the findings of the joint commission created by France and Cameroon in 2023 which provides a new analysis of the war waged by France against the Cameroonian nationalist movement from 1945 to 1971. Drawing on new and classified materials, the commission’s work sheds light on the history of the political movement for independence in the aftermath of the Second World War, as well as the role of France's counter-insurgency war in Cameroon in the global political arena and within UN institutions. It also examines the transition and influence of the war on Cameroonian politics and society at the time of independence. As members of the Commission, the speakers will also reflect on their experience of writing commissioned history and dealing with the political expectations of multiple stakeholders in a context in which states seek to develop memorial or reparations policies.
Presenters: Vincent Hiribarren and Willibroad Dze Ngwa
Discussant: David Zeitlyn
Venue: Dahrendorf Room, St Peter’s College, New Inn Hall Street
This event is organized in partnership with DPIR, the African Studies Centre and the Faculty of History
