Independent Historian

Kyle Haddad-Fonda holds a DPhil in Oriental Studies from the University of Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. His dissertation analyzed the evolution of relations between China and the countries of the Middle East, especially Egypt and Algeria, in the mid-twentieth century. His current research focuses on more recent developments in Sino-Arab relations, and his articles on this topic have appeared in such publications as Foreign PolicyChinaFile, and the Middle East Report.

The Asian-African (Bandung) Conference: Fact and Fiction

In the article below independent historian Kyle Haddad-Fonda describes the Asian-African Conference popularly known as the Bandung Conference which was the first significant gathering of independent and soon-to-be independent nations in Asia and Africa. From April 18 to April 24, 1955, delegates from twenty-nine countries … Read MoreThe Asian-African (Bandung) Conference: Fact and Fiction

Afro-Asian Writers’ Conferences (1958-1979)

W.E.B. DuBois Greeting Unidentified Delegate, Afro-Asian Writers’ Conference, Tashkent, Soviet Union, 1958 Image Ownership: Public domain The Afro–Asian Writers’ Conferences were a series of gatherings of literary figures from Asia and Africa that took place over two decades to denounce imperialism and to establish cultural … Read MoreAfro-Asian Writers’ Conferences (1958-1979)

Zhou Enlai’s African “Safari” (1963-1964)

Zhou Enlai’s first tour of Africa, popularly known as Zhou’s “Safari,” was a series of state visits to ten independent African countries, undertaken between December 1963 and February 1964 by the Chinese Premier. These visits, which occurred during a period when many countries were gaining … Read MoreZhou Enlai’s African “Safari” (1963-1964)