E-dossiers on international history publish documents and images from both government and non-government sources on international events during the 20th century, with a focus on relations between the developed North and the less developed countries of the global South. The project was initiated in the Crossing Borders research cluster at Bishop’s University and is possible with the support of the […]
Race and US policy on West Papua, 1960-62
E-dossier #8. West Papua came under Indonesian rule largely due to the policy of the Kennedy administration in the United States. Why did the US choose this policy? From the late 1940s to the early 1960s, the United States’ stance on the self-determination of Papua was not in line with the self-determination principles it had agreed to in the British-American […]
West Papuan independence diplomacy, 1960-62
E-dossier #7. In the early 1960s, a group of Indigenous Papuans tried to exercise their right to self-determination and were ultimately denied. This e-dossier will present the Papuan independence movement from 1960-1962 based on primary sources from Western governments. It will explain the strategies and claims of the Papuans, their international achievements and will introduce some of the diplomatic obstacles […]
An act of no choice: the “integration” of Timor-Leste, 1976
E-dossier #6. An act of no choice – Sporting Club, Dili, 31 May 1976 On 31 May 1976, the Sporting Club in Dili hosted a controversial ceremony in which a handful of Timorese legislators selected by the Indonesian-imposed “Provisional Government of East Timor” petitioned unanimously for annexation by Indonesia. On 31 July, Indonesian president Suharto accepted the petition and declared […]
Canadians Concerned about Ethnic Violence in Indonesia
E-dossier #5. Canadians Concerned with Ethnic Violence in Indonesia (CCEVI) was a Canadian human rights advocacy group based in North York, Ontario formed in 1998 in response to violence against Chinese-Indonesians. The group built a strong reputation through its key support for victims of ethnically motivated violence in Indonesia. CCEVI consulted regularly with the Canadian government to bring awareness to […]
Canadian solidarity with East Timor: a history in images
E-dossier #4. The former Portuguese colony of Timor-Leste (East Timor) declared independence in 1975. Days later, it was invaded by the army of neighbouring Indonesia, then annexed. A 24-year struggle for independence drew support from a diverse intentional solidarity movement. Timor-Leste regained its independence in 2002. This e-dossier presents visual images from the files of the East Timor Alert Network/Canada, […]
Deskaheh and the wampum belts
E-dossier #3. In the 1890s, more than eleven valuable Wampum belts belonging to the Six Nations (Haudenosaunee) of the Grand River were stolen from their territory. Around 1899, eleven were sold to a Chicago collector who brought them to his own collection. The Department of Indian Affairs of the Canadian Government then worked intermittently to secure their return to Canadian […]
Six Nations appeals to the League of Nations, 1922-31
E-dossier #2 – The Six Nations (Haudenosaunee or Iroquois) Confederacy appeal to the League of Nations for assistance against an invasion by Canada, 1922-31. From 1922 to 1931, the Six Nations Confederacy of the Grand River made an international case for its autonomy from the government of Canada. The speaker of the Six Nations, Deskaheh (Levi General) began by appealing Canadian […]
The Bandung Conference as global event
E-dossier #1: The African-Asian conference, Bandung, April 1955, as a global event The 1955 Bandung conference was one of the most important conferences held in the twentieth century. It’s also one of the least well known. Leaders of the major independent Asian and African countries gathered at this Indonesian city from April 18-22, 1955. There, they first set in motion […]
Call for contributions
History Beyond Borders publishes e-dossiers on international history composed of documents and images from both government and non-government sources on international events during the 20th century, with a focus on relations between the developed North and the less developed countries of the global South. Contributions are invited for e-dossiers on any topic in international history. Normally an e-dossier contains 15-20 […]