European University Institute

Graduate Student, History and Civilization

Other Affiliations: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, History

Thesis Title: The Psychological Scramble for Africa: Ghanain, American, British and French Public Diplomacy Towards the New Africa

About

Because the Cold War became a battle for hearts and minds during the 1950s and 1960s this research project examines governmental propaganda institutions in an effort to understand the interconnections between the Ghanaian, American, French and British information services.

THE TRANSATLANTIC SCENE:
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AS TRANSNATIONAL DIPLOMACY
It aims to understand the role that propaganda played in alliance management. It further explores the changing diplomatic culture and its possible ‘Americanization’ through the study of perceptions that guided propaganda manufacturing. By comparing the approaches of different public diplomacy organizations towards Africa, the nature of the Atlantic connection and the strategies they exchanged will emerge. 

THE COLONIAL SCENE:
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AS A GLOBAL EVENT IN AFRICA
To understand global character of the public diplomacy, public diplomacy towards the colonies in Africa is researched. A special emphasis is placed on understanding how the U.S. and Europeans juggled de-colonization, with anticommunism and orientalism/racism. This opens up research about a new area of the Cold War.

Furthermore the activities of Ghana's Bureau of African Affairs is researched to understand the most important player on the continent.

POWER PRODUCTION:
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AS STRATEGY
It also offers a critique on soft power and develops a new approach to the writing of public diplomacy history by looking at the way that transnational ties influenced the policy of propaganda officials.

KEY WORDS:
American Public Diplomacy in Africa, Ghana, USIA, USIS, French Public Diplomacy in Africa, British Public Diplomacy in Africa, Cold War and Colonization, end of empires, 1950s, 1960s

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