The Geopolitical Consequences of Decolonization: Case Studies in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean (1945–1975)

Project Abstract

This study investigates the geopolitical repercussions of decolonization across Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean from 1945 to 1975, analyzing how newly independent states recalibrated power dynamics, formed regional coalitions, and navigated Cold War pressures, neo-imperial influences, and global normative shifts toward sovereignty and self-determination. Drawing on archival sources, diplomatic correspondence, state archives, and secondary scholarship, the research maps how independence movements transitioned into state-centered diplomacy, security strategies, and economic positioning within an emergent multipolar order. The analysis foregrounds three interlocking themes the redefinition of sovereignty and non-alignment as strategic principles, the contestation of borders and national identities in postcolonial states, and the materialization of geopolitical alignments through security pacts, economic dependencies, and aid diplomacy. In Africa, the study examines how post-independence leaders navigated neocolonial influence, managed ethnic and regional tensions within newly created states, and pursued continental integration through institutions that sought to balance great-power competition with regional solidarity. In Asia, it contends with rapid state-building processes, the consolidation of single-party regimes, and the strategic recalibration of relations with former colonial metropoles amid the Bandung and Non-Aligned Movements, while addressing the legacies of partition, territorial disputes, and infrastructural development as instruments of geopolitical leverage. In the Caribbean, it analyzes the persistence of external influence, the strategic use of regional security arrangements, and the role of economic diversification and migration in shaping regional power projections and identity formation within a post-colonial Atlantic space. The dissertation also interrogates the interplay between decolonization and international institutions, such as the United Nations and regional bodies, assessing how norms of decolonization, human rights, and self-determination influenced state behavior and dispute resolution. A mixed-methods approach combines qualitative case studies with quantitative indicators of foreign aid flows, defense expenditure, and trade realignment to triangulate the relationship between decolonization trajectories and geopolitical outcomes. The findings reveal that decolonization did not simply end imperial reach but reoriented it through new modalities of influence, including security guarantees, economic liberalization conditionalities, and cultural-diplomatic soft power. Moreover, the research shows that where post-colonial states successfully leveraged regional organizations and non-alignment strategies, they achieved greater autonomy in external voting power and agenda-setting, while states embedded in strategic rivalries experienced heightened vulnerability to external coercion and internal instability. The study contributes to debates on the longue durée of decolonization, sovereignty, and international order by offering a comparative framework that links domestic political transformations to global power configurations, thereby illuminating how the legacies of 1945–1975 continue to shape contemporary geopolitical currents.

Project Overview

What This Project Is About

---

A clear, beginner-friendly overview of how decolonization reshaped power relations in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean between 1945 and 1975, focusing on political changes, new state formation, and international interactions.

---

---

The Problem It Addresses

---

The project tackles gaps in understanding how decolonization affected regional stability, economic development, and global power dynamics. It examines why some newly independent states succeeded in shaping international policy, while others faced ongoing conflict and dependence.

---

---

Objectives of the Project

---

1. Identify key moments and actors in the decolonization process across the three regions.
2. Explain how independence influenced regional and global geopolitics.
3. Compare outcomes in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean to highlight common patterns and differences.
4. Assess the role of international organizations and former colonial powers after independence.
5. Provide a balanced, non-technical synthesis suitable for non-specialists.

---

---

What You Will Do Step by Step

---

1) Gather basic sources (books, articles, and archives) on decolonization timelines and key events.

2) Identify common themes (leadership, territory, economic change, and international pressure).

3) Build a simple comparative framework to analyze each region.

4) Summarize findings in clear, non-jargony language with basic definitions where needed.

---

---

---

---

Expected Outcome

A concise, student-friendly analysis showing how decolonization reshaped politics, economies, and international relations, with simple case comparisons and accessible takeaways for further study or policy discussions.