Decolonizing 1968 - by Burleigh Hendrickson (Paperback)

About the Book

"Traces the historical relationships between colonialism and 1968 activism, examining both the transnational networks that emerged and the new human and immigrants' rights initiatives that followed in their wake, and reveals 1968 not merely as a flashpoint in the history of left-wing protest but as a turning point in the history of decolonization"--

Book Synopsis

Decolonizing 1968 explores how activists in 1968 transformed university campuses across Europe and North Africa into sites of contestation where students, administrators, and state officials collided over definitions of modernity and nationhood after empire. Burleigh Hendrickson details protesters' versions of events to counterbalance more visible narratives that emerged from state-controlled media centers and ultimately describes how the very education systems put in place to serve the French state during the colonial period ended up functioning as the crucible of postcolonial revolt. Hendrickson not only unearths complex connections among activists and their transnational networks across Tunis, Paris, and Dakar but also weaves together their overlapping stories and participation in France's May '68.

Using global protest to demonstrate the enduring links between France and its former colonies, Decolonizing 1968 traces the historical relationships between colonialism and 1968 activism, examining transnational networks that emerged and new human and immigrants' rights initiatives that directly followed. As a result, Hendrickson reveals that 1968 is not merely a flashpoint in the history of left-wing protest but a key turning point in the history of decolonization.

Thanks to generous funding from Penn State and its participation in TOME (Toward an Open Monograph Ecosystem), the ebook editions of this book are available as Open Access volumes from Cornell Open (cornellpress.cornell.edu/cornell-open) and other repositories.

Review Quotes

In recent years, scholars have benefited from a number of works detailing the interconnectedness of protest movements, decolonization, and national liberation struggles around the world during the Global 1960s. Decolonizing 1968 is a welcome addition to this growing canon.This book goes far in centring colonization and decolonization as key ingredients in the myriad experiences that make up the Global 1960s, and makes a welcome addition to the fields of history, political science, and postcolonial theory.

-- "Journal of Contemporary History"

About the Author

Burleigh Hendrickson is Assistant Professor of French and Francophone Studies at Penn State University.