Into the heart of darkness : cosmopolitanism vs. realism and the Democratic Republic of Congo
Abstract: It was 42 years before the end of World War II that Joseph Conrad wrote his infamous novel "Heart of Darkness," yet today its relevance to the Congo remains starkly the same, as the aegis of colonialism has left a devastating footprint. The novel explores the hypocrisy of Belgium's imperialism as the act of civilizing the African became quite uncivil. The imperial incivility, political factionalization, and decades of authoritarian rule and war have led the United Nations (UN) to enter the Congo, quite like Marlow's travel up the Congo River. Yet, amidst the chaos of Belgium's enterprise and the aftermath of World War II, the Congo offers a troubling and difficult case for policymakers and for international relations theory. This paper aims at pondering this case to hopefully shed light into the heart of darkness and give an explanation for 'the horror' that Kurtz only realized at his final moment. Following World War II, it was abundantly clear through international consensus that the urgency for preventive action against another world war required the reorganization of the League of Nations system. The former colonial and imperial powers of Europe were decimated and the United States and Russia stood as victors against an impetuous regime. The global order was changing rapidly with the creation of the atomic bomb and the rise of the United States and Russia as superpowers. With a potent collective memory, the post-World War II era ushered in the establishment of international law and human rights doctrines under the auspices of regional and universal organizations, in large part as a result of the UN Charter. On April 25, 1945, the Charter of the United Nations (UN) was finalized under the Westphalian principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peace and security amongst nations. The Charter outlined principles for peace and prosperity and collective security. Most importantly, the UN Charter motivated several universal documents, which subsequently outlined the fundamental importance of individual sovereignty amidst a system dominated by interstate relations. A new global order emerged aimed for deterring future wars and creating a council of peaceful discourse amongst states. It is important to note that this emergence shifted the international system from a Westphalian state-centrism to a UN-based idealism that granted the individual sovereignty and autonomy within their respective state, as well as in a newly formed "international community." Although some basic tenets of the Treaty of Westphalia continued, i.e. state sovereignty and the right to wage war, this UN idealism assumed the common interests of the member states and embarked on massive efforts of international cooperation, conflict resolution and peacekeeping. Ultimately, the UN system has moved the international system closer to a cosmopolitan ideal of universal norms and laws
Thesis, Dissertation, English, 2010
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