The Utility of Darkness: Figments of a State called the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Authors

Aimee M. Mackie, Macalester CollegeFollow

Document Type

Honors Project

Comments

Ahmed I. Samatar, Advisor

Abstract

Since the Heart of Darkness brought the cruelty of King Leopold’s rule of the Congo to the world’s attention, it has been viewed internationally as the locus ofinhumanity. My thesis examines how this perception has excused the role of neocolonial actors in furthering destabilization. After independence, the United States and Belgium, with the assistance of Mobutu Sese-Seko, exploited the nominally sovereign Congo. The weakening of the Congolese state has continued in recent years through a lack of accountability for international interventions brought about by bureaucratic secrecy, popular ignorance, and human rights rhetoric.

Recommended Citation

Mackie, Aimee M., "The Utility of Darkness: Figments of a State called the Democratic Republic of the Congo" (2013). International Studies Honors Projects. 17.
https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/intlstudies_honors/17