Asian-African Relations

Richard Wright's The Color Curtain: A Report on the Bandung Conference has long been a fundamental book in Bandung historiography. As a crucial companion volume to The Color Curtain, Roberts and Foulcher's Indonesian Notebook: A Sourcebook on Richard Wright and The Bandung Conference showcases the previously unknown side of Wright's Bandung narrative, as told from the perspectives of the vibrant group of Indonesian intellectuals and writers who hosted him in Indonesia in 1955. Showcasing Wright’s previously unknown interactions with Indonesian modernists and his previously unknown lecturing activities in Indonesia, this book has major implications for any reading of postcolonial history and culture after the Asian-African Conference of 1955.

Beb Vuyk's article brings crucial new context to Richard Wright's landmark book The Color Curtain: A Report on the Bandung Conference. For more information, see her article as it appears in Indonesian Notebook: A Sourcebook on Richard Wright and the Bandung Conference.

https://www.academia.edu/10927987/Indonesian_Notebook_A_Sourcebook_on_Richard_Wright_and_the_Bandung_Conference_Duke_University_Press_pre-order_2015_

Modern post-colonial relations between independent states in Asia and Africa date back to the late 1940s. This article focuses on China, India, Japan, and Korea, whose relations with Africa during the Cold War went through several phases according to domestic political and economic conditions, the international environment, and political and economic conditions in Africa. The post-Cold War situation created a unique historical momentum to redefine relations with the continent. A11 four countries could build upon their positive image in Africa and aspire to become new leaders in Africa's foreign relations. China had stroňg economic and political domestic reasons to turn to Africa, formulated a relativelY cohesive strategy towards the continent, had enough resources to support this strategy, and found a positive response in African countries. Contrarily, Japan lacked financial íesources anďsuffered from being perceived as pafi of the West, India failed to formulate a coherent strategy towards Africa and lacked financial resources, and Korea did not have strong interests on the continent, This explains the success of China in Africa; however, in thďlast decade India, Japan and Korea have starled more pro-active policies in Africa. By recognizing the limits of China's engagement in Africa, they can define their own comparative advantages and exploit new opportunities.