Dr Eddie Michel has received high praise for his book about American policy towards the Rhodesian state. Here’s what national and international academics had to say.
Dr Eddie Michel, a research associate in the Department of Historical and Heritage Studies at the University of Pretoria (UP), has been feted for his book The White House and White Africa: Presidential Policy Toward Rhodesia During the UDI Era of 1965-79. Published by Routledge in August 2018, the book has been lauded by leading scholars in the field in a soon-to-be published roundtable review on H-Diplo.
Professor Timothy Scarnecchia of Kent State University praised Dr Michel’s “attention to details and his skill at getting at the heart of the historical debates that came to shape policy”, adding that the book represents “a highly valuable addition to the literature on Zimbabwean political history and certainly an important work in the literature on US-Africa foreign relations”. Dr Andy DeRoche of Front Range College and Professor Eliakim Sibanda of the University of Winnipeg respectively described the book as “provocative and ground-breaking” and a “worthwhile addition to literature on the decolonisation of Zimbabwe”.
“Michel’s study blazes a new trail in that it attempts to provide a comprehensive and multifaceted explanation of the trajectory of American policy towards Rhodesia over time, and takes into account a wide array of domestic, international and global factors that influenced decision-making,” said Professor Alois Mlambo of UP’s Department of Historical and Heritage Studies. “The book makes a huge contribution to our knowledge about American political history, international relations and diplomatic history, among other intellectual fields.”
Dr Michel joined the Department of Historical and Heritage Studies in April 2017. His research interests include US foreign policy, US history and the Cold War in southern Africa. He recently received three major grants and was honoured with a highly competitive Arthur M Schlesinger, Jr Fellowship by the John F Kennedy Presidential Foundation.
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