Research, ideas, and leadership for a more secure, peaceful world

Past Event
Seminar

From Revolution to Recognition: Assessing the Effect of Proslavery Ideology on British and U.S. Isolation of Haiti, 1804–1862

Open to the Public

Speaker: Lindsay Hundley, Research Fellow, International Security Program

This seminar will be online. Please join us remotely via Zoom!  Instructions below.

In recent years, the world has increasingly witnessed international conflict along ideological fault lines. Western policymakers warn that authoritarian countries like Russia and China are seeking to exploit divisions within democratic societies to promote autocratic tendencies, while for decades, authoritarian countries have accused the West of doing the same—of manufacturing domestic uprisings as a way to force liberalism upon them. While history is filled with examples of conflicts along these types of ideological lines, there is little consensus among scholars about whether ideology has any effect on relations between states. This presentation will focus in on British and U.S. reactions to the Haitian Revolution to advance scholars' and policymakers' understanding of the relationship between ideology and international conflict.

Please join us via Zoom! Click here to join.

Date: Time: - Location: Room 350
Attack on and capture of the Crête-à-Pierrot fort, Haiti (March 4–24, 1802). Original illustration by Auguste Raffet, engraving by Hébert.

About

Speaker: Lindsay Hundley, Research Fellow, International Security Program

In recent years, the world has increasingly witnessed international conflict along ideological fault lines. Western policymakers warn that authoritarian countries like Russia and China are seeking to exploit divisions within democratic societies to promote autocratic tendencies, while for decades, authoritarian countries have accused the West of doing the same—of manufacturing domestic uprisings as a way to force liberalism upon them. While history is filled with examples of conflicts along these types of ideological lines, there is little consensus among scholars about whether ideology has any effect on relations between states. 

This presentation will focus in on British and U.S. reactions to the Haitian Revolution to advance scholars' and policymakers' understanding of the relationship between ideology and international conflict. The speaker shows that Britain and the United States both initially isolated Haiti due to fears that the Haitians would promote or otherwise inspire the spread of slave rebellions throughout the Caribbean and U.S. South. However, after outlawing slavery in its colonies, Britain’s foreign policy towards Haiti quickly diverged from that of the United States. Britain formally ended its regime dispute with Haiti, deepened its economic links with the country, and even began cooperation with Haitian leaders to police the Atlantic slave trade. Taken together, the case strongly suggests that British and U.S ideological stance on slavery was a primary source of their disputes with the Haitian regime.

Please join us via Zoom! Click here to join.

Contact

Join the Seminar via Zoom

Topic: Lindsay Hundley ISP Seminar Time: Mar 12, 2020 12:20 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Sign in a few minutes before 12:20 PM

Join Zoom meeting https://harvard.zoom.us/j/446763381

Join by telephone (use either number to dial in) +1 929 436 2866 +1 669 900 6833

International numbers available: https://harvard.zoom.us/u/adTex4kL37

One tap mobile: +19294362866,,446763381# US (New York)