Title The colonial politics of global health : France and the United Nations in postwar Africa / Jessica Lynne Pearson

Published Cambridge, Massachusetts : Harvard University Press, 2018

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Description 1 online resource (x, 260 pages) : illustrations Contents War, citizenship, and the limits of French civilization -- The United Nations and the politics of health in the era of decolonization -- Between colonial knowledge and international expertise -- The WHO comes to Brazzaville -- Family health, France, and the future of Africa -- Fighting illness, battling decolonization Summary In The Colonial Politics of Global Health, Jessica Lynne Pearson explores the collision between imperial and international visions of health and development in French Africa as decolonization movements gained strength. After World War II, French officials viewed health improvements as a way to forge a more equitable union between France and its overseas territories. Through new hospitals, better medicines, and improved public health, French subjects could reimagine themselves as French citizens. The politics of health also proved vital to the United Nations, however, and conflicts arose when French officials perceived international development programs sponsored by the UN as a threat to their colonial authority. French diplomats also feared that anticolonial delegations to the United Nations would use shortcomings in health, education, and social development to expose the broader structures of colonial inequality. In the face of mounting criticism, they did what they could to keep UN agencies and international health personnel out of Africa, limiting the access Africans had to global health programs. French personnel marginalized their African colleagues as they mapped out the continent's sanitary future and negotiated the new rights and responsibilities of French citizenship. The health disparities that resulted offered compelling evidence that the imperial system of governance should come to an end. Pearson's work links health and medicine to postwar debates over sovereignty, empire, and human rights in the developing world. The consequences of putting politics above public health continue to play out in constraints placed on international health organizations half a century later.-- Provided by publisher Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index Notes Online resource; title from PDF title page (EBSCO, viewed July 31, 2018) Subject United Nations. SUBJECT United Nations United Nations fast Subject Health services administration -- Africa, French-speaking -- History -- 20th century Medical policy -- Africa, French-speaking -- History -- 20th century Medical care -- Political aspects -- Africa, French-speaking -- History -- 20th century Decolonization -- Africa, French-speaking Health Services Administration -- history Colonialism -- history Health Policy -- history History, 20th Century POLITICAL SCIENCE -- Public Policy -- Social Security. POLITICAL SCIENCE -- Public Policy -- Social Services & Welfare. HISTORY -- Africa -- General. Health services administration Medical policy Medical care -- Political aspects Decolonization Politics and government SUBJECT Africa, French-speaking -- Politics and government -- 20th century Africa. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85001531 Africa https://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/D000349 France Subject Africa French-speaking Africa Genre/Form History Form Electronic book ISBN 9780674989283 0674989287

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