The Colombo Plan: development internationalism in Cold War Asia
Book •
David Lowe's study of the Colombo Plan examines the organisation's founding, aims, and activities during the Cold War, focusing on its role in fostering technical assistance and student exchanges across Asia and the Pacific.
The book contextualises the Plan within tensions of decolonisation, anti‑communism and donor politics, analysing how diverse countries contributed expertise and aid.
Lowe uses archival research and personal narratives to explore both achievements and shortcomings, including how the Plan navigated colonial legacies and regional diplomacy.
He traces the Plan's evolution, decline and later revival in different forms, assessing long‑term legacies for regional cooperation.
The work contributes to scholarship on postwar development, internationalism and Asia‑Pacific history.
The book contextualises the Plan within tensions of decolonisation, anti‑communism and donor politics, analysing how diverse countries contributed expertise and aid.
Lowe uses archival research and personal narratives to explore both achievements and shortcomings, including how the Plan navigated colonial legacies and regional diplomacy.
He traces the Plan's evolution, decline and later revival in different forms, assessing long‑term legacies for regional cooperation.
The work contributes to scholarship on postwar development, internationalism and Asia‑Pacific history.
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David Marr
David Lowe
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