The majority of realist International Relations theory attempts to explain the outcome of the Thirty Years’ War and the 1648 Peace of Westphalia. Given that many of the core tenets of IR theory revolve around explaining the results of a three hundred and thirty eight year old peace treaty, it is clear that a disconnect between the past and the present exists. As a historically Eurocentric field, IR commonly neglects nonwhite experiences and attempts to tailor the perception of events and experiences to a fit a european. With the first texts and theories of IR thought being realist theories originating in Europe, the damage comes from the longstanding assertion that only white European countries are capable of bringing order and security to the globe. Examining the historical impacts of race and racism on modern international relations allows for a more holistic view of interactions within the gamut of world powers by validating the experiences of those subjugated to injustices of the past and present, and integrating their experiences to create a more empathetic field. A prime example of this disconnect is The Democratic Republic of The Congo. Subject to Belgian colonial rule as well as numerous abuses, the DRC exemplifies the pinnacle of racism in IR.
The modern IR field is undeniably rooted in racist theories and philosophy. The 1916 book An Introduction to the Study of International Relations makes the racist underpinnings of the field astoundingly clear. With an entire chapter of the text devoted to Political Relations Between Advanced and Backwards Peoples and promoting the necessity of empirical rule colonization, this fundamental book lays a foundation of racism in IR. Belgian rule of the DRC began in 1885 under King Leopold II, however full control of the country under the Belgians did not occur until 1908 and finally ended in 1960. Even American hands meddled in the DRC during World War II, as the DRC (under Belgian rule) supplied uranium for the Manhattan Project.
The DRC’s history lends itself to great instability, resource extraction and devastating internal conflict. In 1930, the discovery of diamonds and widespread commercial mining set a precedent of brutal working conditions and exploitation. In the wake of instability created by decolonization in 1960, a 1965 CIA backed coup placed Mobutu Sese Seko in power, granting Western powers greater access to minerals and resources within the country. From 1991-2009, the nation experienced constant (and still ongoing) conflict, largely driven by a desire for control of minerals and rampant sexual violence. When examining the connection between these factors, for example, countries with a larger share of natural resource extraction as a source of their GDP is correlated with increased rates of sexual violence against women, suggesting that colonial exploitation has consequences and impacts beyond just that of the economy.*
Abused and stripped of resources at the hands of its colonizers, the treatment of the people living within the country disproves the IR concept that self-interest and self-benefit of a country reign unilaterally supreme. If this were true, the extremely resource-wealthy country containing a plethora of globally critical materials would likely be a regional hegemon as well as a global economic superpower. However, this is far from reality. As a country subjugated to colonial rule, the Belgian abuse of the Congo created a cycle in which stripping the inferiorly perceived sub-Saharan Africans of their resources for European and American profit became commonplace. If classical realist IR theory did not rest on a racist foundation, the massive wealth and untapped resources would present a different DRC on the world stage than seen today.
Leaning on the traditional realist application of IR theory is convenient and worth perpetuating for Western countries, as they are able to exploit weaker countries that are afflicted with the scars of colonialism. With revisionist history influencing the narrative of colonized countries, “IR struggles to face its own racial bias by failing to examine African states … as independent historical subjects, and not simply objects in the dominant global structure.” On the global landscape, stratification of countries by race with a European/American dominance is prevalent and leaves a scathing impact on international relations. Reflecting back to the exploitation of the DRC, this divide is apparent in the way in which the country is unable to progress on the international scale. Following the Congo’s independence in 1960, the country has faced a perpetual state of civil strife with very little external aid or assistance. Despite massive economic opportunity and potential, the racism that exists within IR theory permits neglect of the Congo as long as it churns out resources for the benefit of white countries. Racial stratification in practice prevents the DRC from progressing on the international scale beyond a trove of natural resources for other countries to extract.
Despite being a complex academic field of study, International Relations often fails to consider the criticality of race. With the majority of realist IR theory revolving around dated norms and philosophy, the evolution of the field allows for more effective adaptation to the modern global landscape. To combat this racism, considering the ideas of non-white scholars as well as studying the countries victimized by colonialism as entities with their own complex histories and IR experiences creates room for improved perspectives. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is just one instance of the intersection of race and IR theory, but the analysis of concepts such as racial stratification and colonial scarring allows the global world to operate more effectively, efficiently, and empathetically to create a safer and most prosperous environment for all people – regardless of their color.
*Results are based on author research using OLS regression to examine the combined effects of GDP, natural resource exportation, female share of the labor force, and rates of sexual violence against women.
