Sovereignty and Self- Determination in New Caledonia

1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-041-30897-3
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 372 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm

Reihe: Indo-Pacific in Context

This book delves into the intricate political dynamics surrounding self-determination in New Caledonia, a French overseas territory in the Pacific, located off Australia’s east coast. It provides essential context on the peace agreements that ended civil unrest in the 1980s, delivering three decades of stability, but which have now concluded, leaving the territory at a crossroads.

The collection analyzes three recent referendums on independence, the last of which was boycotted by indigenous independence supporters, resulting in political division and renewed violence in early 2024. Through a carefully curated selection of essays, the book explores the root causes of this unrest and the challenges of negotiating New Caledonia’s future.

The anthology flags the broader geopolitical stakes for France and the Pacific region which are explored more deeply in a companion volume. It introduces why developments in New Caledonia hold strategic significance—not only for its people but also for Australia, the Pacific islands region, the western alliance, and France, with broader implications for the Indo-Pacific.

This volume is an invaluable resource for scholars, policymakers, journalists, business professionals, and general readers interested in self-determination, peacebuilding, and the shifting power dynamics in the Pacific. It offers a comprehensive reference on New Caledonia’s contentious political journey, highlighting its importance for regional stability, economic development, and France’s Indo-Pacific ambitions.

Zielgruppe

Academic and Undergraduate Advanced

Autoren/Hrsg.

Fisher, Denise

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein Politische Studien zu einzelnen Ländern und Gebieten
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtliche Themen Kolonialgeschichte, Geschichte des Imperialismus
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Geschichte einzelner Länder Australische und Pazifische Geschichte
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Internationale Beziehungen Kolonialismus, Imperialismus

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction: Sovereignty and self-determination in New Caledonia 1. Tjibaou’s Kanak: ethnic identity as New Caledonia prepares its future 2. The need to remember:  L’Ordre et La Morale (Rebellion) 3. New Caledonia: options for the future 4. Review of implementation of the Noumea Accord 5. Remembering the past and preparing the future 6. French choreography in the Pacific 7. New Caledonia: the independence referendum process: what is at stake? 8. New Caledonia’s independence referendum: re-defining the future 9. New Caledonia’s independence referendum: local and regional implications 10. “No” vote in New Caledonia’s independence referendum: a pyrrhic victory for loyalists  11. New Caledonia’s second independence referendum is a wake-up call 12. Self-determination in New Caledonia 13. Why New Caledonia’s final independence vote could lead to instability and tarnish France’s image in the region 14. Uncertainties as New Caledonia prepares for its final independence referendum 15. France and New Caledonia: three independence referendums and an impasse 16. Uncertainty in New Caledonia 17. Macron faces resistance in New Caledonia 18. Independence leader wins French Senate seat over Macron favourite 19. New Caledonia: uncertainty and division intensify as Paris imposes its will 20. Violence erupts in New Caledonia as independence supporters oppose legislation in Paris 21. Violence in New Caledonia: wider implications for France 22. Next steps for New Caledonia in the wake of Macron’s proposals 23. France’s legislative elections and complications for New Caledonia 24. New Caledonia: France’s way or the Pacific way? 25. A surprising litmus test for New Caledonia’s independence parties

Über Autor(innen)

Denise Fisher is a former senior Australian diplomat who served in the Pacific, the US, South-East Asia, India and Africa. She headed Australian diplomatic missions in Zimbabwe, accredited to several southern and central African countries, and New Caledonia, covering France’s Pacific territories and the Secretariat for the Pacific Community. Currently a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University, Denise focuses her research and writing on France’s role in the Pacific and Indo-Pacific. She is the author of France in the South Pacific: Power and Politics (2013).