Confirmation of Candidature - Establishing the Cordon: The Foundation of Colonial Papua

Australian involvement in Papua New Guinea (PNG) links back to the earliest efforts of imperial control in the region.  It has had a significant influence on the political social and economic structures of the modern PNG state.  While significant research has been undertaken around the Australian occupation of New Guinea and the experiences of Australians within this area, the experiences of colonialism in Papua remains relatively under analysed, especially compared to colonialist experiences in New Guinea for Australia and the wider phenomenon of colonialism. Similarly, the period of history encompassing World War Two and the era leading to Independence have been thoroughly researched, again, understandably due to the relative excitement that comes from the war and the anticipation of change and self-determination in the post war. This thesis aims to discuss the establishment of the Papuan colony by both Britain and Australia in the early 20th century by examining the legal structures of establishment as well as settler opposition to these. It will examine this phenomena through the lens of 'Cordon Colonialism', a new interpretation of colonialism which differentiates the establishment of Papua to typical interpretations of colonial status.

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