This project breaks new ground in exploring a hitherto understudied aspect of Cold War History - the competition between the Soviet and Chinese models of socialism in Africa. We use Tanzania as a case study to examine the connection between global and local factors and to analyse tangible interactions “on the ground”, highlighting the agency of African actors and their ability to navigate between the two socialist powers and use them to their own ends. Finally, we draw attention to the fact that in forging ties with Africa, the Soviet Union showcased its Central Asian republics as models for a successful socialist modernisation. We will contrast this with the People’s Republic of China's focus on its Han-majority areas in highlighting the commonalities of the Chinese and African experiences, such as the trauma of imperialism/colonialism, anti-imperialist resistance and developmental models.

The project relies on the collection and evaluation of a wide range of unpublished and published documents from archives and libraries in China, Germany, Tanzania, the UK, the United States and, importantly, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, two former Soviet republics in Central Asia whose archives and libraries hold relevant materials pertaining to the Soviet era. In addition, members of the project team will conduct interviews in China, Kazakhstan, Tanzania and Uzbekistan. Examining a broad mix of sources will help to overcome difficulties of access or information gathering associated with one specific type of source, strengthening the robustness of our approach.

Owing to the complexities of the topic, as well as the varied language expertise it requires, the organisation of the project is based on the principle of division of labour. The research team will consist of a United Kingdom sub-team led by Thoralf Klein (Loughborough University) and focusing on the Chinese side and a German sub-team led by Kirsten Bönker (Nordost-Institut, IKGN e.V.) focusing on the Soviet side. This both necessitates and strengthens the ties between a UK and a German research institution and between the UK and German research more generally. The inclusion of Andrea Azizi Kifyasi (University of Dar es Salaam), a Tanzanian early career scholar, complements the existing expertise of the UK and German sides and critically adds a local, African and non-Eurocentric Competing Socialisms and African Agency. It will also help to extend the research collaboration between a UK and German institution towards partners in the Global South.

The project aims at making a significant contribution to the existing knowledge about the global Cold War and African decolonisation, furthering the understanding of processes that continued to impact the world today. To achieve this, findings will be disseminated from as early as possible. A workshop and an international conference will make the project visible to the scholarly community but will also be accessible to potential stakeholders outside academia. Articles, an online primary source edition, one conference volume and one monograph will synthesise the outcomes of the project. Within the project, two PhD students will work on two further projects: "‘Winning the Hearts and Minds’ of ‘African’ People. Soviet Soft Power and ‘African’ Agency in Tanzania, 1956-1991" and "‘Leninising Africa!’. Soviet Economic Aid and Trade Relations in Tanzania, 1956-1991".

The project is funded by British Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the German Research Foundation (DFG) for a period of three years starting in March 2025.