Authors
Barbora Menclová1; 1 Charles University in Prague, Discussion
Due to advancing modernization and environmental risks in the 1970s, the search for new sources of raw materials became one of the core tasks of most European states. Socialist Czechoslovakia was no exception. One solution was to deepen cooperation with the Global South, especially with Africa and the Middle East. In this area, experts like geologists played a significant role. They were sent to various destinations, including new African states Angola and Mozambique, to secure new resources. Many geologists also belonged to the prominent figures in Czechoslovakia. They taught at universities, participated in international congresses and UNESCO meetings, and maintained lively contacts with their colleagues from abroad. Due to the priority of this sector in the Czechoslovak foreign policy and its international dimension, various actors were interested in these activities, including the intelligence service. Some geologists also became secret intelligence associates.
This paper, based on declassified materials, contributes to the current academic discussion on the connection between science diplomacy, knowledge circulation, and security gathering in the global Cold War. It focuses on the Czechoslovak geologists in the Global South, especially Angola and Mozambique, and examines not only their role in securing the raw materials but also in the clashes between the interests of the East and the West, as well as of different Czechoslovak institutions. It also explores the role of the Global South, which was far from a passive recipient of the initiatives of the Global North.
