Additional information
by Robin Gendron (Author)
Between 1960 and 1990 the Canadian mining giant International Nickel (INCO) sought to establish operations in New Caledonia, a French-controlled Pacific archipelago that holds some of the world's richest nickel reserves. What might have seemed a straightforward mining venture quickly became a flashpoint: New Caledonians pressed for control over their political and economic future, while France regarded INCO's presence as a challenge to its sovereignty.
The ultimate frustration of INCO's Pacific ambitions is a case study in the entangled forces of colonial power, global capital, and local resistance that marked the late twentieth century. INCO in Paradise offers fundamental insights into the actions of a Canadian corporate behemoth and its place within broader colonial and decolonial currents. Drawing on archival research conducted in four countries, the book ties together the history of New Caledonia; INCO's role in debates over New Caledonian autonomy and their impact on Canada-France relations; the failure of the Compagnie française industrielle et minière du Pacifique (COFIMPAC), an experimental joint venture; and INCO's interest in the Tiébaghi project. New Caledonian sources, which foreground the voices and urgent concerns of the country's people, contribute a particularly valuable element. Set against the turbulence of the global nickel market, INCO's experiences in New Caledonia reveal a transnational history whose effects are still felt today in the independence referendums of 2018-21 and the political upheaval of 2024. INCO in Paradise is a vital account of the history of New Caledonia, the global mining industry, and the transnational dimensions of Canadian business history.Author Biography
Gendron is professor of history at Nipissing University.
Number of Pages: 300
Dimensions: 0.8 x 8.9 x 5.9 IN
Publication Date: August 04, 2026
