Although Haiti established its independence in 1804, external actors such as the United States, the United Nations, and non-profits have wielded considerable influence for the past decade.
Who Owns Haiti? explores the role of international actors in the country’s sovereign affairs while highlighting the ways in which Haitians continually enact their own independence on economic, political, and cultural levels. Contributing authors contemplate Haiti’s sovereign roots from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, including political science, anthropology, history, economics, and development studies. Ultimately, they examine how foreign actors encroach on Haitian autonomy and shape—or fail to shape—Haiti’s fortunes, and how Haitian institutions, grassroots organizations, and individuals respond to and resist this influence.