Book Review: The Last Colony

The Last Colony

I was excited to pick up a new book in our school library, The Last Colony. Written by international lawyer Philippe Sands, The Last Colony tells the story of the Chagos Islands and their journey through the International Court of Justice.

Philippe Sands has a smooth writing style, making this international legal drama easy to read and follow. He presents the historical background of the Atlantic Charter, a document signed by President Franklin Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill during World War II, which outlined principles supporting decolonization and self-determination for territories around the globe. This document set the stage for the independence of many countries around the world today.

The Chagos Islands were part of the Mauritius territory before being separated to create the British Indian Ocean Territory. During this time, Chagos residents were relocated to Mauritius, which later became an independent country. This relocation is at the heart of the dilemma. The Chagossians claim that their removal was forced and unlawful under international law, and Mauritius brought charges against the United Kingdom for “crimes against humanity” related to the forced removal of its residents.

This is not an old historical story from a hundred years ago, nor one so distant that students would struggle to see its relevance. While the book provides historical background on the United Nations and the International Court of Justice, the court case itself took place in The Hague in 2019. The story continues even after the ruling, as countries stalled before acting on the court’s decision.

As a social studies and geography teacher, I also enjoyed the discussion of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), an AP Human Geography concept. This book is a strong example of what international law can accomplish today and has given me useful material to reference when students ask, “What does the International Court do anyway?” It is always helpful to have an example beyond simply “holding trials for people who committed genocide.”

The blue tab identifies the location of the Chagos Islands. 
Purple tab identifies the location of the International Court of Justice in Hague, Netherlands.

A quick Google search also shows that the Chagos Islands are of interest to the United States due to the presence of a military base, as well as the Trump administration’s criticism of the court’s ruling.

I recommend this book for students interested in international law and international politics.