Natalia Hildebrand

My research examines relations between the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the African National Congress (ANC) during the 1964–1982 period. I am interested in paramilitary, diplomatic, financial, and intellectual exchanges between these two organisations, and what these reveal about the Palestinian national movement’s ideological and strategic orientation. I explore the ANC–PLO relationship against the backdrop of Cold War geopolitical dynamics, including the Cuban and Algerian revolutions, the Vietnam War, and the Sino-Soviet rivalry. I draw on archival, media, diplomatic, and intelligence sources in English, Arabic, Spanish, French, and Russian, as well as on interviews with former ANC and PLO members. This project builds on research I conducted during my MPhil in Modern Middle Eastern Studies at St Antony's College, Oxford, and BA in International History from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

Supervisor: Eugene Rogan

Conference papers: 2026 Political Studies Association Conference