One positive result of the controversy concerning the mission of the African Studies Association has been the formation of the Committee on Current Issues. The Committee arranged several important panel discussions during the 1971 Annual Meeting in Denver, and it was agreed at that time that a special effort should be undertaken to promote a wider understanding of the situation in southern Africa. The 1972 election campaign provides a unique opportunity for discussion of the emerging crisis in southern Africa and for exploration of useful U.S. responses to that crisis. Richard Sklar, chairman of the Committee, was authorized by the Committee to appoint a subcommittee to plan such an effort for the 1972 election campaign. The work of the subcommittee—referred to as Politics ’72 — constitutes the subject of this article.

On December 16, 1966, the Security Council held its 1340th meeting and adopted its 232nd resolution. It was a historic resolution. For the first time the Security Council voted to impose sanctions under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter aimed at ending the rebellion against the United Kingdom by the Ian Smith regime in Rhodesia. Acting in accordance with Article 39, the Council determined that the situation in Rhodesia constituted “a threat to international peace and security,” and, under Article 41, it decided that all Member States of the United Nations must apply sanctions to bar the importation of a number of basic Rhodesian exports.