Science and Power in Colonial Mauritius examines, within the context of the history of sugar cane production in Mauritius, the cross-cultural debates about the production and dissemination of science and technology from "developed" to "less-developed" countries and from elites to peasants within these countries.

Ultimately, Science and Power in Colonial Mauritius shows that the history of science, technology, and colonialism can shed light on contemporary problems in natural resource management and global policy-making.