African history Books

Book SynopsisThis book is the first to examine the complex and contradictory history of Classics in Sierra Leone, Ghana and Nigeria. It investigates how Classical Studies, as an integral part of colonial education, enforced a notion of cultural inferiority on African subjects, but conversely played an enabling role in nationalist expression. The enquiry is structured around three main questions: how Classics contributed to the formation of a new class of Europeanising West Africans in the late 19th century; how Classics was implicated in the ideological struggles of the early twentieth century over the desirability of ''practical'' or ''agricultural'' education; and how the uses of Classics changed in the years leading up to independence.Table of ContentsIntroduction Colonial Contradictions Classics and Cultural Nationalism Twentieth-Century Struggles Classics and West African Modernity Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn this authoritative history of cannabis in Africa, Chris S. Duvall challenges what readers thought they knew about cannabis by correcting widespread myths, outlining its relationship to slavery and colonialism, and highlighting Africa's centrality to knowledge about and the consumption of one of the world's most ubiquitous plants.Trade Review"Offers a great example of why geographers, historians, and other professionally trained humanists need to keep writing about cannabis: these are the only people who can explain and contextualize the racist and colonialist assumptions baked into much of the most widely read literature on the plant. . . . The academic literature on cannabis may never be the same after The African Roots of Marijuana." -- Nick Johnson * Points: The Blog of the Alcohol and Drugs History Society *"This book will be a worthwhile addition to any university library and is especially useful for law schools and for programs in criminology, criminal justice, sociology, and history. . . . Highly recommended. All readership levels." -- D. R. Kavish * Choice *"Essential reading for anyone with interests in African ethnobotany or cannabis history, and more broadly, will be of value to those interested in the history of nineteenth-century Africa or of slavery." -- Wendy L. Applequist * Economic Botany *"The book is richly detailed and reflects years of sustained effort. . . . All in all, this is an excellent piece of scholarship. It should interest anyone with a curiosity about the history of cannabis, Africa, or the geography of drugs." -- Barney Warf * Journal of Historical Geography *"Rumors that become published facts in high-end publications and prestigious medical journals are the mainstay of histories of marijuana. Chris S. Duvall, in a magnificently researched and clearly written book, sets right this historiography. . . . Duvall does a brilliant job in consulting available archaeological evidence, carefully studying the spread of words, and, most of all, drawing on sometimes little-studied European observers, especially Portuguese expeditions into the Central African interior. His judicious combination of all of these sources, combined with critical judgement, is convincing and a pleasure to read." -- David M. Gordon * International Journal of African Historical Studies *"The African Roots of Marijuana is a path-breaking work of scholarship. . . . This work represents a singular scholarly achievement, both in the history of cannabis globally and in its history on the African continent." -- Charles Ambler * Bulletin of the History of Medicine *“As African history remains on the fringe of some studies, Chris Duvall’s The African Roots of Marijuana provides a solid foundation for the agency of African people and the central function that the continent plays in the expansion of global transactions.” -- Paul Hoelscher * World History Connected *Table of ContentsPart I. Introduction: Pay Attention to African Cannabis 1. Cannabis and Africa 3 2. Race and Plant Evolution 33 Part II. Evidence: How Cannabis Came to Africa, What Happened to it There, and How It Crossed the Atlantic 3. Roots of African Cannabis Cultures 53 4. Cannabis Colonizes the Continent 72 5. A Convenient Crop 95 6. Society Overturned: The Bena Riamba 112 7. Cannabis Crosses the Atlantic 125 Part III. Discussion and Conclusions: What Carried Cannabis? 8. Working under the Influence 159 9. Buying and Banning 184 10. Rethinking Marijuana 216 Acknowledgments 231 Notes 233 Index 341

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Book SynopsisIn Histories of Dirt Stephanie Newell traces the ways in which urban spaces and urban dwellers come to be regarded as dirty, as exemplified in colonial and postcolonial Lagos. Newell conceives dirt as an interpretive category that facilitates moral, sanitary, economic, and aesthetic evaluations of other cultures under the rubric of uncleanliness. She examines a number of texts ranging from newspaper articles by elite Lagosians to colonial travel writing, public health films, and urban planning to show how understandings of dirt came to structure colonial governance. Seeing Lagosians as sources of contagion and dirt, British colonizers used racist ideologies and discourses of dirt to justify racial segregation and public health policies. Newell also explores possibilities for non-Eurocentric methods for identifying African urbanites' own values and opinions by foregrounding the voices of contemporary Lagosians through interviews and focus groups in which their responses to public health issues reflect local aesthetic tastes and values. In excavating the shifting role of dirt in structuring social and political life in Lagos, Newell provides new understandings of colonial and postcolonial urban history in West Africa.Trade Review"Stephanie Newell's Histories of Dirt does for this generation what Mary Douglas did with Purity and Danger several decades ago. Focusing on what seems ubiquitous and thus utterly banal—dirt—Newell shows how the phenomenon of dirt is interpretable from a variety of sometimes contradictory perspectives both by local Africans and by the team of researchers that set about investigating the phenomenon. This is a high-order interdisciplinary work, full of fresh insights and with a turn toward what Africans think about themselves that will provide salutary methodological and conceptual lessons for scholars in African Studies and well beyond." -- Ato Quayson, Stanford University“Brilliantly reading imperial discourse against the grain, Stephanie Newell offers compelling dissections of the perspectives, assumptions, privileged subject positions, and framings that characterize imperial thought. At the same time, she gives close attention and consideration to the range of voices of the people of Lagos, producing powerful arguments about the popular, cultural, and social structures that express urban values. With great ingenuity, Newell has constituted an archive of the present that provides local voices and views on subjects initially warped by colonial discourse. Histories of Dirt is an important and major contribution.” -- Kenneth W. Harrow, author of * Trash: African Cinema from Below *"Histories of Dirt is a work of great creativity and nuance, and its message is especially urgent today. 'Èkó ò ní bàjé,' goes a political slogan turned popular now—Lagos will not spoil." -- Samuel Fury Childs Daly * International Journal of African Historical Studies *"The book is noteworthy for its contribution to our knowledge of how modernity has evolved in African cities, in a period over a century, a process illustrated through the histories of dirt in the city of Lagos. It is certainly useful to all those interested in the political and social history of cities and urban planning in Africa." -- Carlos Nunes Silva * Planning Perspectives *"Newell's prose is lucid and not belabored with theoretical jargons.… The book is also a huge contribution to postcolonial studies and public health. The most recent example through which we can come to terms with Newell on this cutting-edge scholarship is in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, in which different world leaders and citizens invoke dirt rhetoric against Asian bodies." -- Olájídé Salawu * Cambridge Journal of Postcolonial Literary Inquiry *“Histories of Dirt is a helpful manual for how dirt, as a word, an object, and a discourse, can be used to constitute archives, influence public opinion, and spark imagination.” -- Ainehi Edoro-Glines * Journal of African History *"Histories of Dirt is a formidable accomplishment of interdisciplinary scholarship and storytelling. . . . The book is exemplary for the fluidity of its narrative arc, for its methodological reflexivity, for its detailed attention to vernacular language, and for its richly textured, polyphonic portrait of Lago as a (post)colonial metropolis." -- Fabien Cante * Africa *Table of ContentsList of Abbreviations vii Author's Note ix Preface. The Cultural Politics of Dirt in Africa (Dirtpol) Project xi Acknowledgments xvii Introduction 1 1. European Insanitary Nuisances 16 2. Malaria: Lines in the Dirt 32 3. African Newspapers, the "Great Unofficial Public," and Plague in Colonial Lagos 43 4. Screening Dirt: Public Health Movies in Colonial Nigeria and Rural Spectatorship in the 1930s and 1940s 58 5. Methods, Unsound Methods, No Methods at All? 79 6. Popular Perceptions of "Dirty" in Multicultural Lagos 90 7. Remembering Waste 115 8. City Sexualities: Negotiating Homophobia 142 Conclusion. Mediated Publics, Uncontrollable Audiences 158 Appendix. Words, Phrases, and Sayings Related to Dirt in Lagos 169 Notes 175 References 215 Index 241

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Book SynopsisSince its inception in 2001, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been met with resistance by various African states and their leaders, who see the court as a new iteration of colonial violence and control. In Affective Justice Kamari Maxine Clarke explores the African Union's pushback against the ICC in order to theorize affect's role in shaping forms of justice in the contemporary period. Drawing on fieldwork in The Hague, the African Union in Addis Ababa, sites of postelection violence in Kenya, and Boko Haram's circuits in Northern Nigeria, Clarke formulates the concept of affective justice-an emotional response to competing interpretations of justice-to trace how affect becomes manifest in judicial practices. By detailing the effects of the ICC's all-African indictments, she outlines how affective responses to these call into question the "objectivity" of the ICC's mission to protect those victimized by violence and prosecute perpetrators of those crimes. In analyzing the effects of such cases, Clarke provides a fuller theorization of how people articulate what justice is and the mechanisms through which they do so.Trade Review“At its creation, many African countries embraced the International Criminal Court, but subsequent events produced substantial African opposition. This important and insightful book, based on extensive ethnographic research, explores the court and how Africans feel about it. Some see the International Criminal Court as a beacon of hope while others see it as a legacy of colonialism. The book focuses on how affects such as a desire for justice through law and the anger at the plunder of resources shape international justice itself.” -- Sally Engle Merry, Silver Professor, New York University“Affective Justice is set against the background of worldwide disappointments in the performance of the International Criminal Court arising from its prosecutorial incongruences. Kamari Maxine Clarke offers a phenomenology of justice and an anthropology of judicial practices as negotiated assemblages of sentiments of participants of unequal power, judicial competence, and material means as foundations of the institutions of justice. The book captures the complexity of evolving African attitudes toward the ICC like no book before it. A must-read for anyone interested in the future of international justice!” -- Siba N'Zatioula Grovogui, Cornell University"Kamari Maxine Clarke’s superb ethnographic and critical study of the place of the International Criminal Court (ICC) within African history and politics demands a fundamental reevaluation of the meaning of “justice” against a background of colonial and neocolonial violence, postcolonial critique, and enduring inequalities of international power." -- Mark Goodale * Opinio Juris *“In Affective Justice, Clarke innovatively explores the making of international criminal justice from the standpoint of affects and emotions and, in doing so, offers an unprecedented and indispensable theorization of international criminal justice which—after reading this book—can simply not be ignored any longer.” -- Caroline Fournet * Law & Society Review *“Through an ethnographic interrogation of the predicament of identifying and reacting to acts of injustice in Africa (at different levels) and the politics of law, Clarke has provided a compelling read…. This book is strongly recommended to technocrats in the ICC itself and to academics and policy makers in Africa and the rest of the world.” -- Tapiwa Victor Warikandwa * Anthropology Southern Africa *“Affective Justice is a signifi­cant achievement in the anthropology of international law and a welcome addition to human rights and African studies. It should be, and I expect it to be, widely read and debated.” -- Niklas Hultin * Anthropological Quarterly *“Clarke’s groundbreaking new book comes out in the context of renewed debate about the International Criminal Court (ICC) and prospects for the global anti-impunity movement.... Affective Justice is a must read for those following these events and for anyone interested in international justice more broadly.” -- Casey McNeill * Law, Culture and the Humanities *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Preface. Assemblages of Interconnection xvii Introduction. Formation, Dislocations, and Unravelings 1 Part I. Component Parks of the International Criminal Law Assemblage 47 1. Genealogies of Anti-impunity: Encapsulating Victims and Perpetrators 49 2. Founding Moments? Shaping Publics through Sentimental Narratives 91 3. Biomediation and the #BringBackOurGirls Campaign: Making Suffering Visible 116 4. From "Perpetrator" to Hero: Renarrating Culpability through Reattribution 140 Part II. Affects, Emotional Regimes, and the Reattribution of International Law 175 5. Reattribution through the Making of an African Criminal Court 177 6. Reattributing the Irrelevance of the Official Capacity Movement as an Affective Practice 217 Epilogue. Toward an Anthropology of International Justice 257 Notes 267 Bibliography 309 Index 337

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Book SynopsisMatthew H. Brown explores the connections between Nigeria's booming film industry, state television, and colonial legacies that together involve spectators in global capitalism while denying them its privileges.Trade Review“Indirect Subjects is an ambitious work providing an overview of film in Nigeria from its earliest days, through the height of state television to the rise of Nollywood. It also offers a rethinking of this history by examining the political, economic, and aesthetic logics that tie this history together. This is an insightful work for both scholars and students analyzing iconic films and television series in a new way. Doing so, it offers a new understanding of political aesthetics in Nigeria.” -- Brian Larkin, author of * Signal and Noise: Media, Infrastructure, and Urban Culture in Nigeria *“Matthew H. Brown's Indirect Subjects applies acuity and sophistication to Nollywood in ways that push the terms of debate beyond anything currently conceived. This is at once theoretically nuanced and historically informed, attentive to the dynamics of the industry as well as to the specific subject matter of the movies. In a word, a real gift offering to a field already dotted with sparkling scholarly gems.” -- Ato Quayson, author of * Oxford Street, Accra: City Life and the Itineraries of Transnationalism *"[Indirect Subjects] provides a valuable and generative contribution to African media studies. ... Brown’s access to rare archival materials allows him to offer what is, perhaps, the most sustained investigation of the links between state television and video films to date." -- Connor Ryan * African Studies Review *"[Indirect Subjects] adeptly explores the conjunctures and ruptures in the modalities of addressing the audience through different times and spaces in screen media history. ... This book makes a rich contribution to studies of the political economy of culture broadly and, more specifically, to the study of screen media in Nigeria by exposing the rifts and shifts in the neoliberal matrix that undergird it." -- Rosemary Oyinlola Popoola * Canadian Journal of African Studies *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Introduction: Indirect Subjectivities and Periliberalism 1 Part I. 1. Subjects of Indirect Rule: Nigeria, Cinema, and Liberal Empire 33 2. Emergency of the State: Television, Pedagogical Imperatives, and The Village Headmaster 66 Part II. 3. "No Romance without Finance": Feminine Melodrama, Soap Opera, and the Male Breadwinner Ideal 99 4. Breadlosers: Masculine Melodrama, Money Magic, and the Moral Occult Economy 150 5. Specters of Sovereignty: Epic, Gothic, and the Ruins of a Past That Never Was 185 6. "What's Wrong with 419"?: Comedy, Corruption, and Conspiratorial Mirrors 221 Conclusion: Fantasies of Integration or Fantasies of Sovereignty 263 Notes 271 Filmography 285 Bibliography 289 Index 303

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Book SynopsisCajetan Iheka examines the ecological footprint of media in Africa alongside the representation of environmental issues in visual culture, showing how African visual media such as film, photography, and sculpture deliver a unique perspective on the socio-ecological costs of media production.Trade Review“Cajetan Iheka writes of the most pressing and complicated issues with clear-sightedness. This major contribution will undoubtedly reach beyond the academy to become a stirring call to anyone interested in the interconnectedness engendered by globalization and the attendant toxicity and suffering that have been unleashed on various populations across Africa and elsewhere. This is truly a joy to read.” -- Ato Quayson, author of * Tragedy and Postcolonial Literature *“This outstanding book powerfully reorients ecocritical studies. Cajetan Iheka has taken on three of the most pressing issues of our times: the aftermath of colonialism and globalization; the social intensification of communications media; and the environmental impact of human societies. His scholarship is impressive in its scope and depth, his thinking original and significant. African Ecomedia will reverberate with students and researchers in media and communications, environmental humanities, ecocritical studies, anthropology, and social sciences.” -- Sean Cubitt, author of * Finite Media: Environmental Implications of Digital Technologies *"A provocative account of how contemporary works of African visual culture embody the 'infinite resourcefulness' needed to survive an anthropogenic planet defined by the 'limitedness of resources.'" -- Michael Dango * ASAP/Journal *“Iheka provides piercing analyses of the ecological footprints of media technologies in Africa and the representation in media of ecological issues affecting Africa. [He] challenges all media forms to remind humanity of the environmental crisis and climate change, African lessons on sustainable ways of consuming energy, and the opportunities to improve quality of life. Recommended. All readers.” -- Z. N. Nchinda * Choice *“[Iheka] makes a resounding case for the centrality of African ecomedia in confronting the most critical issues of our time, which makes this book equally as indispensable.” -- Dustin Crowley * ISLE: Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment *"Iheka’s work demonstrates the centrality of pollution to media infrastructure, foregrounding the toxicity that is produced both at the point of extraction of resources and at the end point of disposal, following the planned obsolescence of media devices. . . . African Ecomedia’s analysis of diverse African contexts carries out vital work to counteract the dynamics of invisibility that they depend upon." -- Rebecca Macklin * Year's Work in Ecocriticism *“The arguments in Cajetan Iheka’s [African Ecomedia] are clever and exciting, and the book as artefact is a thing of great beauty.” -- Carli Coetzee * Journal of the African Literature Association *“Iheka offers a meticulous historical contextualization of Africa’s present economic demise while beautifully answering the question, ‘Why can’t we be seen?’ . . . A recuperative postcolonial project, African Ecomedia centralizes Africa ‘as the ground zero of the energy humanities.’” -- Gugu Hlongwane * Cambridge Journal of Postcolonial Literary Inquiry *“Cajetan Iheka’s outstanding book on environmental issues in African visual culture and screen media paves the way for scholarship in African ecocritical studies. . . . The main strength of African Ecomedia lies in how Iheka builds on previous Anthropocene scholarship by focusing on the Global South, specifically the dependence and complicity in the ecological footprint of visual media in Africa. The volume essentially advocates for media practices arising from the African continent that are innovatively and ecologically framed.” -- Sheila Petty * Journal of Cinema and Media Studies *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations ix Acknowledgments xi Introduction 1 1. Waste Reconsidered: Afrofuturism, Technologies of the Past, and the History of the Future 25 2. Spatial Networks, Toxic Ecoscapes, and (In)visible Labor 64 3. Ecologies of Oil and Uranium: Extractive Energy and the Trauma of the Future 108 4. Human Meets Animal, Africa Meets Diaspora: The Conjunctions of Cecil the Lion and Black Lives Matter 152 5. African Urban Ecologies: Transcriptions of Precarity, Creativity, and Futurity 186 Epilogue. Toward Imperfect Media 221 Notes 231 Bibliography 273 Index 305

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Book SynopsisPresents a rich and comprehensive history of Christianity’s flourishing. Philip Esler is ever careful to situate this growth in the context of Ethiopia’s politics and culture. In so doing, he highlights the remarkable uniqueness of Christianity in Ethiopia.Table of Contents Part One: Introduction 1. Locating Ethiopian Christianity Part Two: The History of Orthodox Ethiopian Christianity 2. The Advent of Christianity in Ethiopia 3. Fifth to Seventeenth Centuries 4. Mid-seventeenth Century to the Present Part Three: Ethiopian Orthodoxy 5. Intellectual and Literary Traditions 6. Art, Architecture, and Music 7. Theology Part Four: Other Ethiopian Christianities 8. Protestantism 9. Catholicism Part Five: Conclusion 10. The Future of Christianity in Ethiopia

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Book SynopsisUnmaking Migrants engages critical questions about preventing trafficking by preventing migration through a study of a shelter for trafficking victims in Lagos, Nigeria. Over the past fifteen years, antitrafficking personnel have stopped thousands of women from traveling out of Nigeria and instead sent them to the federal counter-trafficking agency for investigation, protection, and rehabilitation. Government officials defend this form of intervention as preemptive, having intercepted the women before any abuses take place. Yet many of the women protest their detention, insist they were not being trafficked, and demand to be released. As Stacey Vanderhurst argues, migration can be a freely made choice. Unmaking Migrants shows the moments leading up to the migration choice, and it shows how well-intentioned efforts to help women considering these paths often don''t address their real needs at all.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Crisis 2. Detention 3. Vulnerability Reduction 4. Risk Assessment 5. Sexual Ambition 6. God's Plan Conclusion Epilogue

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Book SynopsisThis book offers the first comprehensive history of white workers from the end of the First World War to Zimbabwean independence in 1980. It reveals how white worker identity was constituted, examines the white labouring class as an ethnically and nationally heterogeneous formation comprised of both men and women, and emphasises the active participation of white workers in the ongoing and contested production of race. White wage labourers' experiences, both as exploited workers and as part of the privileged white minority, offer insight into how race and class co-produced one another and how boundaries fundamental to settler colonialism were regulated and policed. Based on original research conducted in Zimbabwe, South Africa and the UK, this book offers a unique theoretical synthesis of work on gender, whiteness studies, labour histories, settler colonialism, Marxism, emotions and the New African Economic History.Trade Review'It takes a fine eye and a supple mind to trace and understand the finest grains of the class and racial struggles that unfolded in colonial central Africa from their earliest manifestations in white trade unions to the Rhodesian Front’s war against the insurgent Zimbabwean liberation movements. Ginsburgh’s study, thematically rich and informed by great sensitivity to comparative issues and transdisciplinary studies, brings out every nuance of those struggles by showing how, just beneath the tectonic plates of manifest contestation swirls the hidden magma of class, gender, race and, contingently constructed, identity.'Professor Charles van Onselen, author of The Fox and the Flies and The Seed is Mine -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction1 The making of white worker identity2 The Great Depression and shifting boundaries of 'white work'3 The Second World War4 The 'multiracial' Central African Federation, 1953–63 5 White fights, white flight and the Rhodesian Front, 1962–79ConclusionSelected bibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisBritain and Africa in the twenty-first century provides the first analysis of UK-Africa policy in the era of austerity, Conservative government and Brexit. It explores how Britain’s relationship with Africa has evolved since the days of Blair, Brown and 'Make Poverty History' and examines how a changing UK political environment, and international context, has impacted upon this longstanding – and deeply complex – relationship. This edited collection includes contributions from leading UK- and Africa-based scholars, as well as from Chatham House’s Africa Programme Head and the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Africa. Examining trade, security, aid and peacekeeping, as well as the role of political parties, advocacy groups and the UK population itself, Britain and Africa provides an indispensable reference point for researchers and practitioners interested in contemporary UK-Africa relations and the place of Africa in British foreign policy.Trade Review‘This collection gives an excellent and richly complex picture of the way in which Britain has shaped its ideas of and engagement with Africa across political elites, NGOs and the wider public. Its great strength emerges when it is exploring tensions and dilemmas: where NGOs try to navigate uncomfortable political waters, or where political parties need to deal with hostile constituencies and competing political demands. Although the book is extremely engaging and accessible, it doesn’t simplify the politics.’ Julia Gallagher, Professor of African Politics, SOAS, University of London, author of Britain and Africa under Blair: in pursuit of the good state‘This important and detailed book provides a thorough and nuanced picture of the UK’s relations with Africa. A broad range of scholars and other experts take the reader on a journey through successive British governments, Labour and Tory, and their relationships with the continent. With so many relatively newcomers in Africa, not least the Chinese, what will be the role of post-Brexit Britain?’Mary Harper, Africa Editor, BBC‘Britain's relationship with Africa has never been easy or comfortable, and even in the twenty-first century the colonial past still casts a long shadow. This timely and insightful collection shows how far we have come in shaking off the image of empire, and how far we may still have to go in building robust and mutually beneficial relations with the leading economies and political actors on the African continent. Indispensable reading for anyone who needs to understand world affairs.’David M Anderson, Professor of African History, University of Warwick -- .Table of ContentsForeword – Chi Onwurah MP, Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group for Africa Introduction: UK Africa policy in the twenty-first century: business as usual? – Danielle Beswick, Jonathan Fisher and Stephen R Hurt Part I: Africa in UK international relations: trade, aid, development and security 1 The evolution of UK policy to Sub-Saharan Africa (1997-2019) – Alex Vines 2 Africa’s trade with Brexit Britain: neo-colonialism encounters regionalism? – Mark Langan 3 The UK and Africa relations: construction of the African Union’s peace and security structures – Kasaija Phillip Apuuli 4 The securitisation of UK aid and DFID programmes in Africa: a comparative case study of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda – Ivica Petrikova and Melita Lazell 5 The UK and peacekeeping operations on the African continent – David Curran Part II: Africa and UK actors: parties, publics and civil society 6 Rehabilitating the ‘nasty party’? The Conservative Party and Africa from opposition to government – Danielle Beswick 7 Labour, international development and Africa: policy rethinking in opposition – William Brown 8 The mixed fortunes of African development campaigning under austerity and the Conservatives – Graham Harrison 9 British campaigns for African development: the Trade Justice Movement – Stephen R Hurt 10 International development NGOs, representations in fundraising appeals, and public attitudes in UK-Africa relations – Danielle Beswick, Niheer Dasandi, David Hudson and Jennifer van Heerde-Hudson Conclusions: aspects of continuity and change after New Labour – Danielle Beswick, Jonathan Fisher and Stephen R Hurt Index

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Book SynopsisThe late nineteenth century of the Common Era also marked the end of the thirteenth Islamic century, a time when millions of Muslims - especially in sub-Saharan Africa - fervently expected the arrival of a Mahdi, a 'divinely guided one', who would fill the world with justice and equity and defeat the enemies of Islam. The Sudanese holy man Muhammad Ahmad, proclaiming himself to be the Expected Mahdi, famously led an uprising against Turco-Egyptian rule that culminated in the capture of Khartoum in 1885. Following his sudden death, his successor, Khalifa Abdallahi, ruled Sudan for 13 tumultuous years from Omdurman - 'the Mahdi's city' - opposite Khartoum on the Nile. A self-consciously holy city, a place of pilgrimage, Omdurman was also Sudan's market center and political capital. Its history during this era of holy war and martyrdom reveals the complexities and compromises that accompany revolutionary times and addresses the question: how should one live day-to-day in a 'holy city' at the End of Time? In our contemporary world of Islamist revolt and resurgent millennialism, Omdurman's history is particularly instructive.

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Book SynopsisA detailed account of the struggle to cultivate connectedness out of the divisiveness of apartheid In Managing Vulnerability, Richard C. Marback analyses the tension surrounding the transition from apartheid to democracy in South Africa through a rhetorical lens. Marback studies the heart of South Africa's desire for reconciliation and contends that this goal could be achieved only through the creation of a language of vulnerability in which former enemies become open to the influence of each other, to the constraints of their respective circumstances, and to the prospects of a shared future. Through a series of informative case studies, Marback illustrates how the cultivation of openness and the management of vulnerability take shape through the circulation of artefacts, symbols, and texts that give empowering expression to virtues of connectedness over the temptations of individual autonomy. Marback discusses the construction and impact of the narrative tours of Robben Island, the silencing of Robert Sobukwe, the debates over a proposed Freedom Monument, a brief gesture of ubuntu from Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela to Eugene de Kock, and the transformation of the title character in the film adaptation of the 1980 novel Tsotsi. Ultimately, Marback contends, finding a means to manage vulnerability is both the immediate success of and the ongoing challenge to South African democracy and is indicative of the nature of rhetoric in democracies in general and in contemporary civic life.

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Book SynopsisOn August 4, 1983, Captain Thomas Sankara led a coalition of radical military officers, communist activists, labor leaders, and militant students to overtake the government of the Republic of Upper Volta. Almost immediately following the coup’s success, the small West African country—renamed Burkina Faso, or Land of the Dignified People—gained international attention as it charted a new path toward social, economic, cultural, and political development based on its people’s needs rather than external pressures and Cold War politics. James E. Genova’s Making New People: Politics, Cinema, and Liberation in Burkina Faso, 1983–1987 recounts in detail the revolutionary government’s rise and fall, demonstrating how it embodied the critical transition period in modern African history between the era of decolonization and the dawning of neoliberal capitalism. It also uncovers one of the revolution’s most enduring and significant aspects: its promotion of film as a vehicle for raising the people’s consciousness, inspiring their efforts at social transformation, and articulating a new self-generated image of Africa and Africans. Foregrounding film and drawing evocative connections between Sankara’s political philosophy and Frantz Fanon, Making New People provides a deeply nuanced explanation for the revolution’s lasting influence throughout Africa and the world.

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Book SynopsisEven before it gained independence in 1960, the process of nation-building in Nigeria was plagued by regional, ethnic, and class conflict. Decolonizing Independence: Statecraft in Nigeria’s First Republic and Israeli Interventions examines how many of the leading figures of what would become Nigeria’s First Republic (1963–1966) formed relations with Israel to help navigate the challenges of statecraft and development. As Nigeria transitioned to independence, the dealings between its political elite and Israeli diplomats helped advance the ideological aspirations, economic ventures, development schemes, and political agendas that defined the era. Moving beyond the familiar history of Nigeria’s struggle with former colonizer Britain, Decolonizing Independence uses Israeli-Nigerian diplomatic relations to provide a novel window into the political cultures, ideologies, and leadership strategies that shaped statecraft in Nigeria. Tracing the events and dynamics that increasingly ensnared Israel in the smoldering political landscape of the First Republic, this volume sheds light on the postcolonial imaginaries of the Nigerian elite as they attempted to lead a divided nation through the process of decolonization.Table of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1. Delinking: The Action Group and the Pursuit of Decolonization Chapter 2. Disorder: National Incoherence and Foreign Relations Chapter 3. Development: The Politics of Farm Settlements Chapter 4. Democracy: The Western Region Crisis and the Coker Inquiry Chapter 5. Decentered: The Sardauna, the NPC, and Relations with the Middle EastConclusion Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisFree Libya! was the chant heard throughout Libya during the Arab Spring revolution that ended with the death of Colonel Gadaffi in October 2011. The story is about British involvement in Libya since the first treaty signed with the rulers in Tripoli in January 1692.The book is divided into four eras. The first covers the period up to the Italian invasion in 1911; the second covers the First World War and Italian pacification; the third covers the Western Desert Campaign; and the final part brings the reader up to date with recent events. In the words of the Foreign Secretary, Edward Grey, the 1911 Italian invasion of Libya "led straight to the catastrophe of 1914". Using memoirs of politicians and correspondents from both sides of the conflict, the author pieces together British involvement, shedding new light on the Senussi Campaign and the Duke of Westminster’s rescue of 100 British PoWs at Bir Hakkeim, as well as the story of Colonel Milo Talbot, who did as much as TE Lawrence to establish British influence with Arab leadership, but was never rewarded for his work.Even though hundreds of books have been written about the Western Desert Campaign, this book includes much unpublished material in addressing the contentious issues and explains why General Brian Horrocks wrote: "Command in the desert was regarded as an almost certain prelude to a bowler hat". The final part of the book begins with Britain’s operations to establish Libya as an independent kingdom and the rise of nationalism that led to Gadaffi’s coup in 1969. The story of the tense relationship with the Brotherly Leader during the 'Line of Death' era and subsequent rapprochement precedes an authoritative account of the 2011 revolution. The final chapter, brings the reader up to date with the current conflict as well as the migration crisis and the Manchester Arena bombers.Trade ReviewRupert Wieloch’s work is an engaging romp through two millennia of Libyan history with extra emphasis placed on recent kinetic engagements. The book is a highly welcome addition to the tragically sparse literature about Libya. * Jason Pack, president of Libya-Analysis LLC, author of Libya and the Global Enduring Disorder 09/09/2021 *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part 1 – A Hard Place To Live Chapter 1 – Greek Settlement to Barbary Coast Chapter 2 – American Hostages Chapter 3 – British Consuls and Explorers Part 2 – Reluctant Colony Chapter 4 – British Journalists and the Italian Invasion Chapter 5 – Senussi Jihad Chapter 6 – Talbot of Tobruk Chapter 7 – Lion of the Desert Part 3 – Nine Victoria Crosses Chapter 8 – Churchill, Wavell and O’Connor Chapter 9 – Siege of Tobruk Chapter 10 – Auk’s Triumph Chapter 11 – Rommel’s Return Chapter 12 – Special Forces Agreement Chapter 13 – Advance To Tripoli Part 4 – Fateful Freedom Chapter 14 – Kingdom to Jamahiriya Chapter 15 – Pariah State to Arab Spring Chapter 16 – East v West Epilogue

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Book SynopsisIn 2004, the Academy Award–nominated movie Hotel Rwanda lionized hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina for single-handedly saving the lives of all who sought refuge in the Hotel des Milles Collines during Rwanda's genocide against the Tutsi in 1994. Because of the film, the real-life Rusesabagina has been compared to Oskar Schindler, but unbeknownst to the public, the hotel's refugees don't endorse Rusesabagina's version of the events.In the wake of Hotel Rwanda's international success, Rusesabagina is one of the most well-known Rwandans and now the smiling face of the very Hutu Power groups who drove the genocide. He is accused by the Rwandan prosecutor general of being a genocide negationist and funding the terrorist group Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).In Inside the Hotel Rwanda, survivor Edouard Kayihura tells his own personal story of what life was really like during those harrowing 100 days within the walls of that infamous hotel and offers the testimonies of others who survived there, from Hutu and Tutsi to UN peacekeepers. Kayihura tells of his life in a divided society and his journey to the place he believed would be safe from slaughter. Inside the Hotel Rwanda exposes Paul Rusesabagina as a profiteering, politically ambitious Hutu Power sympathizer who extorted money from those who sought refuge, threatening to send those who did not pay to the genocidaires, despite pleas from the hotel's corporate ownership to stop. Inside the Hotel Rwanda is at once a memoir, a critical deconstruction of a heralded Hollywood movie alleged to be factual, and a political analysis aimed at exposing a falsely created hero using his fame to be a political force, spouting the same ethnic apartheid that caused the genocide two decades ago.Trade Review"This book offers a window into the real life experience of those who hid in the Hotel des Mille Collines during the 100 days of the genocide. For those who have learned of this story only through the famous movie Hotel Rwanda, the story of Edouard Kayihura is a privileged opportunity to put reality to the Hollywood dramatization."—Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire (Retired) Force Commander of the United Nations peacekeeping force for Rwanda between 1993 and 1994, founder of The Roméo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative, Senior Fellow at the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies, and Co-Director of the Will to Intervene Project"I would like to thank the authors of the book Inside the Hotel Rwanda: The Surprising True Story...and Why It Matters Today for providing an honest account of the daily challenges experienced inside the Hotel Mille Collines during the Genocide Against the Tutsi. It stands apart from the tales of those who have abused, manipulated, and diverted public attention and opinion from what has been endured."—Bernard Makuza, Vice-President of the Rwandan Senate, former Rwandan Prime Minister, and Rwanda's former ambassador to Germany and Burundi"Historical truth is a slippery thing—even more so when the mass media is involved. The story of ‘Hotel Rwanda' is complex and fascinating. This book adds new depth to our understanding of the Rwandan genocide and the episode that has become its best known symbol."—Stephen Kinzer, award-winning foreign correspondent, author: A Thousand Hills: Rwanda's Rebirth and the Man Who Dreamed It, teacher of journalism, Brown University"Everyone who saw the movie Hotel Rwanda MUST read this book in which true survivors tell their story. While the movie indisputably raised awareness of genocide against Rwandan Tutsi, its distortion of facts created one of the most virulent platforms championing trivialization of that tragedy through theories of double genocide and related tactics."—Egide Karuranga, PhD, professor at the Laval University School of Business in Quebec; President of Rwandan Diaspora of Canada, and genocide survivor from the Hotel des Mille Collines"I will never forget the eight days my family and I spent in hiding at Hotel des Milles Collines. I was only 13 at the time, but I remember like it was yesterday. Twenty years later, it's important that we continue to acknowledge and commemorate the events that took place during those 100 days through stories such as those captured in Inside the Hotel Rwanda."—Ashish J. Thakkar, Africa's youngest billionaire, Founder of Mara Group and Mara Foundation, a nonprofit social enterprise that focuses on emerging African entrepreneurs"Inside the Hotel Rwanda reveals the real story of the events at the Hotel Mille Collines during the genocide in Rwanda. It exposes the untruths and inaccuracies of the Hollywood depiction of the exploits of Paul Rusesabagina. It lays bare how Rusesabagina has been able to fuel his own dangerous political ambitions as a result of the twisted facts of the film. Inside the Hotel Rwanda is important for finally setting the record straight, and doing so authoritatively from the perspective of a survivor of the events."—David Russell, former Director of Survivors Fund (SURF), and Founder of The Social Enterprise"Inside the Hotel Rwanda: What Really Happened and Why It Matters Today is a gripping first-person testimony of life inside the famous hotel that served as a sanctuary for over 1,000 souls during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The author artfully blends his personal memoir with a cri de Coeur for the future of his nation. It provides a beacon of light for those seeking to eradicate genocide around the world."–Melanie Tomsons, Executive Director and CCO of Never Again International-Canada"For more than a decade, the film Hotel Rwanda has come to define a particular story and understanding of Rwanda. In this heartfelt work, Kayihura provides a moving tale from within that hotel, and seeks to set the record straight on the events there and since. For all craving authenticity about that horrific time, this is essential reading."–Josh Ruxin, PhD, Truman Scholar, Fulbright Scholar, Marshall Scholar, and author of A Thousand Hills to Heaven: Love, Hope and a Restaurant in Rwanda"I thank the author for this genuine and true recount of the daily fears and threats, hopes and despair, joys and sufferings experienced by refugees in the Hotel des Milles Collines. Edouard is presenting with humility and a heart-breaking accuracy the reality of what happened in the hotel, unlike those who abused, misused, manipulated, and diverted the world opinion with a far-fetched story for their own interests, fame, and self-aggrandizing agenda."—Gasamagera Wellars, Director General of Rwanda Management Institute and former Rwandan Senator"Edouard Kayihura's memoir about the actual events inside the famed ‘Hotel Rwanda' serves as multifaceted rejoinder to the mythology that emerged from Hollywood's fictionalized version of the 1994 genocide. If you want to become a better-informed global citizen and go beyond glossy feel-good images, read Kayihura's account of how twisting a story can spiral into a maelstrom of deception and divisiveness."—Gerise Herndon, PhD, Director of Gender Studies and English professor at Nebraska Wesleyan University"This is a serious and well-written reappraisal of the events at ‘Hotel Rwanda' in 1994. Kayihura's survivor account demonstrates the gulf between media portrayals and reality, and shows how myth-making has done nothing to resolve the polarity of perceptions of the genocide."—David Whitehouse, author of In Search of Rwanda's Génocidaires: French Justice and the Lost Decades"A chilling account by a Rwandan who was targeted by name and narrowly escaped death during Rwanda's time of genocide, his desperate flight seeking safety into the real ‘Hotel Rwanda,' and his first-hand report on who really kept him and the other refugees in the hotel from being slaughtered."—John Quigley, LL.B. Harvard University, President's Club Professor Emeritus of Law at Moritz College of Law, Ohio State University"Like The Diary of Anne Frank, this book provides a glimpse into the day-to-day life of people combating the insanity of genocide. The book is above all a story of humanity in the midst of an insane genocide. In the end, there are no heroes; there are only people willing to take a risk for the sake of humanity."—Amy Shuman, PhD, professor at Ohio State University

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Book SynopsisHope Deferred asks the question: How did Zimbabwe, a country with so much promise—a stellar education system, a growing middle class, a sophisticated economic infrastructure, a liberal constitution, and an independent judiciary—come so close to collapse? In their own words, Zimbabweans tell their stories of losing their homes, land, livelihoods, and families as a direct result of political violence. They describe being tortured in detention, firebombed at work, or beaten up or raped to “punish” votes for the opposition. Those forced to flee to neighboring countries recount their escapes: cutting through fences, swimming across crocodile-infested rivers, and entrusting themselves to human smugglers. This book includes. Zimbabweans of every age, class, and political conviction—from farm laborers and academics to doctors and artists—ordinary people surviving the fragmentation of a once-thriving nation.Trade Review“Hope Deferred might be the most important publication to have come out of Zimbabwe in the past thirty years.” —Alexandra Fuller, Harper’s Magazine

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Book SynopsisIn this intriguing new book, Onianwa Oluchukwu Ignatus investigates Britain’s decision to engage the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the relief operations during the Nigerian Civil War. The main area badly ravaged by the conflict being the Republic of Biafra was declared “a frontier of need.” Humanitarian concerns and mounting public pressures, both in Britain and other Western countries, prompted the relief condition in Biafra to be declared an emergency. International voluntary relief workers found themselves for the first time at the center stage of a relief crisis that involved numerous governments and public opinion across the globe. Despite the existing research on humanitarianism of the Nigerian Civil War, until now no scholar has explored the British move to deploy the RAF for relief flights to Biafra. The need to overcome the difficulties of the Nigerian Civil War, and the heavy pressure of British parliamentarians, the press, and the public served as major factors leading to engaging the RAF to supply relief materials. The RAF episode indicated that external actors in any conflict can produce good initiatives geared toward resolving conflicts.

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Book SynopsisColonialism led to the importation, or better still imposition, of European administrative systems on the indigenous people of Africa. France specialized in this, practicing direct rule and an assimilation policy in their colonies up to the time of independence. In Cameroon, French administrative law (“droit adminstratif”) became part of the national legal system.In this highly original new book, Cameroonian legal scholar Moye Godwin Bongyu explores the intersection of public administration and the state, colonization and administrative systems, public and private laws, rule of law, and comparative administrative law. He then addresses laws relating to administrative organization in Cameroon. Part Three of the book deals with laws governing administrative resources. Part Four describes practical administrative action and the civil procedure. Part Five focuses on the control to administrative action, examining the submission of the administration to specific law, as well as the history, rules, and procedures of administrative justice in Cameroon.

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Book SynopsisNew edition with a new Prologue by the author An Archaeology of Elmina examines a complex African settlement on the coast of present-day Ghana from the fifteenth through the nineteenth centuries using the archaeological record, European narratives and indigenous oral histories. Placing the site in broader context as the first European trading post in sub-Saharan Africa, Christopher DeCorse explores the developments there in light of Portuguese, Dutch, and British expansion and illustrates remarkable cultural continuity in the midst of technological change. Originally published by Smithsonian Institution Press in 2001.Trade Review“[A] work of impressive scholarship. Scholars working in Ghanaian and West African history, Atlantic World studies, trans-Atlantic slave trade studies, and word-systems studies, and historical archaeology will find it a rich source of information and many new insights.” Ray A Kea in Journal of African Archaeology “[A]n exceptionally well-written and well-sourced study of life in an evolving African coastal community during the era of the trans-Atlantic trade. The book will doubtlessly become a classic study of culture contact and change in Africa.” J. Cameron Monroe in International Journal of African Historical StudiesTable of ContentsPrologue Introduction 1. Historical Background 2. The Elmina Settlement 3. The Archaeology of an African Town 4. Subsistence, Craft Specialization, and Trade 5. The European Trade 6. Culture, Contact, Continuity, and Change Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisOf all the great kingdoms that flourished in Africa, the Kongo is one of the most famous. It remains an important historical and cultural reference for Africans and their diaspora. The KongoKing inter-university project (2012-2016), funded by the European Research Council, aimed, through an interdisciplinary approach, to understand the origin of the kingdom and to shed light on the phenomena of political centralization, economic integration and linguistic evolution that took place there. This book presents in detail the results of archaeological research carried out by the KongoKing project in the former northern provinces of the Kongo Kingdom, currently located in the Democratic Republic of Congo. De tous les grands royaumes qui fleurirent en Afrique, le royaume Kongo est l’un des plus célèbres. Il reste une référence historique et culturelle importante pour les Africains et leur diaspora. Entraînés très tôt dans le commerce de traite, les esclaves originaires de la région font que du Brésil à New York, en passant par les Caraïbes, la culture Kongo a laissé de nombreuses traces. Le projet interuniversitaire KongoKing (2012-2016), financé par le Conseil Européen de la Recherche a été coordonné par Koen Bostoen, tandis que Bernard Clist et Pierre de Maret en ont dirigé le volet archéologique. Ce projet visait par une approche interdisciplinaire à comprendre l’origine du royaume et à éclairer les phénomènes de la centralisation politique, d’intégration économique et d’évolution linguistique qui s’y sont déroulés . Cet ouvrage présente de façon détaillée les résultats des recherches archéologiques menées par le projet KongoKing dans les anciennes provinces septentrionales du royaume Kongo, situées actuellement en République Démocratique du Congo. Dans une première partie on présente le contexte général, l’évolution du milieu, l’histoire du groupe linguistique kikongo et ce que l'on sait des périodes qui précèdent le royaume, ainsi que des informations récoltées dans diverses sources historiques sur ces provinces. Les prospections et fouilles des différents sites étudiés sont ensuite présentées. Puis vient le bilan des recherches archéologiques avec une synthèse des datations, une esquisse de la séquence chrono-culturelle de la poterie kongo et les études systématiques des différents types de vestiges récoltés. Pour conclure, on présente la synthèse de l'ensemble de ces découvertes et la façon dont celles-ci viennent compléter les données issues des autres disciplines pour éclairer d'un jour nouveau l'histoire du royaume Kongo.

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Book SynopsisOn 20 January 1973, the Bissau-Guinean revolutionary Amílcar Cabral was killed by militants from his own party. Cabral had founded the PAIGC in 1960 to fight for the liberation of Portuguese Guinea and Cape Verde. The insurgents were Bissau- Guineans, aiming to get rid of the Cape Verdeans who dominated the party elite. Despite Cabral's assassination, Portuguese Guinea became the independent Republic of Guinea- Bissau. The guerrilla war that Cabral had started and led precipitated a chain of events that would lead to the 1974 Carnation Revolution in Lisbon, toppling the forty-year-old authoritarian regime. This paved the way for the rest of Portugal's African colonies to achieve independence. Written by a native of Angola, this biography narrates Cabral's revolutionary trajectory, from his early life in Portuguese Guinea to his death at the hands of his own men. It details his quest for national sovereignty, beleaguered by the ethnic-based identity conflicts the national liberation movement struggled to overcome. Through the life of Cabral, António Tomás critically reflects on existing ways of thinking and writing about the independence of Lusophone Africa.Trade Review'[A] welcome revisionist biography.' -- History Today'Antonio Tomás’ … book on Amílcar Cabral takes us back to the crucible of decolonisation and permits us to assess its aspirations and limitations anew.' -- Africa Is a Country'This is a beautiful book. It is elegant. It is elegiac. It is exciting: readers are on the verge of historical unearthings and historiographical revelations every time the pages turn.' -- Theoria'This is a unique interpretation of an iconic revolutionary using recently opened state security police archives. It challenges the accepted narrative and forces scholars to rethink ideas about victory over colonial rule in the Portuguese colonies as well as continues the debate about Cabral’s contribution to this.' -- Joye Bowman, Professor of History, Associate Dean of Research, University of Massachusetts Amherst'This impressive new biography uses mainly Portuguese sources to challenge many of the myths about Cabral’s life and places his ideas and achievement firmly within the context of Cape Verdian history.' -- Malyn Newitt, Emeritus Professor of History, King’s College London'On the basis of newly available archival sources, Tomas provides a powerful, highly original and much-needed rethinking of Cabral’s enduring impact while also engaging with contemporary debates on identity, belonging and the role of ideas in African politics, and transcending the all-too-frequent hagiography that surrounds his legacy.' -- Ricardo Soares de Oliveira, Professor of the International Politics of Africa, University of Oxford'A very refreshing, at times moving, biography of Amílcar Cabral. The book distinguishes Cabral from other renowned anti-colonial leaders and thinkers, deftly handling the dilemmas, tensions and ambiguities of the struggles of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde for independence from Portugal and unpicking the sad narrative behind his killing.' -- Christopher Cramer, Professor of the Political Economy of Development, SOAS, University of London

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Book SynopsisIn February 1937, following an abortive attack by a handful of insurgents on Mussolini's High Command in Italian-occupied Ethiopia, 'repression squads' of armed Blackshirts and Fascist civilians were unleashed on the defenceless residents of Addis Ababa. In three terror-filled days and nights of arson, murder and looting, thousands of innocent and unsuspecting men, women and children were roasted alive, shot, bludgeoned, stabbed to death, or blown to pieces with hand-grenades. Meanwhile the notorious Viceroy Rodolfo Graziani, infamous for his atrocities in Libya, took the opportunity to add to the carnage by eliminating the intelligentsia and nobility of the ancient Ethiopian empire in a pogrom that swept across the land. In a richly illustrated and ground-breaking work backed up by meticulous and scholarly research, Ian Campbell reconstructs and analyses one of Fascist Italy's least known atrocities, which he estimates eliminated 19-20 per cent of the capital's population.He exposes the hitherto little known cover-up conducted at the highest levels of the British government, which enabled the facts of one of the most hideous civilian massacres of all time to be concealed, and the perpetrators to walk free.Trade Review'The most authoritative account to date of this much-neglected atrocity.'‘Campbell’s extraordinary research (which has spanned a quarter of a century) maps out the massacre . . . in exemplary fashion. It is a horrific tale, told with verve and a sense of moral passion, but also with the meticulous skill of a detective and a historian.’[T]he first comprehensive account of the massacre ... In Italy Graziani's great crime is seen as little more than a typical European colonial atrocity ... But, as Mr Campbell's meticulous work makes plain ... this was a methodical effort to wipe out Ethiopian resistance to Italian rule, more like later Nazi war crimes than earlier colonial massacres. ... Mr Campbell's book will be welcomed by the Ethiopian government, which has long argued that its citizens deserve an apology. -- The Economist'Graphic and detailed . . . The Addis Ababa Massacre will shake even more thoroughly the comforting clichés about the Italians always being 'nice people'.[A] masterly history . . . Ian Campbell has performed a tremendous service by rescuing from historical neglect and European propaganda the stories of the victims of 20th-century Italy's homicidal push for greatness. * The National *'This massacre compares to Hitler's holocaust as one of the century's greatest evils, yet it is little known. Ian Campbell has spent years uncovering the reality of this tragedy and has written a very detailed account.''Breath-taking and intriguing . . . monumental. . . [Campbell writes] with the skill of a novelist and the research prowess of a well-seasoned academic. . . He has created an important historical account that is accessible. This book will satisfy academics, researchers, and the general public alike.''A magisterial work which deserves the attention of a wide audience as it provides a sober yet spellbinding narrative of one of the era’s greatest desecrations of humanity.'Ian Campbell's account of these events is an exhaustive narrative history, and the culmination of 25 years' research. . . he has compiled a book that manages to give the reader the most accurate picture of Yekatit 12 and its aftermath currently available to historians, alongside an examination of the context of imperial conquest and violence, and an analysis of the reasons for its relative lack of exposure. What is particularly impressive is the extent to which the voices of survivors are present in the text . . . Campbell's book is an excellent piece of historical research which leaves no stone unturned in its efforts to get to the truth of what happened and to contextualise the massacre within European imperialism. It is difficult to see how it will be surpassed as a document of one of the most appalling acts of violence of the twentieth century.'Whilst the British and French were appeasing Mussolini, his blackshirts were slaughtering thousands of Ethiopians--a massacre completely ignored by the League of Nations. 80 years later, Ian Campbell's latest oeuvre is a concisely researched, well-documented and brilliantly written tribute to those forgotten victims of barbarous Italian Fascism in Ethiopia. -- Prince Asfa-Wossen Asserate PhD, historian, bestselling author and political analyst‘Campbell reveals, in excruciating detail, how extreme and indiscriminate violence and brutality perpetrated against innocent and unarmed civilians was a standard policy followed by Fascist Italy. . . an important historical account.’A detailed and fully documented account of one of the great under-reported atrocities of the twentieth century. Campbell makes a highly important contribution in exposing this extremely brutal yet virtually unknown episode. The entirely original testimony of surviving eyewitnesses adds striking vividness to this valuable book. Genuinely original. -- Christopher Clapham, Centre of African Studies, University of Cambridge and author of 'The Horn of Africa'A masterly examination of a hideous war crime which has never been so comprehensively researched. This forensic investigation is chillingly brought to life by the vivid memories of survivors whom the author has tirelessly tracked down. Campbell has done the world a great service by so clinically exposing such brutality. -- Keith Bowers, broadcaster and author of 'Imperial Exile: Emperor Haile Selassie in Britain 1936-40'Ian Campbell's book is a chilling account of one of the most terrible crimes against humanity of the twentieth century: the massacre by occupying Italians over three days in February 1937 of thousands of Ethiopian citizens in Addis Ababa. Campbell reconstructs in meticulous detail, from a wide range of sources, including many eyewitness testimonies, the initial trigger for the massacre, its various stages, the responsibilities of different groups of perpetrators, and its legacy in later memory... The result is the most comprehensive and accurate account now available in any language of the Yekatit 12 massacre. -- David Forgacs, Guido and Mariuccia Zerilli-Marimo Professor of Contemporary Italian Studies, New York University; author of Italy's MarginsThis book rounds out the trilogy that Ian Campbell has worked on for such a long period of time. The first, The Plot to Kill Graziani, was a great success; the second, The Massacre of Debre Libanos, was another research feat. The third has all the makings of a blockbuster. It is a meticulously researched, brilliantly written and abundantly illustrated book. It is a must read for all those interested in the history of Fascism globally and in the modern history of Ethiopia. -- Shiferaw Bekele, Professor of History, Addis Ababa UniversityThe February 1937 massacre by Fascist Italy of thousands of defenceless Ethiopian civilians stands as the first and least known genocide of World War II. Ian Campbell spent more than twenty years conducting research on that killing field, in which countless men, women and children were wiped out, and educated Ethiopians, community leaders and notables were systematically eliminated. It is good to have this authoritative synthesis of that horrifying event between two covers at last. -- Donald N. Levine, Peter B. Ritzma Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University of Chicago; author of Wax and Gold: Tradition and innovation in Ethiopian Culture and Greater EthiopiaCampbell's detailed research, which cuts much new ground, provides the reader with a daily, almost hourly, picture of the infamous three days, enhanced by many photographic images not previously in the public domain. -- Richard K. Pankhurst, Professor of History, Addis Ababa University; author of The Ethiopians: A History, and Sylvia Pankhurst: Counsel for Ethiopia

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Book SynopsisWhen Stephen Ellis died in July 2015, African Studies lost one of its most prolific, provocative and celebrated scholars. Given the scale and uniqueness of his contribution, it is perhaps surprising that a collection of his writings did not appear during his lifetime. It is now possible to bring such a volume to the public. With an introduction by Tim Kelsall and an afterword by Jean-Francois Bayart, this collection aims to provide scholars and students with an introduction to the main themes in Ellis' work. These revolved around the roles of religion, criminality and violence in African society and politics -- preoccupations that also informed his interpretation of African rebellions and resistance movements. The volume spans more than three decades of scholarship; case studies from six countries; highly-cited and lesser-known articles; and a sampling of works intended for public engagement as well as an academic audience. It will serve as a reader for African Politics and History, and as an invitation to students to delve deeper into Stephen Ellis' oeuvre.

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Book SynopsisThis book offers a novel, incisive and wide- ranging account of Libya's '17 February Revolution' by tracing how critical towns, communities and political groups helped to shape its course. Each community, whether geographical (e.g. Misrata, Zintan), tribal/communal (e.g. Beni Walid) or political (e.g. the Muslim Brotherhood) took its own path into the uprisings and subsequent conflict of 2011, according to their own histories and relationship to Muammar Qadhafi's regime. The story of each group is told by the authors, based on reportage and expert analysis, from the outbreak of protests in Benghazi in February 2011 through to the transitional period following the end of fighting in October 2011. They describe the emergence of Libya's new politics through the unique stories of those who made it happen, or those who fought against it. The Libyan Revolution and its Aftermath brings together leading journalists, academics, and specialists, each with extensive field experience amidst the constituencies they depict, drawing on interviews with fighters, politicians and civil society leaders who have contributed their own account of events to this volume.Trade Review'By explaining the mosaic of Libya's various sub-national loyalties and identities and their origins, The Libyan Revolution and its Aftermath provides a useful antidote to day-to-day media coverage, which sometimes reduces Libyan political disputes to a binary struggle between Islamists and secularists, or East and West, or to tribal differences. It underlines the difficulty of forging a new political and economic framework that recognizes these differences but channels them into a pluralistic and tolerant vision.' * The Times Literary Supplement *'... a timely acknowledgment that Libya's chemistry is older than the laboratory Qaddafi fashioned. The book traces not only the colonel's demise, as many others have done, but the appearance of a lesser-known new cast. Written almost entirely by foreign experts, some of whom know the different factions intimately, it is the most detailed account I have read of the old forces shaping new Libya.' * Nicholas Pelham, New York Review of Books *'This is an important book that deserves a wide readership. With more than a dozen books published on the Libyan revolution, this is the first in which the contributors share extensive professional experience, a thorough knowledge of the literature, and recent fieldwork in Libya. The result is a detailed, nuanced account of the revolution and its aftermath.' * Ronald Bruce St John, author Libya: Continuity and Change and Libya: From Colony to Revolution *'The most complete picture we have yet had of the Libyan revolution and its aftermath ... a compelling and troubling read.' * Justin Marozzi, The National *'Libya's revolution was a complex story of multiple uprisings from geographically, ideologically and tribally distinct areas...Cole and McQuinn's contributors offer compelling narratives that portray the main actors and the rivalries within and between each of these camps.' * Survival journal *

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Book SynopsisThis book presents rare evidence about the lives of three African women in the sixteenth century--the very period from which we can trace the origins of global empires, slavery, capitalism, modern religious dogma and anti-Black violence. These features of today's world took shape as Portugal built a global empire on African gold and bodies. Forced labour was essential to the world economy of the Atlantic basin, and afflicted many African women and girls who were enslaved and manumitted, baptised and unconvinced. While some women liaised with European and mixed-race men along the West African coast, others, ordinary yet bold, pushed back against new forms of captivity, racial capitalism, religious orthodoxy and sexual violence, as if they were already self-governing. Many Black Women of this Fortress lays bare the insurgent ideas and actions of Graça, Mónica and Adwoa, charting how they advocated for themselves and exercised spiritual and female power. Theirs is a collective story, written from obscurity; from the forgotten and overlooked colonial records. By drawing attention to their lives, we dare to grasp the complexities of modernity's gestation.Trade Review'This remarkable book recovers from the Portuguese archives the life histories of three women who lived in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in present-day Ghana. Konadu, an outstanding historian of his generation, presents a lucid, riveting and transformative portrait of gender and politics in the face of the violence of European empires at the dawn of modernity.' -- Toby Green, Professor of Precolonial and Lusophone African History and Culture, King's College London'A fascinating picture of the entangled early modern world. Using the rich archival material found in inquisition records, this book provides an important new window onto the daily lives of three Black women in sixteenth-century coastal West Africa, and in Europe.' -- Bronwen Everill, Lecturer in History, University of Cambridge'A refreshing, remarkable excavation of the kind of life stories typically lost to history. Methodologically creative and bold in reach, this is a book that forces us to rethink both what we know and what we are able to know.' -- Paddy Docherty, author of Blood and Bronze

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Book SynopsisAn artistic rendering of the African antelope, the Springbok, was depicted with stylized wings to serve as the logo of South African Airways (SAA) for well over 60 years. It was replaced by a new corporate identity when the airline was rebranded after the demise of apartheid, the release of Nelson Mandela from political incarceration, and the introduction of a non-racist democratic society in South Africa in the mid-nineties. As a state-owned entity, many people once saw SAA as the 'apartheid airline.' For a time, travel on board its aircraft was restricted to whites only, but this was later changed to include members of all the country's diverse racial groups. SAA pioneered flight throughout Africa during the colonial era, long before airports, supply services, radio and weather forecasting capabilities even existed. Its staff and equipment served with the Allies in Europe and North Africa during WWII and it met the enormous challenge of having to circumvent African airspace when flying to destinations abroad after most African nations closed their skies to it in protest against the country's racist policies in the early sixties. Over the years the airline grew into one of the world's major domestic, regional, and international carriers. Its long history was eventually terminated and replaced by a new entity in 2020 with the the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. In its original incarnation it could proudly boast of being one of the world's oldest and longest-surviving international carriers. It is still seen by many around the world as the airline with that much revered and fondly remembered emblem, the Flying Springbok.

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a full up to date account of the evidence relating to the Middle Stone Age in Nigeria and the other countries of West Africa. It relies upon the author’s own fieldwork and extensive personal knowledge of the region and its archaeology. It is abundantly illustrated with maps, photographs, and drawings. The emphasis is on stratigraphy, chronology, site situation, and artefact characteristics, with such general background information about the countries concerned as is required. A summary account is also provided of the current situation in relation to this topic (covering climate, archaeology, and human evolution) in the African continent as a whole, so that a judgement can made as to how the West African evidence fits in with the rest. In general accounts of the African palaeolithic record up to now, West Africa tends to be neglected, so this book goes a long way to fill a gap in the available literature.Trade Review‘'This is a very well-researched text on the Middle Stone Age (MSA) of Nigeria in particular and West Africa in general... It is a text that every archaeologist, irrespective of their area of specialization, should have on the bookshelf as a reference material.’ – Raphael A. Alabi (2020): African Archaeological Review‘Although it declares to speak only of the Middle Stone Age of Nigeria in the West African context, this work will become the reference work on the Middle Stone Age of a West Africa stretching from Senegal to Cameroon.’ – Alain Marliac (2022): Journal des Africanistes 2021, 91-2Table of ContentsList of Figures; List of Tables; Preface; Chapter 1: The Middle Stone Age in West Africa: Introduction; Chapter 2: The Middle Stone Age of Nigeria; Chapter 3: The Middle Stone Age in West Africa; Chapter 4: West Africa: regional summary; Chapter 5: A wider perspective

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Book Synopsis Even leaving aside the vast death and suffering that it wrought on indigenous populations, German ambitions to transform Southwest Africa in the early part of the twentieth century were futile for most. For years colonists wrestled ocean waters, desert landscapes, and widespread aridity as they tried to reach inland in their effort of turning outwardly barren lands into a profitable settler colony. In his innovative environmental history, Martin Kalb outlines the development of the colony up to World War I, deconstructing the common settler narrative, all to reveal the importance of natural forces and the Kaisereich’s everyday violence.Trade Review “In this compelling portrait of how non-human actors—from ocean currents to arid interiors to naval shipworms—thwarted German colonial ambitions, Martin Kalb fills a significant gap in the scholarship about a country and a region of growing international interest to environmentalists and ecotourists.” • Thomas M. Lekan, University of Southern CarolinaTable of Contents Figures Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1. Currents, Chances, Commodities On the Margins Boiling Giants Clubbing the Wing-footed Shoveling White Gold Chapter 2. Accessing an Arid Land Our Place in the Desert Reaching Southwest Africa Germany’s Own Entrance Chapter 3. Harbors, Animals, Trains Technological Marbles Animal Engineering Reaching Inland Chapter 4. Solving Aridity Existing Structures Water Structures Engineering Water Chapter 5. Access and Destruction Supplying War Maintaining Access Fighting People and Nature Chapter 6. Expanding War and Death Drilling Wood Accessing the South Reaching Beyond Chapter 7. Creating a Model Colony Visions of a Model Colony Solving the Water Question Creating a Settler Paradise Conclusion Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisEven leaving aside the vast death and suffering that it wrought on indigenous populations, German ambitions to transform Southwest Africa in the early part of the twentieth century were futile for most. For years colonists wrestled ocean waters, desert landscapes, and widespread aridity as they tried to reach inland in their effort of turning outwardly barren lands into a profitable settler colony. In his innovative environmental history, Martin Kalb outlines the development of the colony up to World War I, deconstructing the common settler narrative, all to reveal the importance of natural forces and the Kaisereich's everyday violence.

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Book SynopsisOver the last half century, sub-Saharan Africa has not had one history, but many - histories that have intertwined, converged and diverged. They have involved a continuing saga of decolonization and state-building, conflict, economic problems, but also progress. This new view of those histories looks in particular at the relationship between territorial, economic, political and societal structures and human agency in the complex and sometimes confusing development of an independent Africa. The story starts well before the granting of independence to Ghana in 1957, with an introductory chapter about pre-colonial societies, slavery and colonial occupation. But the thrust of the book looks at Africa in the closing decades of the old millennium and the beginning of the new millennium. While this book examines post-colonial conflicts within and between new states, it also considers the history of the peoples of Africa - their struggle for economic development in the context of harsh local environments and the economic straitjacket into which they were strapped by colonial rule is charted in detail. The importance of imposed or inherited structures, whether the global capitalist system, of which Africa is a subordinate part, or the artificial and often inappropriate state borders and political systems set up by colonial powers will be examined in the light of the exercise of agency by African peoples, political movements and leaders.Trade ReviewThis important book could not have come at a better time. Its nuanced approach to Africa's many histories challenges unhelpful stereotypes, which too often have been applied to the entire continent as if it is a single country. It offers a rare and engaging combination of academic rigour and thoughtful, lucid journalism. -- Mary Harper, Africa Editor, BBC NewsThis introductory overview of the region's history by a veteran BBC journalist focuses on broad political and economic trends and eschews simple takeaways. It [performs] its most trenchant analysis on civil conflicts such as the Rwandan genocide and the liberation struggles in southern Africa. -- Foreign AffairsSomerville sets about his task with energy and skill. He has worked on the subject for more than three decades and it shows. The material is handled with a sure touch, beginning by briefly sketching the pre-colonial and colonial history before tacking independence and its consequences. It then traces the key questions that have concerned the continent since then: the early days of independence leading to disillusionment, coups and dictators; revolutions and the economic crises of the 1970s and 1980s; genocide and good governance; the new millennium, China and 'Africa rising'. ... This is an authoritative, accessible account of Africa's difficult 50 years since independence written by someone who clearly has the continent's interests at heart. -- Martin Plaut, African ArgumentsThis unusually accessible study of Africa's many histories since 1970 owes its distinctiveness to the author's career. This is, thankfully, not an arid academic tome; it is a thoughtful, passionate account by a senior BBC journalist who spent three decades working on and in Africa. His intimacy with places and people give the book a grittiness that library research never provides. -- Richard Rathbone, Professor of African History, School of Oriental and African Studies, LondonThis superb book is the product of many decades of close observation of Africa's past and present by a retired senior BBC World Service journalist. It is genuinely innovative, demonstrating a fine understanding of the role of structure and agency in the continent's 'many histories'. The argument will appeal to an audience seeking a convincing and well-researched account. -- Jack Spence, OBE, Professor of Diplomacy, King's College LondonKeith Somerville has produced a wonderfully complex, compassionate and accessible introductory history of Africa. This book combines the keen eye of a front-line journalist who witnessed some of the continent's most dramatic contemporary events, with the deep analytical perspective of an academic. It works brilliantly. -- Joanna Lewis, Assistant Professor in Imperial and African History, London School of Economics and Political ScienceA provocative and well-argued book, which addresses the importance of continuities as well as change across the vast African continent. In these multiple narratives, African agency is put squarely centre stage. But this is the agency of African elites who, by exploiting inherited structures and weak institutions, have secured and entrenched their own advantage. Given these dynamics, the question remains how far and how fast can broad based socio-economic development be achieved? -- Sue Onslow, Senior Lecturer, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London

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Book SynopsisAmid the turbulence of the 2011 Arab uprisings, the revolutionary uprising that played out in Cairo's Tahrir Square created high expectations before dashing the hopes of its participants. The upheaval led to a sequence of events in Egypt that scarcely anyone could have predicted, and precious few have understood: five years on, the status of Egypt's unfinished revolution remains shrouded in confusion. Power shifted hands rapidly, first from protesters to the army leadership, then to the politicians of the Muslim Brotherhood, and then back to the army. The politics of the street has given way to the politics of Islamist-military detentes and the undoing of the democratic experiment. Meanwhile, a burgeoning Islamist insurgency occupies the army in Sinai and compounds the nation's sense of uncertainty. A Revolution Undone blends analysis and narrative, charting Egypt's journey from Tahrir to Sisi from the perspective of an author and analyst who lived it all. H.A. Hellyer brings his first-hand experience to bear in his assessment of Egypt's experiment with protest and democracy.And by scrutinising Egyptian society and public opinion, Islamism and Islam, the military and government, as well as the West's reaction to events, Hellyer provides a much-needed appraisal of Egypt's future prospects.Trade ReviewHellyer meticulously unpicks the struggle for power that began after Mubarak stepped down, going beyond simplistic depiction of Egypt's post-revolutionary politics as a battle between a (secular) military and so-called deep state against an Islamist or religious opposition. * Financial Times *'A Revolution Undone: Egypt's Road Beyond Revolt ... is informative, concise and interwoven with personal anecdotes and stories by the author, making the read all the more enjoyable ... [T]he thoroughness and richness of the book constitutes not only one of the first comprehensive attempts at a history of post-2011 Egypt, but also provides ample empirical material for a deeper reflection on structure, agency and contingency, thereby making the read worthwhile.' -- LSE, Middle East Centre blog'H.A. Hellyer has written an inimitable book. Specialists and general readers alike will benefit hugely from the accounts exquisitely related by an insider and a fair observer in one. Hellyer's organic link to Egypt and consciously impartial perspective produce a unique combination that we should appreciate, as many of the books published on the subject tend to lean towards one view or one side. His writings have long made clear his consistent and balanced insight -- and in this book, Hellyer lets no one off the hook, calling all to account.' * Hassan Hassan, Associate Fellow of Chatham House; author of the New York Times bestseller ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror *'H.A. Hellyer is eminently qualified to inform, and interpret these punishing years since 2011 which have polarised Egypt and left many searching for certainties. There's an academic's rigour, a pollster's precision, and a journalist's compelling anecdotes in his chronicle of Egypt's 'unfinished revolution.' Committed to the principles of that peaceful protest, he doesn't shirk from holding everyone to account: from the revolutionaries who failed to follow through; the Muslim Brotherhood which fell from grace and power; and a military which played a pivotal role throughout. Egypt's story is still being written. But five years on, this book puts down an important marker.' * Lyse Doucet, Chief International Correspondent, BBC *'Attempting to follow the extraordinary tumult in Egypt has often felt like wading through a dense fog. It takes an assured and skilful navigator to plot a constructive path through the gloom and shine a light where it is needed most. Hellyer is just such a navigator: thoughtful, perceptive and above all committed to the promise of revolution, even as he spells out with intellectual honesty and historical nuance where those fighting for a more democratic Egypt have gone wrong. His analysis is an antidote to lazy stereotypes and reductive binaries, and today it is more important than ever.' * Jack Shenker, former Egypt correspondent for The Guardian; author of The Egyptians: A Radical Story *'A Revolution Undone represents the most authoritative, thoughtful, and nuanced account to date of Egypt's 2011 revolution and its aftermath. The book is replete with the kind of unique insight that emerges only from direct proximity to the events it describes. Hellyer's is a voice of studious integrity, allowing the book to achieve the near impossible when it comes to analysing Egyptian politics today: balance and perspective. A bold, defining, and -- ultimately -- hopeful statement on the Arab Spring that should be read by anyone interested in the future of the Middle East.' * Peter Mandaville, Professor of International Affairs at George Mason University; author of Islam and Politics *'Throughout the tumultuous events of 2011-2015, H.A. Hellyer has been a lucid but hardly dispassionate analyst. Now he has written a book presenting that period that draws on the same assets as his contemporaneous analyses: he writes from the heart but without losing a touch of his clear-headed thinking. Those who remember only a confused tumble of events will find a sure guide, but even those who recall these events well will learn from his book.' * Nathan J Brown, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at George Washington University *'It is hard to imagine a better qualified analyst of recent Egyptian history than H.A. Hellyer: a British political scientist of Egyptian heritage, conversant in the modern history of Islamic thought, equipped with the most credible public opinion polling, well-connected with a broad circle of activists and diplomats, and a Cairo resident who personally lived through the upheavals of both 2011 and 2013. Hellyer started out cautious about the first protests in 2011 but he came to identify what he calls Egypt's 'revolutionary current' as its best hope, and his honest and probing account of those events will be a great resource for future students of that history.' * David D. Kirkpatrick, correspondent for The New York Times and its Cairo bureau chief from 2011-2015 *'H.A. Hellyer has written a deeply knowledgeable and personal set of reflections on the Egyptian revolution and its grim aftermath. It is impossible to read this book and not come away with a sense of the spirit that drove the young people of Tahrir Square in the early days of 2011, and which drives many Egyptians still. Many books have been written with the words 'Egypt' and 'Revolution' in their titles, but this is the only one worth reading.' * Tarek Masoud, Sultan of Oman Associate Professor of International Relations at Harvard University; author of Counting Islam: Religion, Class and Elections in Egypt *'A Revolution Undone combines in the most revealing of ways both the author's participatory observations and his analytical skill in tackling questions of politics, religion and human rights. This is a persuasive analysis of the structural realities hindering democratic governance in this most populous country in the Middle East.' * Amr Hamzawy, Associate Professor, Department of Public Policy and Administration at the American University in Cairo; author of A Margin for Democracy in Egypt: The Story of An Unsuccessful Transition *'To see Egypt through H.A. Hellyer's eyes is to observe with rare immediacy the turmoil, excitement, lost hopes, and ultimate uncertainty since the heady days of protest in 2011. Engage but never one-sided, affecting but also clear-headed, he powerfully demonstrates how an Islamist right and authoritarian military have each tried to highjack the post-Mubarak order. That this will be a successful revolution in the long term depends, in this eloquent and unflinching analysis, on whether the precipitating search for dignity is not betrayed.' * James Piscatori, Professor of International Relations, Durham University *'Hellyer combines an engaging personal memoir with insightful and balanced analyses to present a clear portrayal of the Arab Spring revolution in Egypt. His account departs from the all-too-common treatment of the major elements as monolithic, and instead, provides an understanding of the complex mosaic of Arab Spring politics in Egypt. One strength of his analysis is his coverage of the evolution of coverage of the changing political scene. As he shows, observers played important roles in constructing the various narratives of the revolution. In the growing library of books on the Arab Spring, Hellyer provides a refreshingly intimate perspective that will be of use to all interested in twenty-first century political developments.' * John Voll, Professor Emeritus of Islamic History, Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University *'Part personal narrative, part contemporary history, H.A. Hellyer's A Revolution Undone provides a brilliant, gripping account of Egypt's 2011 revolution and its aftermath. Told from the unique perspective of someone who lived through and bore witness to these historic events, the book is most notable for its analytical and moral clarity. Ultimately, the author's conclusion is an uplifting one: the young revolutionaries who flooded Tahrir Square may have failed to change the political order in Egypt, but the idea of the revolution continues to inspire and have resonance in that country and far beyond.' * Stephen R. Grand, Executive Director, The Middle East Strategy Task Force, The Atlantic Council; author of Understanding Tahrir Square *

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Book SynopsisThe Mayor of Mogadishu tells the story of one family's epic journey through Somalia's turmoil, from the optimism of independence to its spectacular unravelling.Mohamud 'Tarzan' Nur was born a nomad, and became an orphan, then a street brawler in the cosmopolitan port city of Mogadishu - a place famous for its cafes and open-air cinemas. When Somalia collapsed into civil war, Tarzan and his young family joined the exodus from Mogadishu, eventually spending twenty years in North London. But in 2010 Tarzan returned to the unrecognisable ruins of a city largely controlled by the Islamist militants of Al-Shabaab. For some, the new Mayor was a galvanising symbol of defiance. But others branded him a thug, mired in the corruption and clan rivalries that continue to threaten Somalia's revival.The Mayor of Mogadishu is an uplifting story of survival, and a compelling examination of what it means to lose a country and then to reclaim it.Trade Review'Andrew Harding, one of the BBC's most intrepid and empathetic journalists ... has chronicled the extraordinarily uplifting life of one Somali, Mohamud Nur, nicknamed Tarzan ... Mr Harding poignantly describes the churning of emotions that many migrants (not just Somalis) experience as they are tossed and tugged between competing cultures.' * The Economist *'Harding is a writer of enviable powers and he brings a lot of empathy to his work. His book is one of the best in recent years to decipher Somalia, a nation that has grabbed much attention but remains opaque. He deftly takes apart clan dynamics and had wonderful access, having won Tarzan’s confidence early in his mayoralty.' -- The New York Review of Books'Andrew Harding, who has repeatedly visited Mogadishu as a BBC journalist since 2000, is fascinated by the city and how to make sense of it. In his new book, Mogadishu becomes legible through the biography of one man, Mohamed Nur, known as "Tarzan".' * Times Literary Supplement *'A dramatic story, which, whilst examining the violence, chaos and corruption of Somalia, manages to be uplifting and redemptive. Written in brilliantly stylish prose, the author structures his narrative in a way that makes this book both informative and highly readable.' * Irish Examiner *'A fluid, sympathetic journalistic foray into the tumultuous history of Somalia as lived by an intriguing impresario and activist. [...] With elegant descriptions, Harding brings this East African coastal country to vivid life.' * Kirkus Reviews, starred review *'The Mayor of Mogadishu tells the story of Somalia with a personal and very human touch without losing sight of complex national political dimensions. [...] Harding peoples the city and brings it alive as a place where lives are lived, ambitions followed, family dramas played out and stories told.' * Mail & Guardian Africa *'The Mayor of Mogadishu is much more than the story of one ambitious Somali politician. It is the modern history of one of the world's most troubled countries, told with sensitivity, wisdom and compassion - and a rollicking good read besides.' * The National *'Africa can be explained in dry prose, in figures, in newspaper reports or it can be explained, as Andrew Harding does in this book, through an astonishing personal story, vivid and utterly memorable. This is a triumph of a book: surprising, informative, and humane.' * Alexander McCall Smith *'A wonderful account of one of the most troubled yet beautiful countries on Earth, told by one of our most gifted and sensitive journalists. This is a book laced with hope amid the dark layers of hatred through which the Mayor of Mogadishu battles.' * Jon Snow, broadcast journalist, Channel 4 News *

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Book SynopsisIn 1961, Rosina ‘Rose’ Martin married John Umelo, a young Nigerian she met on a London Tube station platform, eventually moving to Nigeria with him and their children. As Rose taught Classics in Enugu, they found themselves caught up in Nigeria’s Civil War, which followed the 1967 secession of Eastern Nigeria--now named Biafra. The family fled to John’s ancestral village, then moved from place to place as the war closed in. When it ended in 1970, up to 2 million had died, most from starvation. Rose (‘worse off than some, better off than many’) had kept notes, capturing the reality of living in Biafra--from excitement in the beginning to despair towards the end. Immediately after the war, Rose turned her notes into a narrative that described the ingenious ways Biafrans made do, still hoping for victory while their territory shrank and children starved by the thousand. Now anthropologist S. Elizabeth Bird contextualises Rose’s story, providing background on the progress of the war and international reaction to it. Edited and annotated, Rose’s vivid account of life as a Biafran ‘Nigerwife’ offers a fresh, new look at hope and survival through a brutal war. Trade Review‘Umelo’s harrowing account does not exoticize . . . she captures the reality of living in Biafra – from the early excitement to the bitter end. Surviving Biafra takes its place in a valuable corpus of grassroots accounts . . . Putting ordinary people to the fore, it reminds us that women often pay the greatest price in war.’'A vital female contribution to discourse on the war.' -- Africa Today‘Reading 'Surviving Biafra' is in many ways exceptionally thrilling. The text is a combination of history, autobiography, biography and strands of a story including what could be described as semi-fictions to make a new literary genre.’ -- African Studies QuarterlyA captivating account of Nigeria's war. Having heard the voices of a cross-section of Igbo and Nigerian women, we welcome the voice of a woman from across the seas who lived through the tragedy with us.' -- Egodi Uchendu'Rosina Umelo, an English teacher married to a Biafran, lived through Nigeria's civil war, giving birth and raising a family in the middle of it. This is both her story and the story of the people she lived among, vividly told.' -- Jonathan Derrick'Here is a book on Biafra that juxtaposes the dualities: the historical and figurative narratives; history and memory; the complexity and simplicity of politics and warfare; the incredulity and reality of facts; the very essence of life and death; and the personal engagements with plenty and hunger, desire and denial.' -- Toyin Falola

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Book SynopsisWhen South Sudan's war began, the Beatles were playing their first hits and reaching the moon was an astronaut's dream. Half a century later, with millions massacred in Africa's longest war, the continent's biggest country split in two. It was an extraordinary, unprecedented experiment. Many have fought, but South Sudan did the impossible, and won. This is the story of an epic fight for freedom. It is also the story of a nightmare. First Raise a Flag details one of the most dramatic failures in the history of international state-building. Three years after independence, South Sudan was lowest ranked in the list of failed states. War returned, worse than ever. Peter Martell has spent over a decade reporting from palaces and battlefields, meeting those who made a country like no other: warlords and spies, missionaries and mercenaries, guerrillas and gunrunners, freedom fighters and war crime fugitives, Hollywood stars and ex-slaves. Under his seasoned foreign correspondent's gaze, he weaves with passion and colour the lively history of the world's newest country. First Raise a Flag is a moving reflection on the meaning of nationalism, the power of hope and the endurance of the human spirit. Trade Review‘I relished Peter Martell’s First Raise a Flag , which examines how Africa’s newest nation state plunged back into civil war so soon after its hopeful, excited birth. Martell spent more than a decade reporting the story and it’s an account full of vivid, telling detail.’'[A] readable, rigorous and important account of the tragedy of the world’s youngest nation . . Martell’s experience, gained over years of living in and reporting on the country, is invaluable . . . his writing is powerful and moving.’ '[A] striking and moving evocation of the terrible last sixty years [South Sudan] has undergone . . . this book is a labour of love for the people of South Sudan and an expression of hope for their future.'‘I was utterly gripped by Peter Martell’s superbly written 'First Raise a Flag: How South Sudan Won the Longest War but Lost the Peace.' It’s expertly organised and holds the reader from start to finish.’ -- Middle East Eye Books of the Year 2019, selected by Peter Oborne‘[Martell conducts] remarkable interviews with ageing mercenaries and retired spies … [his] account elegantly reinforces again and again how almost none of [the] foreign interventions were about South Sudan itself.’ -- Rory Stewart in 'The New York Review of Books'‘Contains fascinating tales from his reporting as South Sudan prepared for, celebrated and then dealt with the realities of independence. … detailed, wonderfully accessible work for those interested in South Sudan and the dilemmas of new statehood.’ -- Washington Post, The Monkey Cage Blog'It's [Martell's] first-person account that drives this compelling, harrowing story. . . . This is an important and deeply moving book.' * Geographical *‘[A] gut-wrenching chronicle of human depravity that shows how ordinary people can become barbarians.’ -- Foreign Affairs'One of those who has covered South Sudan the longest, Martell combines eyewitness reporting with extensive research to produce a solid account of this tragedy.''This is a remarkable piece of work. It manages to pull off the rare feat of being both meticulously-researched and extremely accessible. Putting any journalistic ego to one side, Martell gives us the benefits of over a decade of reportage. He wades through yellowing colonial archives, tracks down Mossad operatives and quizzes white mercenaries, but it's the experiences and reflections of the South Sudanese men and women who shaped and lived this turbulent history that dominate the narrative.' -- Michela Wrong, author of 'Borderlines' and 'It's Our Turn to Eat''Peter Martell arrived earlier and stayed longer than any of us who covered South Sudan’s independence and the bloody catastrophe that followed. Here he reveals the foundation of his insightful, precise reports: a deep, first-hand knowledge of the centuries of history of how the world’s newest nation came to be, stuffed with insightful research, delightful details and searing lessons for those bright-eyed foreigners of yesterday and today so in love with their own idea of freedom that they feel they must impose it on others. Lyrical, revelatory, quietly outraged and deeply moving.' -- Alex Perry, author of 'The Rift: A New Africa Breaks Free''Peter Martell’s combination of eye-witness reporting and historical research makes for a compelling account of the bloody birth of South Sudan. A highly readable book about the world’s newest country, and a study of what it means to be a nation.' -- Lindsey Hilsum, International Editor, Channel 4 News, and author of 'Sandstorm: Libya in the Time of Revolution''First Raise a Flag is an engrossing read that combines years of journalistic insight with compassionate storytelling and deciphers the complex recent history of the world’s youngest country.' -- Levison Wood, author of 'Walking the Nile' and other works of non-fiction'First Raise a Flag is an eloquently written and admirably lucid account of the dramatic birth, and ongoing death, of South Sudan. It is a remarkable story. As the world’s newest nation plunged into civil war and became a failed state, Peter Martell has been a stubborn, compassionate eyewitness, and he deserves high praise for this unflinching elegy for an ill-starred place that he has — despite everything — come to love.' -- Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker staff writer, and author of 'Guerrillas: Journeys in the Insurgent World'

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Book SynopsisWilliam Balfour Baikie was a surgeon, naturalist, linguist, writer, explorer and government consul who played a key role in opening Africa to the Europeans. As an explorer he mapped and charted large sections of the Niger River system as well as the overland routes from Lagos and Lokoja to the major trading centres of Kano, Timbuctu and Sokoto. As a naturalist, major beneficiaries of his work included Kew Gardens and the British Museum for the rare and undiscovered plant and animal species and yet today he remains largely unknown. On 10th December, 1864 Baikie was on his way back to London and was living in his temporary quarters in Sierra Leone. There he worked to regain his health and to complete the various reports and publications expected by the Colonial and Foreign Offices. He had been away from England for seven years and living conditions in West Africa had caused his health to suffer. While his wife and children waited for his return 600 miles away in Lokoja, the city in Nige-ria he had founded, his father waited for his return to Kirkwall, Orkney. Baikie would never return to his wife, nor ever see his father again. In two days, he would be dead and buried at Sierra Leone before his fortieth birthday. In his short life Baikie became such a hero among the Nigerian people 150 years ago that white visitors to the region today are still greeted warmly as 'Baikie'. After studying at University of Edinburgh he was assigned to the Royal Hospital Haslar where he worked with the noted explorers Sir John Richardson and Sir Edward Perry. Baikie's reputation as a naturalist, and the sphere of influence provided by Richardson and Perry, allowed him to enter the elite British scientific community where he also worked alongside the most famous naturalist of the time, Charles Darwin. During his time at Haslar, Baikie made two voyages exploring the Niger and Benue Rivers to establish trading centres for the Liverpool merchant Macgregor Laird. The first was a resounding success. He conducted the first clinical trial using quinine as a preventative for malaria. For the first time in history, his initial exploration of these rivers was conducted without the loss of a single life to fever. Returning to London to a hero's welcome, he was nominated for one of the Royal Geographic Society's prestigious awards. His second voyage was a pure disaster. His ship was wrecked; members of the expedition died and he was stranded for over a year in the vast remote territory known as the Sokoto Caliphate. Following his rescue, he elected to remain alone in Africa for what would be his final years in order to complete his personal mission. Although he was born 4,000 miles away in Orkney, Baikie was designated the King of Lokoja by the ruler of the Sokoto Caliphate. This book defines the man and his accomplishments and reveals how he is so fondly remembered by the Nigerians and yet apparently so totally forgotten by the rest of the world.

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Book SynopsisThis unique book is the first ever written in isiZulu by a Zulu author. Magema Fuze wrote it in the early 1900s, and published it privately in 1922 under the title Abantu Abamnyama, Lapa Bavela Ngakona.In this fascinating work, the author gives his views on racial origins and differences, and describes the settlement of the black people throughout Natal. He records the traditional customs of the Zulu people, and gives an overview of Zulu history during the turbulent period of the nineteenth century, from the perspective of the black people who lived through it. Integrated with this is Bishop Colenso's account of Natal history, which Fuze reproduces and comments on. Of added interest is Hlonipha Mokoena's foreword that offers insightful commentary on the contextual realities and challenges of the time.

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Book SynopsisZina Saro-Wiwa: Did You Know We Taught Them How to Dance? is the first publication on the work of Zina Saro-Wiwa, a British-Nigerian video artist and filmmaker based in Brooklyn. Occupying the space between documentary and performance, Saro-Wiwa’s videos, photographs, and sound produced in the Niger Delta region of southeastern Nigeria from 2013–2015 explore folklore, masquerade traditions, religious practices, food, and Nigerian popular aesthetics. Engaging Niger Delta residents as subjects and collaborators, Saro-Wiwa cultivates strategies of psychic survival and performance, testing contemporary art’s capacity to transform and to envision new concepts of environment and environmentalism. Known for decades for corruption and environmental degradation, the Niger Delta is one of the largest oil producing regions of the world, and until 2010 provided the United States with a quarter of its oil. Saro-Wiwa returns to this contested region—the place of her birth—to tell new stories. Featuring a guest foreword by Ebiegberi Joe Alagoa; essays by Stephanie LeMenager, Amy L. Powell, and Taiye Selasi; an interview with the artist by Chika Okeke-Agulu; and recipes created by the artist.

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