African history Books

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Perhaps no religion has been more maligned and misrepresented than Vodu, Vodún, Vaudou, or Voodoo. Spirit Service engages the top scholars of Vodún in the world to capture the diversity and vitality of this quintessential African religion in a single volume, while at the same time offering a timely and vigorous counternarrative and testament to the Black religious imagination in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas. Indeed, Spirit Service is a tour de force in scale and scope, examining themes as important as they are riveting—art, performance, ritual, healing, resistance, funerary rights. Each treatment captures a complexity of the whole that is Vodún—highlighting the profound ways in which this religion has continued to adapt, rebuild, and reclaim all that is African religion. A must-read for students of African studies, history, religious studies, anthropology, and performance studies."—Nwando Achebe, Jack and Margaret Sweet Endowed Professor of History, Michigan State University"The religious systems known as Vodu, Vodún, Vaudou, Voodoo, Gorovodu, and more have never been so thoroughly explored, interpreted, interrogated, and esteemed as by the writers of this lavish collection. The fourteen chapters in this volume provide extraordinarily diverse descriptions and narratives that allow readers to understand in abundant detail how Vodún (etc.) is not a single religion, but rather a vast global proliferation of sacred beliefs and practices that are in many ways related to one another, yet significantly different from place to place and through different historical periods. Readers will appreciate not only the diversity of forms and intentions of spirit service, but also that of the writers' relationships to their subjects, their closeness to the rituals or their more scientific distance, their identification (or not) with the community they study, their attention to performance, passion, aesthetics, rapture; and finally to political issues, class and race, state intervention, colonialism and its violence. This collection is an excellent and necessary addition to anthropology, history, and religious studies courses on Haiti, Voodoo in the U.S., African cultures, world religions, religious ritual and performance, art, and more."—Judy Rosenthal, Professor Anthropology Emeritus, University of Michigan, Flint"An impressive overview of Beninese Vodún and Haitian Vodou, this volume explores their various manifestations on both sides of the Atlantic. The essays in this anthology examine Vodún and Vodou's common history, their integration in their respective communities, their encounter with Christianity and Islam, and their remarkable adaptability to various social and economic changes. The Middle Passage and chattel slavery, and of late the migration of Vodún and Vodou to many parts of the world has transformed their sacred traditions to produce a multiverse of symbolic forms and has altered their beliefs and ritual practices. The authors examine the current forms of Vodún and Vodou as well as their continuity and discontinuity with their past. Vital for historians of religion, anthropologists, sociologists, and political scientists, this book is likely to be an authoritative collection of essays and an important resource for scholarly research for years to come."—Leslie G. Desmangles, Professor Religious Studies Emeritus, Trinity CollegeTable of ContentsIntroduction, by Christian Vannier and Timothy R. LandryPart I: Encounter1. Vodou Genesis: Africans and the Making of a National Religion in Saint-Domingue, by Terry Rey2. Universalism and Syncretism in Beninese Vodún, by Douglas J. Falen3. Crossing Currents: Gorovodu and Yewevodu in Contemporary Togo, by Eric James Montgomery4. A Prayer for a Muslim Spirit: Islam in Gorovodu, by Christian Vannier5. Where Have All the Ounsi Gone?, by Karen Richman6. Sailing between Local and Global: Vodou in the Modern and Contemporary Arts of Haiti, by Natacha Giafferi-DombrePart II: Engagement7. Taking Hold of a Faith, by Jeffrey E. Anderson8. The Physic(s)ality of Vodún and the (Mis)behavior of Matter, by Venise N. Adjibodou9. Vodou Skins: Making Bodily Surfaces Social in Haitian Vodou Infant-Care, by Alissa M. Jordan10. Spirited Forests and the West African Forest Complex, by Timothy R. Landry11. Vodou, an Inclusive Epistemology: Towards A Queer Eco-Theology of Liberation, by Nixon Cleophat12. Necroscape and Diaspora: Making Ancestors in Haitian Vodou, by Elizabeth McAlister13. Conclusion: Global Vodún and Vodou: Encounter and Engagement, by Eric James Montgomery and Timothy R. LandryIndex

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Book SynopsisGlobal Trade and Cultural Authentication, edited by Joanne Eicher, showcases the complexity and enduring aesthetic and ingenuity of Kalabari artisans. The Kalabari people, most of whom make their homes in the eastern Niger Delta region of western Africa, are renowned for the artistry in working with globally imported textiles and dress for centuries. The 22 essays in this edited volume feature the work of leading Nigerian and American scholars and offer an in-depth, nuanced understanding of Kalabari textiles, aesthetics, and engagement with past and present global trade networks. Using dress and textiles as a lens, Global Trade and Cultural Authentication explores the Kalabari people's centuries-long role in the global trade arena. Their economic interconnectedness demonstrates that Africa was never a dark continent but, rather, critically involved in a global trade built around Kalabari resourcefulness and imagination.Trade ReviewDressing from birth through death in spectacular colors, textiles, and accessories from across the world, the Kalabari of the Niger river delta have a long and changing history of incorporating global influences into their lives. Representing team efforts of Joanne B. Eicher and colleagues from Africa and elsewhere through more than half a century of dedicated scholarship, this finely-honed collection turns previous publications from scattered sources about cultural authentication into a cornucopia of riches. Textile scholars, art historians, and everyone interested in dress-cultures within and beyond Africa and the diaspora will revel in this books' in-depth observations. -- Karen Tranberg Hansen, Professor Emerita, Department of Anthropology, Northwestern UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsPrefaceI. Cultural Authentication and Textiles1. Dress, Textiles, and the Kalabari Material World, by Joanne B. Eicher and Tonye Victor Erekosima2. Kalabari Cut-Thread and Pulled-Thread Cloth, by Tonye Victor Erekosima and Joanne B. Eicher3. Cut-Thread Cloth Characteristics, by Otto Charles Thieme4. "Our Great Mother . . . Tied This Cloth", by Elisha P. Renne5. The Economics of Making Pelete Bite, by Joanne B. Eicher, Tonye Victor Erekosima, and Carl Liedholm6. Indian Madras Plaids as Real India, by Sandra Lee Evenson7. Ecological Systems Theory and the Significance of Imported Madras Cloth, by Joanne B. Eicher, Tonye Victor Erekosima, and Manuella Daba BobManuel-Meyer Petgrave8. India and West Africa, by Barbara Sumberg and Joanne B. Eicher9. Designed for Wrapping, by Hazel Ann LutzII. Kalabari Dress10. Male and Female Artistry, by M. Catherine Daly, Joanne B. Eicher, and Tonye Victor Erekosima11. The Stages of Traditional Womanhood, by M. Catherine Daly12. Dress and Gender in Women's Societies, by Susan O. Michelman and Joanne B. Eicher 13. The Aesthetics of Men's Dress, by Tonye Victor Erekosima and Joanne B. Eicher; with Chapter Addendum: Aesthetics of the Color White in Kalabari Men's Dress, by Tonye Victor Erekosima14. Dress as a Symbol of Identity of Sir (Chief) O. K. Isokariari, by Joanne B. Eicher15. Beaded and Bedecked, by Joanne B. Eicher16. Coral Use and Meaning, by Susan J. Torntore17. Headwear, by Joanne B. Eicher and Tonye Victor ErekosimaIII. Kalabari Rituals18. Celebration and Display, by Joanne B. Eicher and Tonye Victor Erekosima19. Fitting Farewells, by Joanne B. Eicher and Tonye Victor Erekosima20. Centenary and Masquerade Rituals, by Joanne B. Eicher21. Kalabari Rituals and Dress as Multisensory Experiences, by Joanne B. EicherIV. The Kalabari Diaspora22. The Kalabari Diaspora in the Twenty-First Century, by Joanne B. EicherBibliographyGlossaryIndex

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Book SynopsisGlobal Trade and Cultural Authentication, edited by Joanne Eicher, showcases the complexity and enduring aesthetic and ingenuity of Kalabari artisans. The Kalabari people, most of whom make their homes in the eastern Niger Delta region of western Africa, are renowned for the artistry in working with globally imported textiles and dress for centuries. The 22 essays in this edited volume feature the work of leading Nigerian and American scholars and offer an in-depth, nuanced understanding of Kalabari textiles, aesthetics, and engagement with past and present global trade networks. Using dress and textiles as a lens, Global Trade and Cultural Authentication explores the Kalabari people's centuries-long role in the global trade arena. Their economic interconnectedness demonstrates that Africa was never a dark continent but, rather, critically involved in a global trade built around Kalabari resourcefulness and imagination.Trade ReviewDressing from birth through death in spectacular colors, textiles, and accessories from across the world, the Kalabari of the Niger river delta have a long and changing history of incorporating global influences into their lives. Representing team efforts of Joanne B. Eicher and colleagues from Africa and elsewhere through more than half a century of dedicated scholarship, this finely-honed collection turns previous publications from scattered sources about cultural authentication into a cornucopia of riches. Textile scholars, art historians, and everyone interested in dress-cultures within and beyond Africa and the diaspora will revel in this books' in-depth observations. -- Karen Tranberg Hansen, Professor Emerita, Department of Anthropology, Northwestern UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsPrefaceI. Cultural Authentication and Textiles1. Dress, Textiles, and the Kalabari Material World, by Joanne B. Eicher and Tonye Victor Erekosima2. Kalabari Cut-Thread and Pulled-Thread Cloth, by Tonye Victor Erekosima and Joanne B. Eicher3. Cut-Thread Cloth Characteristics, by Otto Charles Thieme4. "Our Great Mother . . . Tied This Cloth", by Elisha P. Renne5. The Economics of Making Pelete Bite, by Joanne B. Eicher, Tonye Victor Erekosima, and Carl Liedholm6. Indian Madras Plaids as Real India, by Sandra Lee Evenson7. Ecological Systems Theory and the Significance of Imported Madras Cloth, by Joanne B. Eicher, Tonye Victor Erekosima, and Manuella Daba BobManuel-Meyer Petgrave8. India and West Africa, by Barbara Sumberg and Joanne B. Eicher9. Designed for Wrapping, by Hazel Ann LutzII. Kalabari Dress10. Male and Female Artistry, by M. Catherine Daly, Joanne B. Eicher, and Tonye Victor Erekosima11. The Stages of Traditional Womanhood, by M. Catherine Daly12. Dress and Gender in Women's Societies, by Susan O. Michelman and Joanne B. Eicher 13. The Aesthetics of Men's Dress, by Tonye Victor Erekosima and Joanne B. Eicher; with Chapter Addendum: Aesthetics of the Color White in Kalabari Men's Dress, by Tonye Victor Erekosima14. Dress as a Symbol of Identity of Sir (Chief) O. K. Isokariari, by Joanne B. Eicher15. Beaded and Bedecked, by Joanne B. Eicher16. Coral Use and Meaning, by Susan J. Torntore17. Headwear, by Joanne B. Eicher and Tonye Victor ErekosimaIII. Kalabari Rituals18. Celebration and Display, by Joanne B. Eicher and Tonye Victor Erekosima19. Fitting Farewells, by Joanne B. Eicher and Tonye Victor Erekosima20. Centenary and Masquerade Rituals, by Joanne B. Eicher21. Kalabari Rituals and Dress as Multisensory Experiences, by Joanne B. EicherIV. The Kalabari Diaspora22. The Kalabari Diaspora in the Twenty-First Century, by Joanne B. EicherBibliographyGlossaryIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"You Can't Go to War without Song is an exceptional ethnography that is carefully and thoughtfully researched and engagingly written with a keen sensitivity to the relational and power dynamics of post-apartheid mobilization movements in South Africa."—Yolanda Covington-Ward, University of PittsburghTable of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsActivist Portrait: Ma Patrycja1. Emergence2. RoutinizationActivist Portrait: Kanelo3. EfflorescenceActivist Portrait: Lebo 4. RupturesActivist Portrait: Willeen5. Countermobilization6. RedemptionConclusionEpilogue: WesleyBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"You Can't Go to War without Song is an exceptional ethnography that is carefully and thoughtfully researched and engagingly written with a keen sensitivity to the relational and power dynamics of post-apartheid mobilization movements in South Africa."—Yolanda Covington-Ward, University of PittsburghTable of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsActivist Portrait: Ma Patrycja1. Emergence2. RoutinizationActivist Portrait: Kanelo3. EfflorescenceActivist Portrait: Lebo 4. RupturesActivist Portrait: Willeen5. Countermobilization6. RedemptionConclusionEpilogue: WesleyBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Seeing the Unseen's broadest impact will be its revisionist call for scholars to both recognize and abandon the structures of knowledge that have shaped the representation of African histories and worldviews, flattened African identities, and reinforced dangerous misconceptions of African lives as bounded by ethnicity, language, and tradition."—Victoria L. Rovine, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillTable of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsNote on NamesIntroduction1. Power Associations2. Assemblages3. Performers and Performances4. Unseeing Audiences5. Komo on ScreenCodaNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"In this revealing book, a distinguished historian trains his eyes on the first two decades of Africa's independence. Erudite and judicious to a fault, Emanuel Akyeampong ranges from religion and the arts to economics and politics to weave a fascinating synthesis that does not skimp on the telling detail and the complexities of a variegated continent. Economists and other social scientists interested in the political economy of development will learn much from this book."—Dani Rodrik, Harvard University"In this fascinating book, distinguished historian Emmanuel Akyeampong offers an insightful, nuanced, and comparative analysis of nation building, economic development, and shifting international relations in select post-independent African countries in the 1960s and 1970s. It brilliantly examines the political and economic thought of the new leaders in the context of the dominant development paradigms of the time, as well as the complex development trajectories of their new nations. An impressive achievement that is a must read for anyone who wishes to understand the political and cultural economies of early postcolonial Africa."—Paul Tiyambe Zeleza, Case Western Reserve University, Ohio, USATable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsAcronyms and AbbreviationsIntroduction1. Africa in the Twentieth Century2. Religion, Culture, and the Arts in the Making of the Africa Nation State3. Economic Imaginaries: African Leaders and Development Economics4. Pan-African Socialism: The African Developmental State, Regional Integration, and Worldmaking5. Nkrumah, Cocoa, and the United States: The Vision of an Industrialized African Nation-StateConclusionNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Elizabeth Perego deconstructs the notion that humor is merely a 'weapon of the weak' by focusing on comedy's myriad functions, demonstrating that humor can support and/or challenge those in power, as well as those seeking power. Stated differently, humor can be used to unify or divide communities."—Jennifer Howell, author of The Algerian War in French-Language Comics: Postcolonial Memory, History, and Subjectivity"Humor and Power in Algeria, 1920 to 2021 is the first book in English to examine in a systematic and sustained manner the role of humor in Algerian history and politics. It is genuinely pioneering. It engages with a subject everyone can connect with—what makes us laugh—but this is an aspect of Algerian society that is little understood outside of Algeria and France. Elizabeth Perego humanizes and de-exoticizes a region that has been subject to so many pernicious stereotypes in the 'Western' media."—Martin Evans, author of Algeria: France's Undeclared War"Humor and Power in Algeria lays out a persuasive case to take jokes seriously as a primary source for writing history. Deeply researched, written with a vivid sense of storytelling and keen theoretical nuance, this study analyzes the myriad forms of humor that have been so central to the political vocabularies of Algerians since the early twentieth century. Perego gathers together a multilingual and heterogeneous archive of Algerian jokes, caricatures, cartoons, slogans, bandes dessinées, theatrical productions, and other works. Pinpointing the ways that such forms of expression exist in relation to state authority yet also elude it—fluid, flexible, ambiguous, and vernacular, humor "can be whispered" across just about any boundary!—Perego sheds light on the particular power that humor took on during the ruptures of October 1988 and the 1990s war. In its critical framing, the book helps to break with scholarly practices that still tend to bind Algeria to its former colonizer by articulating a broader vision of cultural references and exchanges. And, in its steady insistence on listening closely to what civilians themselves were thinking and saying during difficult times, this is above all a tribute to the capaciousness, resilience, and often hilarious brilliance of Algerian imaginations."—Jill Jarvis, author of Decolonizing Memory: Algeria and the Politics of Testimony"In this thoughtful book, Elizabeth Perego argues that humour is more than a coping mecanism. Jokes and caricatures are this historian's way into the sequence of violence experienced by Algeria in the 1990s. She offers an intelligent, at times deeply moving, and always innovative history of violence."—Malika Rahal, author of Algérie 1962: Une histoire populaire

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Elizabeth Perego deconstructs the notion that humor is merely a 'weapon of the weak' by focusing on comedy's myriad functions, demonstrating that humor can support and/or challenge those in power, as well as those seeking power. Stated differently, humor can be used to unify or divide communities."—Jennifer Howell, author of The Algerian War in French-Language Comics: Postcolonial Memory, History, and Subjectivity"Humor and Power in Algeria, 1920 to 2021 is the first book in English to examine in a systematic and sustained manner the role of humor in Algerian history and politics. It is genuinely pioneering. It engages with a subject everyone can connect with—what makes us laugh—but this is an aspect of Algerian society that is little understood outside of Algeria and France. Elizabeth Perego humanizes and de-exoticizes a region that has been subject to so many pernicious stereotypes in the 'Western' media."—Martin Evans, author of Algeria: France's Undeclared War"Humor and Power in Algeria lays out a persuasive case to take jokes seriously as a primary source for writing history. Deeply researched, written with a vivid sense of storytelling and keen theoretical nuance, this study analyzes the myriad forms of humor that have been so central to the political vocabularies of Algerians since the early twentieth century. Perego gathers together a multilingual and heterogeneous archive of Algerian jokes, caricatures, cartoons, slogans, bandes dessinées, theatrical productions, and other works. Pinpointing the ways that such forms of expression exist in relation to state authority yet also elude it—fluid, flexible, ambiguous, and vernacular, humor "can be whispered" across just about any boundary!—Perego sheds light on the particular power that humor took on during the ruptures of October 1988 and the 1990s war. In its critical framing, the book helps to break with scholarly practices that still tend to bind Algeria to its former colonizer by articulating a broader vision of cultural references and exchanges. And, in its steady insistence on listening closely to what civilians themselves were thinking and saying during difficult times, this is above all a tribute to the capaciousness, resilience, and often hilarious brilliance of Algerian imaginations."—Jill Jarvis, author of Decolonizing Memory: Algeria and the Politics of Testimony"In this thoughtful book, Elizabeth Perego argues that humour is more than a coping mecanism. Jokes and caricatures are this historian's way into the sequence of violence experienced by Algeria in the 1990s. She offers an intelligent, at times deeply moving, and always innovative history of violence."—Malika Rahal, author of Algérie 1962: Une histoire populaire

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Book SynopsisThe communities along the coastline of Ghana boast a long and vibrant maritime culture. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the region experienced creeping British imperialism and incorporation into the British Gold Coast colony. Drawing on a wealth of Ghanian archival sources, historian Kwaku Nti shows how many aspects of traditional maritime daily lifecustomary ritual performances, fishing, and concepts of ownership, and landserved as a means of resistance and allowed residents to contest and influence the socio-political transformations of the era. Nti explored how the Ebusua (female) and Asafo (male) local social groups, especially in Cape Coast, became bastions of indigenous identity and traditions during British colonial rule, while at the same time functioning as focal points for demanding a share of emerging economic opportunities. A convincing demonstration of the power of the indigenous everyday life to complicate the reach of empire, Maritime Culture and EverydaTrade Review"This book provides an in-depth study of maritime culture as well as everyday life in 19th and 20th century coastal Ghana, with an emphasis on the social history of Cape Coast. Kwaku Nti, its author, deserves high commendation for his meticulous research and laser-sharp analysis."—A.B. Assensoh, Emeritus Professor, Indiana University"Maritime Culture and Everyday Life in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Coastal Ghana puts Ghanaian fisherfolk, gender-based organizations, and traders front and center in the making of a 'colonial' city. Trying to explain to students how to mine colonial documents and read between the lines for African ideas, frames of reference, goals, and agency? Teach this book. It is a stunning model."—Laura Fair, Columbia University"Maritime Culture and Everyday Life in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Coastal Ghana, Kwaku Nti makes an important contribution to the social history of indigenous African institutions and figures, and the conflicts and compromises brokered between them and British imperialists on Africa's Gold Coast/Ghana. Using the optics of Cape Coast, broader historical patterns are insightfully revealed."—Kwasi Konadu, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Endowed Chair, Colgate University"Maritime Culture and Everyday Life in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Coastal Ghana is a well-written, engaging, compelling book that brilliantly centers Akan people in the telling of their history. Kwaku Nti's use of Akan sources, coupled with his skillful reading of European sources through an Akan lens, opens new vistas for considering Africans' historical experiences. A must read for Africanists and maritime historians, alike."—Kevin Dawson, University of California, Merced

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Book SynopsisThe communities along the coastline of Ghana boast a long and vibrant maritime culture. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the region experienced creeping British imperialism and incorporation into the British Gold Coast colony. Drawing on a wealth of Ghanian archival sources, historian Kwaku Nti shows how many aspects of traditional maritime daily lifecustomary ritual performances, fishing, and concepts of ownership, and landserved as a means of resistance and allowed residents to contest and influence the socio-political transformations of the era. Nti explored how the Ebusua (female) and Asafo (male) local social groups, especially in Cape Coast, became bastions of indigenous identity and traditions during British colonial rule, while at the same time functioning as focal points for demanding a share of emerging economic opportunities. A convincing demonstration of the power of the indigenous everyday life to complicate the reach of empire, Maritime Culture and EverydaTrade Review"This book provides an in-depth study of maritime culture as well as everyday life in 19th and 20th century coastal Ghana, with an emphasis on the social history of Cape Coast. Kwaku Nti, its author, deserves high commendation for his meticulous research and laser-sharp analysis."—A.B. Assensoh, Emeritus Professor, Indiana University"Maritime Culture and Everyday Life in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Coastal Ghana puts Ghanaian fisherfolk, gender-based organizations, and traders front and center in the making of a 'colonial' city. Trying to explain to students how to mine colonial documents and read between the lines for African ideas, frames of reference, goals, and agency? Teach this book. It is a stunning model."—Laura Fair, Columbia University"Maritime Culture and Everyday Life in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Coastal Ghana, Kwaku Nti makes an important contribution to the social history of indigenous African institutions and figures, and the conflicts and compromises brokered between them and British imperialists on Africa's Gold Coast/Ghana. Using the optics of Cape Coast, broader historical patterns are insightfully revealed."—Kwasi Konadu, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Endowed Chair, Colgate University"Maritime Culture and Everyday Life in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Coastal Ghana is a well-written, engaging, compelling book that brilliantly centers Akan people in the telling of their history. Kwaku Nti's use of Akan sources, coupled with his skillful reading of European sources through an Akan lens, opens new vistas for considering Africans' historical experiences. A must read for Africanists and maritime historians, alike."—Kevin Dawson, University of California, Merced

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Book SynopsisThe concept of gender has rarely been used as a category of analysis in African literary circles and feminist theory is often seen as applicable only to western contexts. This book applies gender as a category of analysis to the works of sub-Saharan women writers. It appropriates western feminist theories of gender in an African literary context.Trade ReviewIn this fascinating book Nfah-Abbenyi (Univ. of Southern Mississippi) offers a series of well-written, perceptive essays examining works of well-known African writers such as Buchi Emecheta, Bessie Head, Mariama Bâ (Ba) , Ama Ata Aidoo, and Tsitsi Dangarembga and a number of lesser-known African writers such as Calixthe Beyala, Delphine Zanga Tsogo, and Werewere Liking. Herself an African literary critic, the author takes a critical look at how African women writers coming from both Anglophone and Francophone traditions question and reinterpret the contradictions inherent in gender relations. Using African literary context and her own experiences growing up in Cameroon, she carefully examines feminist theories and how they relate to African literature. She discusses the issue of identity in the development of three major novels—Emecheta's Joys of Motherhood, Dangarembga's Nervous Conditions, and Aidoo's Changes: A Love Story. She follows this with an examination of sexuality in the novels of three Cameroonian writers (Beyala, Zanga Tsogo, and Liking), and a comparative discussion of Head's Maru and two lesser-known novels. This book reaffirms Bessie Head's remark that books are a tool, in this case a tool that allows readers to understand better the rich lives and the condition of African women. Excellent notes and a rich bibliography. Upper-division undergraduates and above.June 1998 -- C. Pike * University of Minnesota *Table of ContentsPreface; Acknowledgements Introduction; 1. Gender, feminist theory, and post-colonial (women's) writing; 2. (Re)constructing identity and subjectivity: Buchi Emecheta, Ama Ata Aidoo, Tsitsi Dangarembga; 3. Sexuality in Cameroonian women writers; Delphine Zanga Tsogo, Calixthe Beyala, Werewere Liking; 4. Women redefining difference: Mariama B , Miriam Tlali, Bessie Head; Conclusion Notes; Bibliography; Index

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewLittle (anthropology, Univ. of Kentucky) shows how since 1991, Somalia has adapted to a freewheeling, stateless capitalism. As in other collapsed African states, the borders between war and peace, official and unofficial, and legal and illegal are fuzzy, especially for pastoralists. Moreover, like Terrance Ranger (The Invention of Tribalism in Zimbabwe, 1985), Little sees ethnicity and clanism as created, manifested, combined, and reconstituted in struggles for political and economic benefits. In the 1990s, the UN and allied parties contributed to the proliferation of clan and subclan by elevating their significance in allocating resources. In some instances, to increase power disguised militia leaders or warlords became elders and their followers clans. Little's thorough, clearly written, and well—organized book is a treat for scholars. His study combines an economic anthropology of Somalian herding and trading communities; explanations of how people survive in failed states and who wins and who loses; how people organize their financial transactions without a central bank; the growth of telecommunications facilities and financial stability amid a collapsed state; how conflict contributes to the decline of major urban areas; and how all these have been affected by the US-led war on terror. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper—division undergraduate through professional collections.E. W. Nafziger, Kansas State University, Choice, may 2004"Little's thorough, clearly written, and well-organized book is a treat for scholars.... Highly recommended." —Choice, May 2004Table of ContentsPreliminary Table of Contents: Acknowledgments1. Introduction to a Stateless Economy2. Land of Livestock3. The Destruction of Rural-Urban Relations4. Tough Choices5. Boom Times in a Bust State6. Life Goes On7. Conclusions: Somalia in a Wider ContextEpilogue: In the Aftermath of September 11thReferences

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Book SynopsisA thoroughly up-to-date revision of a landmark textbook.Trade ReviewA collateral result of the post-September 11, American-driven war on terrorism and military engagement in Afghanistan and Iraq has been a growing interest among Americans and others in the history of French involvement in North Africa, particularly the Algerian War of Independence. Alistair Horne's 1977 study of this war, A Savage War of Peace, with a revised preface by the author evoking Afghanistan and Iraq, has just recently been reprinted (2006). Gillo Pontecorvo's 1965 film, The Battle of Algiers has been made widely available on DVD. Both are required reading and viewing for U.S. military and civilian officials involved with Afghanistan and Iraq. The publication of the present work, the second edition of Modern Algeria: The Origins and Development of a Nation (originally published in 1992) appears to be directed at a similar readership (despite the author's more modest claims); but it also responds specifically to a growing concern about the post, 1992 Islamist insurgency in Algeria. For certain observers, this insurrection appeared to be, at the same time, part of a worldwide Islamic war against the West and a continuation of the War of Independence that the Front de Liberation Nationale (FLN) had fought against the French Army between 1954 and 1962 to win Algerian independence. Thus John Ruedy has made a serious effort to update his book. He has revised chapter 8, "The Bendjedid Years—Readjustment and Crisis," to account for the social and economic crisis, the failed liberal reforms of the 1979—92 period, and the assumption of power by the military—dominated Haut Comite de Securite, following the forced resignation of President Chadli Bendjedid on January 11, 1992. Ruedy has added a ninth chapter, "Insurgency and the Pursuit of Democracy," which chronicles the responses of a succession of military—dominated governments to the Islamist threat and describes the major political, social, and economic developments in Algeria through the April 2004 re—election of Abdelaziz Bouteflika as president of the Algerian Republic. Ruedy has also revised the bibliographical essay and the bibliography which conclude the book. Like the first edition, the second continues to have particular significance for Anglophone readers in a field that is still dominated by French—language literature. * H-Africa *Table of ContentsList of MapsPreface to the Second EditionPreface to the First Edition1. Introduction2. Ottoman Algeria and Its Legacy3. Invasion, Resistance, and Colonization, 1830–18714. The Colonial System and the Transformation of Algerian Society, 1871–19195. The Algerian Nationalist Movement, 1919–19546. The War of Independence, 1954–1962 7. The Challenges of Independence, 1962–19788. The Bendjedid Years—Readjustment and Crisis9. Insurgency and the Pursuit of DemocracyAppendix—Place NamesBibliographical EssayBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisExplores Berber cultural identity and performance in Algeria, France, and on the world music scene.Trade Review. . . This astute and well-written book is essential reading not only for scholars and students of the Middle East and North Africa but also for anyone interested in how history and aesthetic forms combine to create heritage and cultural identity in the public sphere. . . * American Anthropologist *. . . Jane Goodman's Berber Culture on the World Stage: From Village to Video is an absolute gem. Her ability to untangle and articulate complex webs of interaction and levels of meaning is quite impressive. Goodman seamlessly balances the ethnographic with the theoretical, her prose effortlessly flowing from examples to the theories that they demonstrate. The distribution of the book's three sections, moving from history to text to performance, makes the work applicable in a number of classroom settings. Goodman's framework reflects the value of interdisciplinary research, giving readers a better understanding of her subject matter and providing them with intellectual tools with which to analyze and perceive their own academic and personal situations. * Journal of Folklore Research *. . . a most welcome addition to North African scholarship. . . . Such beautifully written depictions of cultural performances within cultural performances make 'Berber Culture on the World Stage' not only a provocative ethnography but also a compelling addition to the classroom, sure to captivate undergraduates through advanced scholars.Vol. 41 2009 -- Paul A. Silverstein * Reed College *Goodman displays a deep grasp of the historical dynamics and local, national, as well as global political and social transformations of Kabyle culture and music. . . . Berber Culture on the World Stage is a valuable source for students and scholars of anthropology, North African studies, and ethnomusicology. * Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsNote on Orthography and TranslationIntroductionPart I. Circuits1. The Berber Spring2. Refracting Berber Identities3. The Mythical VillagePart II. Texts4. Collecting Poems5. Authoring Modernity6. Copyright MattersPart III. Performances7. Staging Gender8. Village to VideoEpilogueNotesWorks CitedIndex

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Book SynopsisColonial Africa saw an explosion of writing and printing. This book considers the profusion of literary culture, the propensity to collect and archive text, and the significance attached to reading as a form of self-improvement. It also explores the innovative, intense, and sociable interest in reading and writing.Trade Review"... the authors - remarkably - have made a long and tortuous story short and simple without smothering the complexities. Their grasp of the various intellectual themes is impressive, so is their even-handedness. The book should be prized among African Studies collections." —Walter Gam Nkwi, University of Buea, Cameroon, African Affairs, Feb. 3, 2009"Comprising an insightful introduction and fifteen richly textured essays, Africa’s Hidden Histories is an important contribution to standing research on a range of topics in twentieth—century African studies. Literary scholars, educationists, and social, political, and intellectual historians will draw particular benefit and pleasure from the unhurried, penetrating studies—incorporating an abundance of engrossing illustrations and photographs—that mark the volume’s status as a major archival and theoretical project." —African Studies Review"This is on many levels an exceptionally engaging book.... Africa's everyday writers can have no better introduction to the scholarly world than Karin Barber's exciting book. This is a volume that should command wide readership." —Derek R. Peterson, Selwyn College, University Cambridge, Jrnl Royal Anthropological Inst JRAI , Vol. 14. 3 Sept. 2008Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Hidden Innovators in Africa Karin BarberPart 1. Diaries, Letters, and the Constitution of the Self1. "My Own Life": A. K. Boakye Yiadom's Autobiography—The Writing and Subjectivity of a Ghanaian Teacher-Catechist Stephan F. Miescher2. "What is our intelligence, our school going and our reading of books without getting money?" Akinpelu Obisesan and His Diary Ruth Watson3. The Letters of Louisa Mvemve Catherine Burns4. Ekukhanyeni Letter-Writers: A Historical Inquiry into Epistolary Network(s) and Political Imagination in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa Vukile Khumalo5. Reasons for Writing: African Working-Class Letter-Writing in Early-Twentieth-Century South Africa Keith Breckenridge6. Keeping a Diary of Visions: Lazarus Phelalasekhaya Maphumulo and the Edendale Congregation of AmaNazaretha Liz Gunner7. Schoolgirl Pregnancies, Letter-Writing, and "Modern" Persons in Late Colonial East Africa Lynn M. ThomasPart 2. Reading Cultures, Publics, and the Press8. Entering the Territory of Elites: Literary Activity in Colonial Ghana Stephanie Newell9. The Bantu World and the World of the Book: Reading, Writing, and "Enlightenment" Bhekizizwe Peterson10. Reading Debating/Debating Reading: The Case of the Lovedale Literary Society, or Why Mandela Quotes Shakespeare Isabel Hofmeyr11. "The present battle is the brain battle": Writing and Publishing a Kikuyu Newspaper in the PreMau Mau Period in Kenya Bodil Folke Frederiksen12. Public but Private: A Transformational Reading of the Memoirs and Newspaper Writings of Mercy Ffoulkes-Crabbe Audrey GadzekpoPart 3. Innovation, Cultural Editing, and the Emergence of New Genres13. Writing, Reading, and Printing Death: Obituaries and Commemoration in Colonial Asante T. C. McCaskie14. Writing, Genre, and a Schoolmaster's Inventions in the Yoruba Provinces Karin Barber15. Innovation and Persistence: Literary Circles, New Opportunities, and Continuing Debates in Hausa Literary Production Graham FurnissList of ContributorsIndex

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Book SynopsisMaltese settlers in colonial Algeria had never lived in France, but as French citizens were abruptly "repatriated" there after Algerian independence in 1962. This study provides insight into race, ethnicity, and nationalism in Europe as well as cultural context for understanding political trends in contemporary France.Trade Review"Intersects with very active areas of research in history and anthropology, and links these domains of inquiry spanning Europe and North Africa in a creative and innovative fashion." --Douglas Holmes, Binghamton UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgments1. A Song in Malta2. Maltese Settler Clubs in France3. A Hierarchy of Settlers and the Liminal Maltese4. The Algerian Melting Pot5. The Ambivalence of Assimilation6. The French-Algerian War and Its Aftermath7. Diaspora, Rejection, and Nostalgérie8. Settler Ethnicity and Identity Politics in Postcolonial France9. Place, Replaced: Malta as Algeria in the Pied-noir ImaginationNotesSources CitedIndex

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Book SynopsisAn insight into the meaning and value of popular forms of expression during a time of political and social change in East Africa.Trade Review. . . Edmondson's book is a significant study for Africanists, anthropologists, and post-socialist scholars looking to identify the way the artists, the state, and audiences negotiate and interpret meaning in public performances. It is also an important contribution to the limited academic writing on the theatre arts in Tanzania. * Journal of Folklore Research *. . . the book is also highly stimulating, thought-provoking, and informative. It is a significant contribution to the study of contemporary musical and theatrical performances and society in Tanzania. -- Imani Sanga * University Dar es Salaam, Tanzania *. . . What Edmondson accomplishes with a real sense of dramatic tension in her writing is to explore the particular appeal and philosophy of each group as they battle for artistic and financial supremacy. She does this within a framework which sees each group as expressive of a particular attitude towards the post-one-party and newly capitalist state that emerged in the 1990s. -- Jane Plastow * University of Leeds *. . . this study of the multifaceted character of the three troupes' [TOT (Tanzania Theatre One), the Muungano Cultural Troupe, and the Mandela Cultural Troupe] artistic practices is a valuable contribution to mapping the state of the performing arts in sub-Saharan Africa. It invites further investigation into one of the region's most fascinating phenomena: the traveling, popular, commercial theatre movement. -- Joachim Fiebach * Berlin *[Edmondson's] research is solid, her theory sound, and her writing style enjoyable. Performance and Politics in Tanzania will make a valuable addition to any scholar's library. * Cultural Analysis *Table of ContentsContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Acts of Complicity: Meanings, Methods, and MapsPart 1. Imagining the Nation1. Performing, Transforming, and Reforming Tanzania: A Historical Tale2. Alternative Nations: Locating Tradition, Morality, and PowerPart 2. Sexing the Nation3. National Erotica: The Politics of Ngoma4. Popular Drama and the Mapping of HomePart 3. Contesting the Nation5. Culture Wars: TOT versus Muungano6. A Victor Declared: Popular Performance in the New MillenniumGlossary of Swahili TermsNotesList of ReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisTraces the longstanding interaction between these two regions, showing that the Indian Ocean world provides many examples of cultural flows that belie our understanding of globalization as a recent phenomenon. This work features contributors on this topic from the fields of history, literature, dance, sociology, gender studies, and religion.Trade Review. . . the essays in this volume on Indian Ocean slavery and the African settlements in India are a useful lens into the larger debates that surround this rapidly growing arena of scholarly study.Vol. 40.3 August 2009 -- Gaurav Desai * Tulane University *[A]dds to the growing literature on the Indian Ocean world . . . and cultural interpretations and representations of India and Africa in art, film, music, religion, and other intellectual and sociocultural activities. The text serves as a great introduction or 'crash course' because aspects of the volume serve as historiography of fiction and non-fiction literature about the Indian Ocean and its diasporas all over the globe. Vol. 44.2 2009 -- Catherine Cymone Fourshey * Susquehanna University *Table of ContentsContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Unrecorded Lives, by John C. Hawley1. Slave Trades and Indian Ocean World, by Gwyn CampbellPart 1. India in Africa2. The Indentured Experience: Indian Women in Colonial Natal, by Devarakshanam Govinden3. Shops and Stations: Rethinking Power and Privilege in British/Indian East Africa, by Savita Nair4. Bhangra Remixes, by Anjali Gera Roy5. "Hindu" Dance Groups and Indophilie in Senegal: The Imagination of the Exotic Other, by Gwenda Vander Steene6. The Idea of "India" in West African Vodun Art and Thought, by Dana Rush7. Politics and Poetics of the Namesake in Mauritius: Barlen Pyamootoo's Bénarès, by Thangam RavindranathanPart 2. Africa in India8. Siddi as Mercenary or as African Success Story on the West Coast of India, by Rahul C. Oka and Chapurukha M. Kusimba9. Religion and Empire: Belief and Identity Among African Indians of Karnataka, South India, by Pashington Obeng10. Marriage and Identity among the Sidis of Janjira and Sachin, by John McLeod11. African Indians in Bollywood: Kamal Amrohi's Razia Sultan, by Jaspal SinghList of ContributorsIndex

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Book SynopsisLooks at the conditions that created a legacy of violence in Nigeria. This book examines violence as a tool of domination and resistance, however unequally applied, to get to the heart of why Nigeria has not built a successful democracy.Trade ReviewToyin Falola has worked extensively on both the impact of colonial rule and the role of violence in structuring social relations in Nigeria, and [this book] clearly stands at the intersection of two significant areas of his research.... [A] very welcome addition to the literature on Nigeria.2010, Volume 51 * The Journal of African History *Overall, this book brings a refreshing angle to a familiar subject. . . . The framework of violence particularly allows us to see both the power and limitations of the colonial state and in so doing, marks an important contribution to the broader scholarship on British imperialism in Africa. December 2010 * American Historical Review *Colonialism and Violence in Nigeria is an indispensable resource for lecturers, and will endure as a useful synthesis for researchers and devotees of Nigerian history. Vol. 43, no. 2, 2010 * Intl. Journal of African Historical Studies *This book is another strong contribution from Africa's most prolific historian. . . . Recommended.July 2010 * Choice *This is an important topic, and it would take a scholar of Falola's prodigious range to do it justice. Indeed, the volume he has produced provides a useful and readable overview to the problem. July, 2010 * H-Net Reviews *Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsMajor Events in Nigerian History Covered in This Book1. Violence and Colonial Conquest2. Resistance by Violence3. Violence and Colonial Consolidation4. Taxation and Conflicts5. Gendered Violence6. Verbal Violence and Radical Nationalism7. Labor, Wages, and RiotsConclusion: Violence and Political CultureNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisWhy hasn't Africa been able to respond to the challenges of modernity and globalization? Going against the conventional wisdom that colonialism brought modernity to Africa, this book claims that Africa was already becoming modern and that colonialism was an unfinished project.Trade ReviewThis is undoubtebly a stimulating book ... that deserves to be widely read. Its engagingly polemical style and provocative conclusions will no doubt enliven many a future seminar discussions.April 2011 * American Historical Review *This courageous book, written with verve, clarity and an impressive command of social theory, is essentially a work of 'philosophical history', a morally engaged analysis of Africa's contemporary predicament in the light of a particular, selective reading of its history. Vol. 81.3, 2011 * Africa *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Of Subjectivity and SociocryonicsPart 1. Colonialism1. Colonialism: A Philosophical Profile2. Running Aground on Colonial Shores: The Saga of Modernity and Colonialism3. Prophets without Honor: African Apostles of Modernity in the Nineteenth Century4. Reading the Colonizer's Mind: Lord Lugard and the Philosophical Foundations of British ColonialismPart 2. The Aftermath5. The Legal Legacy: Twilight Before Dawn6. Two Modern African ConstitutionsPart 3. Looking Forward7. Globalization: Doing It Right This Time AroundConclusionNotesSelected BibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisPresents the lives and experiences of women traders in Kumasi. This book shows that market women are intimately connected with economic policy on a global scale.Trade ReviewClark . . . offers intriguing insights into the lives of seven Akan women traders. . . . Recommended. * Choice *Overall, this is an excellent book: it will be useful in undergraduate teaching and makes an important contribution to our understanding of the richness and variety of women's lives in West Africa. * Journal of Africa *Shows, in direct speech, how family, kinship, marriage and age/generation work together in a daily life which is shaped by political, demographic, cultural, and wholly accidental change in people's circumstances. -- Jane Guyer * Johns Hopkins University *[This] book may be read as both a scholarly study and a collection of primary sources: accessible to a general reader, and likely to be of particular interest to students and scholars seeking knowledge about Ghana, women's studies, and/or African social history and economic life. For readers who are already familiar with Clark's first book, African Market Women will be a welcome and rewarding companion volume. July, 2010 * H-Africa, H-Net Reviews *African Market Women is a wonderfully evocative compilation of seven life histories from Kumasi, Ghana, of women Gracia Clark encountered in the course of a lifetime of fieldwork with marketers and study of the anthropology of marketing.April 2012 * African Studies Review *African Market Women provides a unique insider's view into the highly complicated workings of the West African commodities trade. Through the words of some of the market's most accomplished veterans, readers can see the daily efforts involved in distribution and marketing of some of Ghana's most essential household items.Vol. 43, no. 2, 2010 * Intl Jrnl. of African Historical Studies *Provides rich and nuanced insight into a range of themes which are at the very heart of late colonial and postcolonial scholarship on Africa: globalization, gender and economic security, economic decline, structural adjustment, changes in family structure, urbanization, environmental degradation, new forms of spirituality, transnational migration, and the politics of memory. -- Jean Allman * Washington University *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Trading Lives1. Abenaa Adiiya Portrait: An Adventurer on the Road Story: Patience and Pleading2. Maame Kesewaa Portrait: A Quiet Saver Story: Someone Has Set Herself a Goal3. Madame Ataa Portrait: A Good Citizen Story: A Man Would Marry You Properly4. Amma Pokuaa Portrait: A Market Daughter Story: All of Them Depend upon Me5. Auntie Afriyie Portrait: A Shrewd Dealer Story: If You Have Wisdom, You Can Do Many Jobs6. Sister Buronya Portrait: An International Observer Story: If I Had Money, I Would Go7. Maame Nkrumah Portrait: A Grateful Sister Story: She Has Cared For Me and My ChildrenConclusion: Little by LittleAppendixGlossaryNotesReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisThe dynamism and creativity of African fashionTrade Review[A]s a scholarly text Contemporary African Fashion provides an important interdisciplinary analysis of a subject relevant to art historians, fashion historians, anthropologists, and historians alike. It would fit well within graduate-level reading lists for courses in African art history and histories of fashion. * caa.reviews *Contemporary African Fashion is beautifully designed and graced with compelling photos. . . . Together, the essays reinforce the idea of ever-evolving tradition and cultural interaction, and the great importance of personal appearance on the African continent. While the composite picture that emerges is informative, it is the richness of the specific stories that make this anthology compelling. April 27, 2011 * Journal of Folklore Research *[This is] a richly documented, well-argued, thought-provoking and beautifully illustrated study of contemporary African fashion. * de Arte *The book is beautifully designed and features high-quality photographs illustrating the various topics addressed. The chapters are kept to a comfortable length, which makes the volume also a suitable tool for teaching. * African Arts *Table of ContentsForeword by Joanne B. EicherAcknowledgmentsIntroduction / Suzanne Gott and Kristyne LoughranPart 1. Fashion within the African Continent 1. The Ghanaian Kaba: Fashion That Sustains Culture / Suzanne Gott 2. The Visual City: Tailors, Creativity, and Urban Life in Dakar, Senegal / Joanna Grabski 3. Secondhand Clothing and Fashion in Africa / Karen Tranberg Hansen 4. Fashion, Not Weather: A Rural Primer of Style / Elisabeth L. Cameron 5. Contemporary Wedding Fashions in Lagos, Nigeria / Elisha P. RennePart 2. African Fashion Designers 6. African Fashion: Design, Identity, and History / Victoria L. Rovine 7. Using the Past to Sculpt the Costume of the Future: An Interview with Kandioura Coulibaly / Janet Goldner 8. Intersecting Creativities: Oumou Sy's Costumes in the Dakar Landscape / Hudita Nura Mustafa 9. From Cemetery to Runway: Dress and Identity in Highland Madagascar / Rebecca L. GreenPart 3. African Fashion in the Diaspora 10. La Sape Exposed! High Fashion among Lower-Class Congolese Youth: From Colonial Modernity to Global Cosmopolitanism / Didier Gondola 11. Have Cloth—Will Travel / Kristyne Loughran 12. Dressing Somali (Some Assembly Required) / Heather Marie Akou 13. Translating African Textiles into U.S. Fashion Design: Brenda Winstead and Damali Afrikan Wear / Leslie W. RabineFurther ReadingsList of Contributing AuthorsIndex

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Book SynopsisDiscusses the cinematic vision of North African women's directorsTrade ReviewFlorence Martin's Screens and Veils . . . manages to effectively shed a light on the diverse yet underrepresented cinema of Maghrebi women.5.1 2014 * Transnational Cinemas *'Screens and Veils' provides an excellent presentation and analysis of women's filmmaking from North Africa. . . Its attention to contemporary film theory is matched by its presentation of materials derived from Martin's interviews with filmmakers, interviews that reveal a sincere engagement with the filmmakers and a deep understanding of contemporary production. In short, this is a fine book that will be of interest to anyone working on or teaching film and gender studies in North African and Middle Eastern studies, and beyond.44 2013 * Journal of Arabic Literature *[T]his study constitutes an important and timely addition to the study of Francophone cinemas and of Maghrebi cinemas in particular.86.2 * FRENCH REVIEW *Martin's 'Screens and Veils' provides a welcome addition to the rapidly expanding field of Maghrebi film studies. . . Martin is at once a creative and complete commentator of films, and her book stands to become a staple for novices and experts of the filmic Maghreb alike. * Film Criticism *Screens and Veils: Maghrebi Women's Cinema . . . offers an insightful and novel alternative to the usual postcolonial feminist approaches to Maghrebi women's film studies. Rather than providing the reader with an encyclopedic summary, or a historical accounting of the topic, Martin's work argues for a transnational feminist reading of Maghrebi cinema that speaks to the fluid interplay between various cultural systems, narrative structures, and aesthetic forms across borders and among diverse cultural audiences. * Research in African Literatures *This book inscribes a new chapter in women filmmaking on the Maghreb; it makes an important contribution to cinema, literature, and cultural studies. . . . Highly recommended. * Choice *Table of ContentsOverture: Maghrebi Women's Transvergent CinemaAct I: Transnational Feminist Storytellers: Shahrazad, Assia, and Farida1. Assia Djebar's Transvergent Narrative in The Nuba of the Women of Mount Chenoua (Algeria, 1978)2. Farida Benlyazid's Initiated Audiences in A Door to the Sky (Morocco, 1998)Act II: Screens & Veils3. Yamina Bachir-Chouikh's Transvergent Echoes in Rachida (Algeria, 2002)4. Raja Amari's Screen of the Haptic in Red Satin (Tunisia, 2002)5. Nadia El Fani's Multiple Screens and Veils in Bedwin Hacker (Tunisia, 2002)Act III: From Dunyazad to Transvergent Audiences6. Yasmina Kassari's "Burning" Screens in The Sleeping Child (Morocco, 2004)7. Selma Baccar's Transvergent Spectatorship in Khochkhach (Tunisia, 2006)CodaAppendix A: Political and Cinematic ChronologyAppendix B: Primary FilmographyBibliography

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Book SynopsisInvestigates Muslim politics and society in 19th-century West Africa. This book presents a study that revises late-19th-century colonialist assumptions about a West African Muslim social movement. Using indigenous Arabic manuscripts, travel narratives, and oral materials, it assesses the meaning of a series of revolts against Islamic authority.Table of ContentsPrefaceNote on OrthographyIntroduction1. Umar's Jihad and the First Crisis at Nioro2. The Umarian Consolidation in Karta3. Amadu Sheku and the Second Crisis at Nioro4. French Expansion and the Third Crisis at Nioro5. The End of the Umarian Era in KartaConclusionAppendix: Cast of Principal CharactersNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisQuestions to what extent art operates as political strategy. This title demonstrates that it is possible to tease out the political meaning of material objects and thereby illuminate the connections between art and politics.Trade Review"The wealth of historiographic resources, the command of relevant literature, the ethnographic research and prudent use of oral traditions give this work a high degree of ... intellectual excitement... a landmark in the field." - Warren d'AzevedoTable of ContentsPreface and AcknowledgmentsIntroductionThe Study of 18th-Century Benin ArtKings and Chiefs in the 17th and 18th CenturiesArt and Innovation in the 18th CenturyObas Ewuakpe, Akenzua I and Eresoyen in 18th-Century Art and TraditionArt as Political StrategyGlossary of NamesGlossary of TermsNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisIn this groundbreaking study of post-conflict Sierra Leone, Lyn Graybill examines the ways in which both religion and local tradition supported restorative justice initiatives such as the national Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and village-level Fambul Tok ceremonies.Through her interviews with Christian and Muslim leaders of the Inter-Religious Council, Graybill uncovers a rich trove of perspectives about the meaning of reconciliation, the role of acknowledgment, and the significance of forgiveness. Through an abundance of polling data and her review of traditional practices among the various ethnic groups, Graybill also shows that these perspectives of religious leaders did not at all conflict with the opinions of the local population, whose preferences for restorative justice over retributive justice were compatible with traditional values that prioritized reconciliation over punishment.These local sentiments, however, were at odds with the international Trade Review"Lyn Graybill has produced a detailed, well-researched, and eminently readable account of how Sierra Leone emerged at the start of the century from a decade of turmoil and bloody conflict. In the country’s efforts to achieve peace and democracy, reconciliation and justice, a struggle with which I was closely involved, Sierra Leone was subjected unusually to both a War Crimes Court and a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Graybill highlights how one should take due account of traditional practices in promoting reconciliation and restorative justice, including the role of key indigenous players such as religious leaders, alongside the somewhat heavy-handed efforts of outside influences—lessons from which we should continue to learn as we grapple with ongoing conflicts in the world today." —Peter Penfold, former British High Commissioner to Sierra Leone (1997–2000)"Outside observers of Sierra Leone’s brutal civil war often express puzzlement about the evident lack of rancor among the general population towards former 'rebels' and rogue soldiers who committed heinous atrocities during the war. Lyn Graybill’s penetrating and well-researched book offers a persuasive explanation for this, justly crediting the use of religious and traditional resources by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (and by local leaders and conciliators) for helping create the facilitating environment. This is a very important contribution to the debate on transitional justice in Africa and a valuable addition to the literature on Sierra Leone's 'rebel' war." —Lansana Gberie, author of A Dirty War in West Africa: The RUF and the Destruction of Sierra Leone"How and when are reconciliation and forgiveness possible? And what is the role of religion here? Lyn Graybill's interesting book makes an original contribution and shows some of the limitations of justice-through-punishment while highlighting the importance of traditional and religiously based modes of reconciliation." —David Keen, London School of Economics and Political Science“Inspired by unanswered questions arising from her noted research on transitional justice in the case of South Africa, Lyn Graybill has crafted a comprehensive examination of the multidimensionality that has characterized the ongoing search for truth, reconciliation, and justice in the wake of Sierra Leone’s eleven-year civil war.” —Journal of Church and State“Religion, Reconciliation, and Restorative Justice in Sierra-Leone offers a valuable insight into a unique chapter in the larger saga of transitional justice in postcolonial Africa. The wealth of information Graybill has gathered, and her ability to organize this vast quantity of data into a coherent narrative, make this volume indispensible for anyone researching contemporary efforts towards peace and stability in Sierra-Leone.” —Journal for Peace and Justice Studies Graybill makes a significant contribution to discussing the controversies and dilemmas associated with pursuing justice in the aftermath of systematic and mass human atrocities... Graybill has added some tools to the toolkit of transitional justice, in a way that easily captures the imagination. -Canadian Journal of African Studies

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Pastoral Power, Clerical State is an unrelenting display of scholarly excellence, rigorous analysis, and fluid precise prose. It not only advances our understanding of Pentecostal pastoral power and authority but also makes significant contributions to the study of rule and legitimacy in twenty-first-century African societies.” —Nimi Wariboko, author of The Pentecostal Hypothesis"In this highly stimulating and thought-provoking book, Ebenezer Obadare discusses the rise and all encompassing prominence of the Nigerian Pentecostal pastor. Obadare’s brilliantly written book provides a unique and original contribution to the understanding of the key role of the pastor when explaining the rise and influence of Pentecostalism in contemporary Nigeria and Africa." —Karen Lauterbach, author of Christianity, Wealth, and Spiritual Power in Ghana“Informed by an authoritative interdisciplinary social science analysis, critical reading of Africanist scholarship, wealth of eclectic primary source materials, and superior knowledge of Nigerian politics and society, Pastoral Power, Clerical State further underscores the crucial place of Nigeria’s Pentecostal movement in African religious and political studies. This exceptional book is intellectually sophisticated, analytically rigorous, and very well written.” —Olufemi Vaughan, author of Religion and the Making of Nigeria"In his second book focused on the rising popularity of the faith, Obadare argues that Pentecostal preachers have become figures of national authority and prestige, exercising more influence over Nigerian society and politics." —Foreign Affairs * Foreign Affairs *"Pastoral Power, Clerical State advances the ongoing debate on the significance and role of Pentecostalism in Africa. It will appeal to those interested in Pentecostal discourses and how they offer metaphysical interpretations that explain why prevailing socioeconomic and political conditions regarding poverty and underdevelopment exist in Africa." —Reading Religion * Reading Religion *"An interesting and important addition to the relatively limited literature on contemporary religion and politics, including democracy, in Africa." —Democratization * Democratization *"Obadare has done a service to scholars of global Christianity, African politics, gender studies, journalism and media, and religion and politics—all of whom will profit/prophet from engagement with this volume in their scholarship and courses."—Journal of Church and State"Advancing a bold argument and offering the kind of original insights that one has come to expect from Obadare’s scholarship, Pastoral Power, Clerical State combines page-turning storytelling, a sophisticated rendering of relevant literature, and astute analysis. The book is provocative and smart, as well as well written." — Journal of Religion in AfricaTable of ContentsIntroduction: Apprehending a Ubiquitous Subject 1. The Social Origins of Clerical Power in Nigeria 2. The Pastor as Political Entrepreneur 3. Erotic Pentecostalism: the Pastor as Sexual Object 4. When Women Rebel 5. Conclusion: Rule by Prodigy

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Pastoral Power, Clerical State is an unrelenting display of scholarly excellence, rigorous analysis, and fluid precise prose. It not only advances our understanding of Pentecostal pastoral power and authority but also makes significant contributions to the study of rule and legitimacy in twenty-first-century African societies.” —Nimi Wariboko, author of The Pentecostal Hypothesis"In this highly stimulating and thought-provoking book, Ebenezer Obadare discusses the rise and all encompassing prominence of the Nigerian Pentecostal pastor. Obadare’s brilliantly written book provides a unique and original contribution to the understanding of the key role of the pastor when explaining the rise and influence of Pentecostalism in contemporary Nigeria and Africa." —Karen Lauterbach, author of Christianity, Wealth, and Spiritual Power in Ghana“Informed by an authoritative interdisciplinary social science analysis, critical reading of Africanist scholarship, wealth of eclectic primary source materials, and superior knowledge of Nigerian politics and society, Pastoral Power, Clerical State further underscores the crucial place of Nigeria’s Pentecostal movement in African religious and political studies. This exceptional book is intellectually sophisticated, analytically rigorous, and very well written.” —Olufemi Vaughan, author of Religion and the Making of Nigeria"In his second book focused on the rising popularity of the faith, Obadare argues that Pentecostal preachers have become figures of national authority and prestige, exercising more influence over Nigerian society and politics." —Foreign Affairs * Foreign Affairs *"Pastoral Power, Clerical State advances the ongoing debate on the significance and role of Pentecostalism in Africa. It will appeal to those interested in Pentecostal discourses and how they offer metaphysical interpretations that explain why prevailing socioeconomic and political conditions regarding poverty and underdevelopment exist in Africa." —Reading Religion * Reading Religion *"An interesting and important addition to the relatively limited literature on contemporary religion and politics, including democracy, in Africa." —Democratization * Democratization *"Obadare has done a service to scholars of global Christianity, African politics, gender studies, journalism and media, and religion and politics—all of whom will profit/prophet from engagement with this volume in their scholarship and courses."—Journal of Church and State"Advancing a bold argument and offering the kind of original insights that one has come to expect from Obadare’s scholarship, Pastoral Power, Clerical State combines page-turning storytelling, a sophisticated rendering of relevant literature, and astute analysis. The book is provocative and smart, as well as well written." — Journal of Religion in AfricaTable of ContentsIntroduction: Apprehending a Ubiquitous Subject 1. The Social Origins of Clerical Power in Nigeria 2. The Pastor as Political Entrepreneur 3. Erotic Pentecostalism: the Pastor as Sexual Object 4. When Women Rebel 5. Conclusion: Rule by Prodigy

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Book SynopsisA study of maraboutism in Morocco.Trade Review"... a very thoroughly researched, sensitively interpreted, elegantly and readably presented case study." Times Literary Supplement "Eickelman focuses less on social structure and more on the symbolic components of Sherqawi Maraboutism, thereby making an important statement about the content and importance of 'popular' Islam in North Africa. He writes a finely balanced description laced with case materials, analysis, and illustrations. Careful attention to detail, the well-thought-out presentation, and very usable index and glossary make this book pleasant to read as well as informative... a welcome addition to the growing literature on the structure and meaning of Sufism in the traditional and modern Middle East." ChoiceTable of Contents Note on Transliteration Preface Introduction 1. Morocco, Islam, and the Maraboutic Crisis 2. Marabouts and Local Histories: The Sherqawa 3. Boujad: The Town and Its Region 4. Social Structure 5. Impermanence and Inequality: The Common-Sense Understanding of the Social Order 6. The Ideology of Maraboutism 7. Sherqawi Identity 8. From Center to Periphery: The Fragmentation of Maraboutism Appendix. The Wheel of Fortune: The Last Maraboutic Intrigues Notes Glossary Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisExamines the complex global impact of the ivory tradeThe economic prosperity of two nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century New England towns rested on factories that manufactured piano keys, billiard balls, combs, and other items made of ivory imported from East Africa. Yet while towns like Ivoryton and Deep River, Connecticut, thrived, the African ivory trade left in its wake massive human exploitation and ecological devastation. At the same time, dynamic East African engagement with capitalism and imperialism took place within these trade histories. Drawing from extensive archival and field research in New England, Great Britain, and Tanzania, Alexandra Kelly investigates the complex global legacies of the historical ivory trade. She not only explains the complexities of this trade but also analyzes Anglo-American narratives about Africa, questioning why elephants and ivory feature so centrally in those representations. From elephant conservation efforts to the cultural heritage iTrade Review"[S]trongly researched and well-written book for anthropologists, historians, conservators, politicians, and others interested in the history of the ivory trade and the ongoing global challenges surrounding elephant conservation in the face of the illicit ivory trade." * African Archaeological Review *

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Book SynopsisSheds fascinating light on the early development of the nations of Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Australia and the role of former slaves in combatting the post 1808 illegal slave trade.Trade ReviewA compelling and entirely unique glimpse into the daily operation of a slave-trading business on the West African coast, including accounts of individual British and American slavers, enslaved Africans employed on the coast, and captive Africans who narrowly escaped the middle passage." - Rebecca Shumway, author of The Fante and the Transatlantic Slave Trade"An extraordinary achievement. By following the paper trail of a single West African slave-trading business, Christopher opens a window onto the shadowy world of illicit slavers and those they enslaved after the British abolition of the trade in 1807. Indeed, she has found the only known first-hand accounts from Africans employed in Sierra Leone's slave factories." - Randy J. Sparks, author of Where the Negroes Are Masters"Christopher's meticulous account of the incident and its far-reaching ripples, based on court documents, is enlivened by her intelligent reading between the lines, into the historical silence." - Sydney Morning Herald "An extraordinary, meticulous study of a single chapter in the early efforts of the British to suppress the legal slave trade. Christopher writes with nuance and an eye for human experience." - Choice (A Choice Outstanding Academic Title)"Christopher weaves a compelling tale of the nineteenth-century slave trade, the men and women involved in it, and its complex interaction with the British world." - Journal of Australian Colonial History"Cinematic. . . . There are no heroes in this rollicking story, but there are lots of fascinating villains." - Australian Book ReviewTable of Contents List of Characters Prologue Introduction Part 1: Journeys to the Slave Factory 1 Son of a Liverpool Slave Dealer 2 A Kissi Child Caught in the Slave Trade 3 The Banana Islands to Gallinas 4 Making Deals with Siaka, Selling to the DeWolfs 5 A Cargo of Slaves for Havana Part 2: Burned to the Ground 6 A New Slave Factory at the St. Paul River 7 In the Barracoon 8 The Slave Ship FÉnix and Setting the Factory Alight 9 Leaving, Never to Return Part 3: Different Types of Liberty 10 Arriving in Freetown 11 The Court Case 12 Becoming Soldiers, Cabin Boys, and Wives 13 Leaving Africa 14 A Village of Their Own 15 A Murder, and an Appeal to the Prince Regent 16 Experiments in Civilization and Liberty 17 Prisoners in New South Wales 18 Christianity at Hogbrook 19 The End of Their Punishment 20 A Model Village 21 The Appeal 22 Helping to Found Liberia 23 Van Diemen's Land 24 Liberty in Black and White Epilogue Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn this sensitive and personal investigation into Benin's occult world, Douglas Falen wrestles with the challenges of encountering a reality in which magic, science, and the Vodun religion converge into a single universal force.Trade ReviewA stunning achievement in the anthropology of religion. Weaving together narrative and analysis, Falen provides a gripping account of the imponderables that constitute the occult in Benin. He demonstrates how African science can refine our comprehension of fidelity and betrayal, health and illness, science and religion, and life and death—the philosophical themes that define our humanity." - Paul Stoller, author of In Sorcery's Shadow, "Guides readers straight into the untranslatable Beninois world of àze on its own terms. Falen's sensitivity and commitment to local framings and his accessible experiential narratives make this an ideal ethnography with which to explore the ontological turn, as well as a marvelously provocative challenge to the bulwarked categories separating science from magic and religion." - Sasha Newell, author of The Modernity Bluff"African Science is a masterpiece of ethnography and among the best books available on African spirituality." - Nova ReligioTable of Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Note on Fon Transcription and Pronunciation Introduction 1 Àzě and Bǒ: Witchcraft and Sorcery in Benin 2 Black and White: Witchcraft, Science, and Identity 3 Whose Reality? 4 Religion and the Occult: Opposition and Connection 5 Healing and the Globalization of Witchcraft Conclusion Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisBased on extensive field research in the Manianga region of the Lower Congo, Health in a Fragile State is an anthropological account of public health and health care after the collapse of the Congolese state in the 1980s and 1990s.

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Book SynopsisBased on extensive field research in the Manianga region of the Lower Congo, Health in a Fragile State is an anthropological account of public health and health care after the collapse of the Congolese state in the 1980s and 1990s.Table of Contents List of Illustrations ix Preface and Acknowledgments xiii List of Abbreviations xvii Introduction 3 Part I: A History of Population and Disease in the Lower Congo 1 Population Decline and Rise 41 2 Postcolonial Population and Disease Trends 65 Part II: The Social Reproduction of Health 3 Health in Household, Family, and Clan 89 4 Public Health and Health Care Institutions, Reconfigured 109 5 Rejoicing in Our Bodies: Popular Meanings of Health 145 Part III: The Legitimation of Power and Knowledge 6 Dumuna: Creating Authority from Below 159 7 Science, Sorcery, and Spirit 190 8 Legitimation and Disease Control 214 Conclusion 229 Notes 235 Bibliography 243 Index 251

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Book SynopsisIn recent decades, a more formalized and forceful shift has emerged in the legislative realm when it comes to gender and sexual justice in Africa. This rigorous, timely volume brings together leading and rising scholars across disciplines to evaluate these ideological struggles and reconsider the modern history of human rights on the continent.Trade ReviewThe excellent studies assembled here show that gender relations and sexuality pose unforeseen challenges to both the theory and the practice of human rights. The range of answers given in this volume will help students, scholars, and activists find their way through a morass of contemporary debates." - Harri Englund, University of Cambridge"Grounded in the finest of anthropological traditions and enhanced by an exceptionally insightful introduction and epilogue, these essays both challenge and enrich existing theory. They powerfully demonstrate how international legal codes shape - and are reshaped by - the most intimate of human affairs." - Caroline Bledsoe, Northwestern University"An important and original work. As a platform, human rights operates as both practice and discourse to shape subjectivity and conduct. This compelling collection demonstrates how this formula unleashes possibilities for political agency while at the same time foreclosing others." - Benjamin N. Lawrance, University of Arizona "As a collection, Legislating Gender and Sexuality in Africa shows that arguments over human rights are ultimately debates about who can be visible and who is worthy of the state's protection." - Alice J. Kang, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

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Book SynopsisIn rural South African clinics, Black nurses had to navigate the intersections of traditional African healing practices, changing gender relations, and increasing educational and economic opportunities for South Africa's Black middle class. Leslie Anne Hadfield demonstrates how these women were able to reshape notions of health and healing.Trade ReviewThis timely monograph on the history of nursing vocation, tenaciously pursued by women apartheid South Africa's Ciskei area, is a captivating read. One marvels how A Bold Profession, adeptly elucidates transcending intricacies of nursing beyond mere conventional health practice, onto other facets of social history in this region."" - Luvuyo Wotshela, University of Fort Hare, South Africa ""Hadfield's sensitive and respectful study is a reminder that every day, nurses are out on the front line and can be found serving communities in remote rural areas accessed with difficulty. This is an important book for anyone interested in health care and in making sense of how the past continues to shape the present in South Africa."" - Anne Mager, University of Cape Town

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Book SynopsisInvestigates the ways memorials can shape the experiences of survivors decades after mass violence has ended. Nicole Fox examines how memorializations can both heal and hurt, especially when they fail to represent all genders, ethnicities, and classes of those afflicted.Trade ReviewPowerful. Fox’s findings—including that the more mundane, everyday interactions are a more meaningful component of reconciliation—make beautiful and important contributions to the literature on peacebuilding and transitional justice, and have critical implications for international actors and policymakers." - Marie E. Berry, author of War, Women, and Power: From Violence to Mobilization in Rwanda and Bosnia-Herzegovina "After Genocide is a must-read for criminologists, cultural sociologists, and transitional justice scholars. Engaging and innovative, it entails crucial lessons on conditions of memorialization—its intensity, selectivity, and gendered nature—and its effects on peace." - Joachim Savelsberg, University of Minnesota "Essential for anyone interested in collective memory, violence, and social justice. Fox’s careful, in-depth fieldwork results in a rich understanding of how Rwandans remember and narrate their pasts, and her brilliant concept of stratified collective memory powerfully illustrates how some peoples’ memories become privileged while others’ memories are marginalized." - Hollie Nyseth Brehm, The Ohio State University"Invites a discussion into the politics of naming, narrativity, and marginality associated with collective memory, and how they inform transitional justice and reconciliation efforts. . . . A valuable addition to the fields of peace and conflict studies, sociology, criminology, and transitional justice." - Peace & Change

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