Description
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewGhana is a consequential, compelling, and sobering account of Ghana from the 1800s to the present. Bringing to bear a host of voices, and wide-ranging sources and archives,
Ghana tells us that false dawns and promises have constantly marred the journey toward postcolonial economic and political African independence. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the state of postcolonial Ghana and Africa today and anyone interested in how Africans have grappled with individual and collective sovereignty in the face of colonial, military, and democratic governments. * Nana Osei-Opare, Fordham University, USA *
This ambitious book provides a superb introduction to the history of Ghana since the nineteenth century by looking at the changing meanings of a “Gold Coaster” under colonial rule and of “Ghanaian” within an emerging nation-state. Attentive to the coexistence of multiple political and social identities, transnational connections, and economic conditions, this book is a tour de force – yet always clearly argued and accessible. It’s a joy to read! * Stephan F. Miescher, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA *
This penetrating study, rooted in an array of scholarly and primary sources, examines Ghana’s recent past through the lens of networks of self-identification and belonging that extend beyond the conventional nation-state. Emphasizing African agency in these political, economic, social, and cultural networks, Ahlman’s study offers a critical new perspective that challenges Eurocentric models and periodization. It is highly recommended for scholars, students, and the general public. * Elizabeth Schmidt, Professor Emeritus of History, Loyola University Maryland, USA *
Table of ContentsPreface Part I Introduction: Belonging and Nation in Modern Ghana Chapter 1. Making the Gold Coast: The Gold Coast to the Twentieth Century Chapter 2. Colonial Networks: Making Nation and State in the Gold Coast Chapter 3. Cocoa Futures: State, Society, and Commodity Production in the Gold Coast 106 Chapter 4. Conditions of Protest: War, Crises, and the Politics of Postwar Agitation 142 Chapter 5. States of Transition: Nation and the Politics of Independence in a Decolonizing Ghana Part II Chapter 6. The Development Dilemma: Decolonization and Debt during Ghana’s Sixties Chapter 7. The Politics of Precarity: Dependence and Development during Ghana’s Seventies Chapter 8. Sites of Upheaval: The Rawlings Revolution and the Coming Neoliberal Age Conclusion: The Contingent Futures of Ghana’s Fourth Republic
