African History: A Very Short IntroductionThis Very Short Introduction looks at Africa's past and reflects on the changing ways it has been imagined and represented, both in Africa and beyond. The author illustrates important aspects of Africa's history with a range of fascinating historical examples, drawn from over 5 millennia across this vast continent. The multitude of topics that the reader will learn about in this succinct work include the unity and diversity of African cultures, slavery, religion, colonial conquest, the diaspora, and the importance of history in understanding contemporary Africa. The book examines questions such as: Who invented the idea of "Africa"? How is African history pieced together, given such a lack of documentary evidence? How did Africa interact with the world 1,000 years ago? Africa has been known as 'the cradle of mankind', and its recoverable history stretches back to the Pharaohs. But the idea of studying African history is itself new, and the authors show why it is still contested and controversial. This VSI, the first concise work of its kind, will prove essential reading for anyone interested in the African continent and the diversity of human history. |
Contents
1 The idea of Africa | 1 |
diversity and unity | 25 |
historical sources | 48 |
4 Africa in the world | 70 |
5 Colonialism in Africa | 91 |
6 Imagining the future rebuilding the past | 114 |
7 Memory and forgetting past and present | 135 |
References | 151 |
| 155 | |
| 161 | |
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Common terms and phrases
20th century academic African American African culture African history African past African societies Ajayi Algeria Americas ancient anthropologists anti-colonial Arabic archaeology Atlantic Baquaqua became British Buganda Chapter Christianity civilization colonial conquest colonial rule complex Congo Congolese contemporary continent continent’s debate decolonization diaspora discipline diversity early economic Egypt emerged empire equatorial Ethiopia Europe European example forged French Ghana global Gold Coast historians of Africa historiography Hutu Ibadan idea of Africa identities imperial independence indigenous intellectual Islam Jenne-jeno Kalala Ilunga Kimpa Vita King kingdom languages large numbers Léopold Senghor Luba Mali Middle Niger missionaries modern Muslim narrative nationalist nations Ndebele négritude Nigeria North oral traditions perceptions pioneering political population Portuguese postcolonial precolonial present-day racial recent region rulers Sahara scholars seen Senegal settlers slave trade slavery social Sokoto Caliphate South Africa southern state-builders struggles sub-Saharan sudanic tribal tribes Tutsi University West Africa written sources Yoruba Zulu