African History: A Very Short IntroductionEssential reading for anyone interested in the African continent and the diversity of human history, this Very Short Introduction looks at Africa's past and reflects on the changing ways it has been imagined and represented. Key themes in current thinking about Africa's history are illustrated with a range of fascinating historical examples, drawn from over 5 millennia across this vast continent. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. |
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 accounts African history African past Americas ancient appears Arabic argued Atlantic became become began British called central challenge Chapter Christianity civilization claims Coast colonial rule communities complex concern Congo conquest continent continent’s cultural debate developed discipline distinctive diversity early East economic Egypt emerged empire especially established Europe European evidence example expansion famous forces forms French historians human idea identities imperial important independence indigenous intellectual Islam issues John King kingdom languages later linguistic lives Mali memory missionaries movement Muslim narrative nationalist North oral origin particular past perceptions period political popular population present question racial recent record regarded region remained represented rulers scholars seen shaped short slave trade social societies sources South Africa southern struggles sudanic thinking tradition turn University West West Africa writing written Yoruba