Africa

How central are the media to the functioning of a democracy? Is democracy primarily about citizens using their votes? Does the expression of their voices necessarily empower citizens? These    More >

Distinguished scholars analyze the plays, poetry, and prose of Soyinka, winner of the Nobel Prize for literature in 1986. Introductory essays trace Soyinka’s career and place his work    More >

Using insights from feminist theory and political economy, Gordon examines the implications for women of current economic and political reform efforts in Africa. Much of the work on women    More >

The first black woman in South Africa to publish a novel, Miriam Tlali (1933-2017) was also an internationally acclaimed playwright, author of short stories, essayist, and not least,    More >

Was South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) a "miracle" that depended on the unique leadership of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu? Or does it provide a working    More >

The West African town of Maradi, capital of a prestigious nineteenth century Hausa chiefdom, became a trading center during the colonial period, and after Niger's independence in 1960,    More >

Central to the development strategies of virtually all the sub-Saharan economies, public enterprises are nonetheless perceived as inefficient and unprofitable. Barbara Grosh examines the    More >

What can—and should—be done to achieve effective development in Africa? Addressing this fundamental question, the authors offer specific suggestions emphasizing the need to both    More >

In an effort to solve the enduring puzzle of slow economic and social development in Africa, the contributors to Indigenous Systems and Africa's Development advocate for a paradigm    More >

After years of reform efforts in Africa, much of the optimism over the continent's prospects has been replaced by widespread "Afropessimism." But to what extent is either view    More >

Issues of racial discrimination, imperialist exploitation, and accuracy of observation have long interested Conrad’s critics. As a European writing about imperialism in exotic lands,    More >

Countering the dominant media narratives of economic stagnation, Zimbabwe Takes Back Its Land offers a more positive and nuanced assessment of the results of the contentious land reforms    More >

This seminal book examines the potential value of the concept of civil society for enhancing the current understanding of state-society relations in Africa. The authors review the meanings    More >

Fatima Meer, a South African academic, public intellectual, and activist, was a tireless fighter for social justice and human rights—for which she variously suffered banning and    More >

The culmination of decades of work on hip hop culture and activism, Neva Again weaves together the many varied and rich voices of the dynamic South African hip hop scene. The    More >