Religion and Politics in East Africa: The Period since Independence (Eastern African Studies) - Softcover

Hansen, Hölger Bernt

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0821410865 ISBN 13: 9780821410868

Publisher: Ohio University Press, 1995

Synopsis

Religious activities have been of continuing importance in the rise of protest against postcolonial governments in Eastern Africa. Issues considered include attempts by government to “manage” religious affairs in both Muslim and Christian areas; religious denominations as surrogate oppositions to one-party-state regimes and as advocates of human rights; Islamic fundamentalism before and after the end of the Cold War; and Christian churches as NGOs in the age of structural adjustment.

About this title

About the Author

Hölger Bernt Hansen is director of the African Studies Center at the University of Copenhagen.

Michael Twaddle teaches politics and history at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London.

Hansen and Twaddle are the editors of two renowned books, Uganda Now (1988) and Changing Uganda (1991).

Review

... a welcome addition to the growing literature on religion and state in Africa and should be required reading for specialists and students of contemporary African society and politics. What gives this volume its particular value for specialist and general readers alike is the overall emphasis given to the significance of the social and economic environment for the political salience of religion in the rapidly changing environment of the past twenty-five years... There is also a freshness to the discussions that reflects both the fruits of recent field work and the 'mix' of long established and newer scholars for which the editors are to be congratulated. - Cherry Gertzel in DEVELOPMENT & CHANGE What this book suggests is just how much politico-religious history there has been between 1960 and 1990 and how little attempt has been made hitherto to put together a coherent account of it. - Adrian Hastings in JOURNAL OF AFRICAN HISTORY ... This is a collection which goes to the heart of very many east African problems, and calls for attention and careful study. - Hugh Dinwiddy in JOURNAL OF RELIGION IN AFRICA ...ranges freely across a mosaic of Christian, Islamic and independent religions bringing to light a number of fascinating insights, puzzles and paradoxes. - Norman Etherington in ASA of Australasia & Pacific Newsletter ...there is a unity to this volume that is not present in many edited volumes. - Edgar V. Winans in JOURNAL OF DEVELOPING AREAS

Edition details

• Publisher: Ohio University Press
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 0821410865
• ISBN 13: 9780821410868
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 288
• Editor: Hansen Hölger Bernt, Twaddle Michael