African History: A Very Short Introduction

Parker, J. and Rathbone, R.

ISBN 10: 0192802488 / ISBN 13: 9780192802484

Published by Oxford University Press, 2007

About this Item

This is an ex-library book and may have the usual library/used-book markings inside.This book has soft covers. In good all round condition. Please note the Image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item,250grams, ISBN:9780192802484.

Seller Inventory # 9381087

Bibliographic Details

• Title: African History: A Very Short Introduction
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication Date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0192802488
• ISBN 13: 9780192802484
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: Good
• Weight: 250 grams
• Seller catalogs:
  • History

About this title

Synopsis

This 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.

About the Author

John Parker teaches African history at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He specializes in the history of Ghana and is the author of Making the Town: Ga State and Society in Early Colonial Accra and (with Jean Allman) Tongnaab: The History of a West African God. He is currently researching a book on the history of death and burial in Ghana.

Richard Rathbone is Honorary Professor of History in the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and Emeritus Professor in History at the School of Oriental and African Studies. Other books include Murder and Politics in Colonial Ghana and Nkrumah and the Chiefs.