The Mfecane Aftermath: Reconstructive Debates in Southern African History

Hamilton, Carolyn; Dowson, Thomas; Eldredge, Elizabeth; Etherington, Norman; Gewald, Jan-Bart; Hall, Simon; Hartley, Guy; Kinsman, Margaret; Manson, Andrew; Omer-Cooper, John; Parsons, Neil; Peires, Jeff; Saunders, Christopher; Webster, Alan; Wright, John; Wylie, Dan; Hamilton, Carolyn [Editor]

ISBN 10: 1868142523 / ISBN 13: 9781868142521

Published by Wits University Press, 1995

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Mfecane Aftermath: Reconstructive Debates in Southern African History
• Publisher: Wits University Press
• Publication Date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1868142523
• ISBN 13: 9781868142521
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: New
• Weight: 32 ounces

About this title

Synopsis

The idea that the period of social turbulence in the nineteenth century was a consequence of the emergence of the powerful Zulu kingdom under Shaka has been written about extensively as a central episode of southern African history.
Considerable dynamic debate has focused on the idea that this period – the ‘mfecane’- left much of the interior depopulated, thereby justifying white occupation. One view is that ‘the time of troubles’ owed more to the Delagoa Bay Slave trade and the demands of the labour-hungry Cape colonists than to Shaka’s empire building. But is there sufficient evidence to support the argument?
The Mfecane Aftermath investigates the very nature of historical debate and examines the uncertain foundations of much of the previous historiography.

About the Authors

Carolyn Hamilton is the South African Research Chair in Archive and Public Culture at the University of Cape Town. She is the author of Terrific Majesty, and co-editor of Refiguring the Archive, The Cambridge History of South Africa and Babel Unbound.

Thomas Dowson was a Researcher in the Rock Art Research Unit, Department of Archeology, University of the Witwatersrand. He is currently Rock Art Research Fellow in the Department of Archeology at the University of Southampton.

Elizabeth Eldredge is Asscciate Professor of History at Michigan State University.

Norman Etherington is Professor of History at the University of Western Australia and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia.

Jan-Bart Gewald is Professor of African History and Director of the African Studies Centre Leiden Leiden University.