Problems of Africa: Opposing Viewpoints

Rohr, Lanelle

ISBN 10: 089908365X / ISBN 13: 9780899083650

Published by Farmington Hills, Michigan, U.S.A.: Greenhaven Pr, 1986, 1986

About this Item

Light shelf wear to the wraps. Creased corners/curled and adjoining pages, surface impression marks, light rubbing to the edges of the wraps. Spine is smooth, but sunned. A little dust staining along the edges. The internal pages are clean and the binding is sound. A solid copy.

Seller Inventory # s2112

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Problems of Africa: Opposing Viewpoints
• Publisher: Farmington Hills, Michigan, U.S.A.: Greenhaven Pr, 1986
• Publication Date: 1986
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 089908365X
• ISBN 13: 9780899083650
• Binding: Soft cover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Very Good
• Weight: 12 ounces

About this title

Reviews

Grade 9-12 A book that claims (but fails) to ``consider every variety of opinion in an attempt to determine the truth.'' Most opinions are from the extreme left or extreme right, with the latter in the majority. Furthermore, very few African opinions are expressed in the readings, and the only African country from which publications have been excerpted is South Africa. Not only does this misrepresent African opinion, but also makes it appear that Africans have no ideas about solving their own problems. One bias is best exemplified in the chapter ``Why Is Famine Prevalent in Africa?'' Famine is not prevalent in Africa, either in terms of the facts presented in this volume, or of any other facts available. In the introduction to this section, the editors equate ``food shortage'' with ``famine''which is inaccurate. Not one African opinion is expressed in this chapter. The six-page chronology of events is not related to the specific historical background of the readings. There is no glossary either of persons, places, historical events, or of basic vocabulary mentioned in the readings, nor are there historical or current political maps of Africa. The book perpetuates two stereotypes found in the majority of American social studies books published since 1960: that nothing positive ever happens in Africa and that Africans are overwhelmed by problems that they are incapable of solving themselves. Nancy J. Schmidt, Indiana University Library, Bloomington
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.