Aspects of Central African History Edited by T.O. Ranger.
DESCRIPTION: Softcover: 290 pages. Publisher: Heinemann; (1982 update of 1968 edition). Size: 8½ x 5½ x ¾ inch, 1 pound. Written by members of the University College, Dar es Salaam, in response to a request by the Tanzanian Ministry of Education for assistance to School Certificate teachers, this volume is an essential complement to other introductory histories of the area, since it is the first to concentrate single-mindedly on African initiatives and reactions. Precisely for this reason its insights should be of considerable interest not merely to those for whom it was originally written, but also to historians of Africa as a whole. Its core is provided in six chapters by Andrew Roberts; John Mc Cracken, and Terence Ranger, dealing with the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in Zambia, Malawi, and Rhodesia.
African reaction to the slave trade, missionaries, and the European occupation are skillfully related to the varied, pre-existing patterns of social and political organization, and their chapters on the twentieth century are a consistent attempt to analyze the influence of these earlier reactions and patterns on the development of modern African protest and political movements. The framework of an impressive, and generally convincing continuity which emerges should stimulate and reinforce similar reconstructions for other areas in Africa. Obviously this approach is not the only key to African history, but it is the hardest to manipulate, and its rewards are at present commensurately great.
This kernel is prefaced by a chapter on the earlier Mutapa and Malawi political systems by Edward Alpers, who offers a fresh interpretation of the Rozwi, and draws interestingly on his own research for the early Malawi Empire, and by a chapter on European activity and African reaction in Angola from the fifteenth to twentieth century by Walter Rodney, who combines a lucid interpretation of three stages of capitalist expansion with a perceptive analysis of the consequences of the fragmented nature of the Congo by Isaria Kimambo and John Masare, the first referring summarizing J. Vansina’s “Kingdoms of the Savanna” (without referring however to criticisms of parts of this work) and second drawing heavily on the studies by Crawford Young and Rene Lemarchand.
CONDITION: NEW. Heinemann (1968/82) 290 pages. Oversized softcover. It's new and unread, BUT shows a little edge and corner shelfwear including a small corner crease to the front cover (likely tangled up with another book when being reshelved). It's absolutely new and unread, just a bit shopworn consequence of sitting on a book store shelf. Pages are pristine; clean, crisp, unmarked, unmutilated, tightly bound, unambiguously unread. The wear is entirely consistent with what one would expect to see in an open-shelf book store environment (such as Barnes & Noble, etc.) wherein patrons are permitted to browse open stock, and so otherwise "new" books often show a little handling wear. Satisfaction guaranteed. In stock, ready to ship. No disappointments, no excuses.
PLEASE SEE IMAGES BELOW FOR JACKET DESCRIPTION(S) AND FOR PAGES OF PICTURES FROM INSIDE OF BOOK.
PLEASE SEE PUBLISHER, PROFESSIONAL, AND READER REVIEWS BELOW.
Papers prepared by the History Dept. of the University College, Dar es Salaam for a conference held at University College, January, 1967 under the auspices of the Institute of Education, the Ministry of Education and the Historical Association of Tanzania. Contents include: Edward Alpers on “The Mutapa and Malawi Political Systems”; Isaria Kimambo on “The Rise of the Congolese State Systems”; Walter Rodney on “European Activity and African Reaction in Angola”; Andrew Roberts on “The Nineteenth Century in Zambia” and “The Political History of Twentieth-Century Zambia”; John McCracken on “The Nineteenth Century in Malawi” and “African Politics in Twentieth-Century Malawi”; Terence Ranger on “The Nineteenth Century in Southern Rhodesia” and “African Politics in Twentieth-Century Southern Rhodesia”; and John Masare on “African Politics in Congo-Kinshasa to Independence.”
In central Africa a considerable amount of historical research has been carried out, especially in the field of radio-carbon dating and in the taking of linguistic evidence into the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in Rhodesia, Zambia, and Malawi. This is an admirable summary of what has been learned.
This book adds a new dimension to the history of the area. It focuses attention on the period before European control and on the later resistance and reactions to colonial rule. While very little exists by way of printed histories of many of the region’s countries (Chad for instance), Ranger's “Aspects of Central African History” is an interesting and informative collection of essays picking up on major issues in the region.
I always ship books Media Mail in a padded mailer. This book is shipped FOR FREE via USPS INSURED media mail (“book rate”). All domestic shipments and most international shipments will include free USPS Delivery Confirmation (you might be able to update the status of your shipment on-line at the USPS Web Site and free insurance coverage). A small percentage of international shipments may require an additional fee for tracking and/or delivery confirmation. If you are concerned about a little wear and tear to the book in transit, I would suggest a boxed shipment - it is an extra $1.00. Whether via padded mailer or box, we will give discounts for multiple purchases. International orders are welcome, but shipping costs are substantially higher.
Most international orders cost an additional $9.99 to $37.99 for an insured shipment in a heavily padded mailer, and typically includes some form of rudimentary tracking and/or delivery confirmation (though for some countries, this is only available at additional cost). There is also a discount program which can cut postage costs by 50% to 75% if you’re buying about half-a-dozen books or more (5 kilos+). Rates and available services vary a bit from country to country. You can email or message me for a shipping cost quote, but I assure you they are as reasonable as USPS rates allow, and if it turns out the rate is too high for your pocketbook, we will cancel the sale at your request. ADDITIONAL PURCHASES do receive a VERY LARGE discount, typically about $5 per book (for each additional book after the first) so as to reward you for the economies of combined shipping/insurance costs. Your purchase will ordinarily be shipped within 48 hours of payment. We package as well as anyone in the business, with lots of protective padding and containers.
All of our shipments are sent via insured mail so as to comply with PayPal requirements. We do NOT recommend uninsured shipments, and expressly disclaim any responsibility for the loss of an uninsured shipment. Unfortunately the contents of parcels are easily “lost” or misdelivered by postal employees – even in the USA. That’s why all of our domestic shipments (and most international) shipments include a USPS delivery confirmation tag; or are trackable or traceable, and all shipments (international and domestic) are insured. We do offer U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail, Registered Mail, and Express Mail for both international and domestic shipments, as well United Parcel Service (UPS) and Federal Express (Fed-Ex). Please ask for a rate quotation. We will accept whatever payment method you are most comfortable with. If upon receipt of the item you are disappointed for any reason whatever, I offer a no questions asked return policy. Send it back, I will give you a complete refund of the purchase price (less our original shipping costs).
Most of the items I offer come from the collection of a family friend who was active in the field of Archaeology for over forty years. However many of the items also come from purchases I make in Eastern Europe, India, and from the Levant (Eastern Mediterranean/Near East) from various institutions and dealers. Though I have always had an interest in archaeology, my own academic background was in sociology and cultural anthropology. After my retirement however, I found myself drawn to archaeology as well. Aside from my own personal collection, I have made extensive and frequent additions of my own via purchases on Ebay (of course), as well as many purchases from both dealers and institutions throughout the world – but especially in the Near East and in Eastern Europe. I spend over half of my year out of the United States, and have spent much of my life either in India or Eastern Europe. In fact much of what we generate on Yahoo, Amazon and Ebay goes to support The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, as well as some other worthy institutions in Europe connected with Anthropology and Archaeology.
I acquire some small but interesting collections overseas from time-to-time, and have as well some duplicate items within my own collection which I occasionally decide to part with. Though I have a collection of ancient coins numbering in the tens of thousands, my primary interest is in ancient jewelry. My wife also is an active participant in the "business" of antique and ancient jewelry, and is from Russia. I would be happy to provide you with a certificate/guarantee of authenticity for any item you purchase from me. There is a $2 fee for mailing under separate cover. Whenever I am overseas I have made arrangements for purchases to be shipped out via domestic mail. If I am in the field, you may have to wait for a week or two for a COA to arrive via international air mail. But you can be sure your purchase will arrive properly packaged and promptly - even if I am absent. And when I am in a remote field location with merely a notebook computer, at times I am not able to access my email for a day or two, so be patient, I will always respond to every email. Please see our "ADDITIONAL TERMS OF SALE."
