Perspectives on Africa: A Reader in Culture, History and Representation (Global Perspectives) - Softcover

"Here is an excellent anthology that illustrates magnificently processes of Africa's invention, the complexity of her cultures, the paradoxes and predicament of discourses that claim to render her being." V. Y. Mudimbe Stanford University. "A volume for all students and teachers seriously interested in understanding the unity and diversity of African cultures, and engaging in a dialogue with African Studies literary ancestors and their creative and critical successors. Grinker and Steiner have offered a doorway for those who dare to embrace the masters of the field and join new academic worlds in the making." Sulayman S. Nyang, Professor, Howard University and Director of the African Voices Project, Smithsonian Institute. "Perspectives on Africa is a much needed addition to African studies and literature. They attempt, quite successfully, to place each article within, not only an historical time frame, but also within a theoretical progression. Its bibliographies contain a useful starting point and reference on all the major trends and subjects." Sean Pratt, Department of Social Anthropology, University of Cambridge.

Perspectives on Africa brings key works in African studies to a wide range of readers. Forty-four articles have been selected either because they have proved to be classic and influential, or because of their significance to the current development of the field. The book's combined focus on ethnography and theory gives the student the means to link theory with data, and perspective with practice. The book is at once an introduction to the cultures of Africa, and a history of how those cultures have been perceived and interpreted. After a general introduction to contemporary issues in African studies, the volume is organized into ten parts, each introduced by the editors and organized around major debates and central issues. The articles illustrate the dynamic processes by and through which scholars have described and understood African history and culture, and show how profoundly the ethnography of Africa has influenced the direction and development of anthropological and social theory. The authors include anthropologists, historians, philosophers and critics. Collectively they show the multiplicities of voice in African studies, and reveal the interpenetration of ideas and concepts within and across disciplines, regions and historical periods. The book is illustrated with maps and photographs, and includes guides to further reading on all main issues and subjects. It will be welcomed by all students of African history and culture.