The Africans: A Reader [Paperback]

Ali A. Mazrui (Editor), Toby Kleban (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 13, 1986 | ISBN-10: 0275920739 | ISBN-13: 978-0275920739

Contemporary Africa is the product of three major influences--an indigenous heritage, Western culture, and Islamic culture. The Africans looks at these legacies, how they co-exist, and their impact on the continent and the people who were called African. This Reader, a supplement to the telecourse, provides an introduction to a variety of historical and contemporary writings on Africa.

Product Details

• Paperback: 366 pages
• Publisher: Praeger Paperback (February 13, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0275920739
• ISBN-13: 978-0275920739
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #432,084 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #62 in Books > Literature & Fiction > History & Criticism > African

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good start at redressing the balance..., January 6, 2000

By 

"jayjina" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Africans: A Reader (Paperback)

Ali A Mazrui's book is a good start at redressing the balance - for too long, we have had to make do with European analyses of the African heritage, its place in the world today and the prospects for the future.

Whilst Mazrui has done Africa some service with this book and the accompanying TV series, the book is tainted by a bias. The author uses the geographical link at Suez to suggest that Islam is more a "home" grown phenomenon than say, the Greek or Roman influence. In doing this, the opperesive colonial and cultural homogenisation principles which Islam has imposed on parts of Africa are downplayed. Equally, the indigenous nature of Ethiopian Christianity are somewhat sidelined. Nevertheless, Mazrui's analysis of "state" and "stateless" societies is the most profound I have come across. Excellent!

The author is clearly passionate about the roots of some of Africa's present ills within European colonialism and in this, he is consistent with all of his fellows from Africa, myself included. He blames "Western culture" of destroying the native African culture and traditions whilst ignoring the fact that Islam has done as much if not more to create some of the tensions in modern Africa.

Nevertheless, this is a good introduction to a vibrant continent.

Hopefully the author can write a revised version in the light of events in South Africa (majority rule), Nigeria (squandered resources amid poor governance), Sudan (religiously motivated genocide), Uganda (a resurrection after the bloodletting of the Amin era), Tanzania (political stability within a single party state).

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Mazrui a fanatic writer, January 5, 2008

By 

Mwanya "Mwanya" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Africans: A Reader (Paperback)

Mazrui has been blinded and brainwashed by his religion. Arabs invaded Africa as Europeans did. Islam is a foreign religion to Africa like christianity. He probably doesn't knows their prophet or where the religion developed. For him slave masters can be Europeans only they can not be Arabs or other people. It is surprising that he doesn't know that people from East Africa where he is from have been enslaved by Arabs and deported in the Middle East.

Our continent needs scholars whose work are not based on emotions or fanatism.