Civilization or Barbarism: An Authentic Anthropology [Paperback]

Cheikh Anta Diop (Author), Yaa-Lengi Meema Ngemi (Translator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1556520484 | ISBN-13: 978-1556520488 | Publication Date: April 1, 1991

Challenging societal beliefs, this volume rethinks African and world history from an Afrocentric perspective.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This last work of the well-known Senegalese scholar (1923-86) is a summation and expansion of his two previous volumes-- Precolonial Black Africa (1987) and The African Origin of Civilization (1974)--and offers a refined statement of his life's work, to prove the primacy of African culture by proving that ancient Egypt was a black society, first in many cultural achievements later claimed by the following Indo-Aryan cultures. To this end, Diop discusses the paleontology, sociology, anthropology, and intellectual history of the ancient Egyptians set against contemporaneous cultures and also the modern Wolofs. This is a fascinating and frustrating volume. The organization is patchy; one central section seems to have gone off-course into an apology for Marxist political theory; the translation stumbles badly, especially in the early chapters; and one feels that history is being stretched (a la Velikovsky) on the author's Procrustean bed of African genesis. But Diop's erudition is patent, his place in African letters is secure, and his major works should certainly be available. For academic and large public collections.
-Jo-Ann D. Suleiman, SANAD Support Technologies, Rockville, Md.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Lawrence Hill Books (April 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556520484
• ISBN-13: 978-1556520488
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #86,133 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Cheikh Anta Diop is the author of The African Origin of Civilization: Myth or Reality and Precolonial Black Africa.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece of scholarship, June 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Civilization or Barbarism: An Authentic Anthropology (Paperback)

Diop demonstrates his multidisciplinary genius in this book. His scientific approach leaves no stone unturned, even when dealing with linguistics. He addresses so many topics, from the origins of civilisation to political and social organisation in ancient states. I especially treasure the chapters on Africa's contribution to humanity in sciences and philosophy. A real eye-opener. Mostly French speaking authors are referenced and critiqued though. It's a shame there aren't more African scholars following Diop's lines of research.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't listen to reviews that don't actually talk about the book!, July 9, 2006

By 

Anthony Stewart Jr. (St. Louis) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Civilization or Barbarism: An Authentic Anthropology (Paperback)

Funny how most of the 1 star reviewers never deal with the facts of whats stated in the book. Even if they do have valid issues, where are the counter references beyond, he (C.A. Diop) is wrong just because YOU say so.

They make it sound as though he made up all he had to say in this EXTREMELY POWERFUL WORK with no references to other "noted" scholars and no use of scientific methods of research. They write as though C.A. diop himself isn't an Egyptologist and Scientist who ran the Radiocarbon Laboratory in Dakar. I would like to know what counter body of work exists that can compete with this one?

Perhaps the 1 star reviewers should read the works of Gerald Massey, C.F Volney, Albert Churchward, Stanley Lane Poole, Martin Bernal, Michael Bradley and even Alexander Von Wuthenau to get a comprehensive "White" Scholars view of why The PERSPECTIVE of C.A. Diop and other noted African Scholars like him exist.

An, in regards to Gerald Massey...I have yet to see anyone seriously challenge his body of work!!! Mary Lefkowitz or otherwise! I wonder why that is!

21 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting perspective on the origins of civilization, June 10, 1999

By 

Randall J. Burns (Skamania County, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Civilization or Barbarism: An Authentic Anthropology (Hardcover)

I'd suggest this book to anyone who is reading recent books on the origins of civilization. What I liked about it is that Diop was bringing a wealth of research that was otherwise inaccessible to me to the this issue--and I found that I could connect this history to that of Europe and Britain using other resources that I have. the issue I have with is is that some of the work struck me as oriented to handling one set of politically motivated forms of anthropology that he found objectionable-but he didn't consider the work of a lot of other major authors (i.e. the work of Lewis Spence on connections between North Africa and Ancient Britain). I thought Diops criticisms of Gimubutus were especially interesting.