Africa Page 12

Ngugi wa Thiong’o 1938- (Born James Thiong’o Ngugi; also transliterated as Ngũgĩ) Kenyan novelist, playwright, essayist, short story writer, children’s writer, and critic. The following entry presents an overview of Ngugi’s career through 2002. See also Ngugi wa Thiong’o Criticism. As a spokesman for his people and a chronicler of Kenya’s modern history, Ngugi is…

Attacks on foreigners in South Africa have been on the rise since the transfer of power to the ANC in 1994. These violent outbursts, which have resulted in riots and dozens of murders, have been described as xenophobic in nature. After the months of summer 2008 in South Africa where there was a sudden wave…

The film/documentary, titled Tools of Exploitation, chronicles, analyzes and explains Western civilizations influence on African culture/livelihood throughout the period of colonialism (the film covers the slave trade for a brief moment as well) leading to the modern day. Narrated by scholar/author Ali Mazrui, the film focuses on the usurping of Africa’s future potential due to…

Lasting peace and stability remains one thing that for a long time has eluded the African continent both in the pre colonial and the colonial era. The scourges of slave trade, inter-tribal warfare and more importantly the imposition of colonial rule on the people of Africa made peace and stability on the continent quite elusive….

The tale of the trickster is a universally known and shared story that has numerous versions and is culturally diverse. Virtually every culture has its own variation of the trickster tale. For instance, the early West African people have tales of Eshu, while in modern day America, characters like Wile E. Coyote, popularized by Warner…

Introduction Boycotts, sanctions and/or arms embargoes have significant humanitarian consequences accompanied at the same time by socio-political costs.  The comparison of the achieved humanitarian benefits to the respective political cost involved during the struggle for liberation is a very difficult process although in essence it is very significant. Any struggle for liberation is aimed to…

1 . What issues most concerned black political leaders during Reconstruction? Reconstruction brought important social changes to former slaves. Families that had been separated before and during the Civil War were reunited, and slave marriages were formalized through legally recognized ceremonies. Families also took advantage of the schools established by the Freedmen’s Bureau and the…

Peacekeeping, carried out by the United Nations (UN), is a crucial function that aids conflict-ridden countries and acts as an influential tool for establishing lasting peace in the face of constantly changing political circumstances. Currently, Africa faces some of the most challenging global conflicts. The necessity of peacekeeping missions in Africa arises from various factors,…

Before the Europeans began the New Imperialism in Africa, very little was known about the inner parts of the continent. However, after some explorers delved deeper into the heart of Africa, the Europeans soon realized how economically important this area was, and how much they could profit from it. At the time, Britain had only…

Evolution In AfricaHumans, as we consider ourselves, evolved in Africa. Not entirely, but from early primates to our present state. Many people dispute this fact, despite astounding evidence supporting the theory, for various reasons. Showing all the genetic, paleological, and geological proof, I find it very hard indeed to contradict the evidence. True, humans didn’t…