Bøger i Africa and the Diaspora: Histo serien

Nachituti's Gift challenges conventional theories of economic development with a compelling comparative case study of inland fisheries in Zambia and Congo from pre- to postcolonial times. Neoclassical development models conjure a simple, abstract progression from wealth held in people to money or commodities; instead, Gordon argues, primary social networks and oral charters like "Nachituti's Gift" remained decisive long after the rise of intensive trade and market activities. Interweaving oral traditions, songs, and interviews as well as extensive archival research, Gordon's lively tale is at once a subtle analysis of economic and social transformations, an insightful exercise in environmental history, and a revealing study of comparative politics. Honorable Mention, Melville J. Herskovits Award, African Studies Association "A powerful portrayal of the complexity, fluidity, and subtlety of Lake Mweru fishers' production strategies . . . . Natchituti's Gift adds nuance and evidence to some of the most important and sophisticated conversations going on in African studies today."--Kirk Arden Hoppe, International Journal of African Historical Studies "A lively and intelligent book, which offers a solid contribution to ongoing debates about the interplay of the politics of environment, history and economy."--Joost Fontein, Africa "Well researched and referenced . . . . [Natchituti's Gift] will be of interest to those in a wide variety of disciplines including anthropology, African Studies, history, geography, and environmental studies."--Heidi G. Frontani, H-SAfrica

As a young man in South Africa, Nelson Mandela aspired to be an interpreter or clerk, noting in his autobiography that "a career as a civil servant was a glittering prize for an African." Africans in the lower echelons of colonial bureaucracy often held positions of little official authority, but in practice the occupants of these positions functioned as hidden lynchpins of colonial rule. As the primary intermediaries among European colonial officials, African chiefs, and subject populations, these men (and a few women) could manipulate the intersections of power, authority, and knowledge at the center of colonial society. By uncovering the role of African civil servants in the construction, function, and legal apparatus of colonial states, the essays in this volume highlight a new perspective. They offer important insights on hegemony, collaboration and resistance, structures and changes in colonial rule, the role of language and education, the production of knowledge and expertise in colonial settings, and the impact of colonization in dividing African societies by gender, race, status, and class. Contributors: Maurice Nyamanga Amutabi, Ralph Austen, Andreas Eckert, Ruth Ginio, Hervé Jezequel, Martin Klein, Benjamin Lawrance, Roger Levine, Saliou Mbaye, Thomas McClendon, Emily Osborn, David Pratten, Richard Roberts, Brett Shadle

An insightful look at the onset of colonialism in Central Africa from economic, religious, and political perspectives, examining the ultimately tragic participation of African elites in colonial rule.