A History of Sub-Saharan Africa

The second edition of A History of Sub-Saharan Africa continues to provide an accessible introduction to the continent's history for students and general readers.

Robert O. Collins (Author), James M. Burns (Author)

9781107628519, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 25 November 2013

412 pages, 27 b/w illus. 35 maps
25.3 x 17.7 x 2.1 cm, 0.7 kg

The second edition of A History of Sub-Saharan Africa continues to provide an accessible introduction to the continent's history for students and general readers. The authors employ a thematic approach to their subject, focusing on how the environment has shaped the societies and cultures of the African peoples. The text demonstrates how the geography, climate and geology of Africa influenced the rise of states and empires, the emergence of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the European conquest and the creation of independent African nations. Yet the book maintains a focus on the peoples whose creative energies built unique communities and traditions within the challenging context of the Africa landmass. In the process of reconstructing this continent's rich history, the authors analyze the contentious scholarly debates that have emerged from this field. The book is illustrated with photographs, maps and sidebars that feature the salient points on either side of the debates.

1. The historical geography of Africa
2. Kingdoms on the Nile
3. The peoples of sub-Saharan Africa: society, culture, language
4. Crops, cows, and iron
5. Northeast Africa in the age of Aksum
6. Empires of the plains
7. East Africa and the Indian Ocean world
8. The Lake Plateau of East Africa
9. Societies and states of the West African forest
10. Kingdoms and trade in Central Africa
11. The peoples and states of southern Africa
12. Africa in world history
13. Diseases and crops: old and new
14. Slavery in Africa
15. The Atlantic slave trade
16. The Asian slave trade
17. Imperial Africa
18. The European conquest of Africa
19. Southern Africa, 1486–1910
20. European colonial rule in Africa
21. The colonial legacy
22. Independent Africa
23. The Union of South Africa and the apartheid state
24. A decade of hope
25. Cold War Africa
26. Africa at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

Subject Areas: The environment [RN], Social & cultural history [HBTB], African history [HBJH]