Short description:

The Routledge Companion to Postcolonial African Historiography explores history's fortunes in Modern Africa south of the Sahara, from the discipline's Golden Age as a handmaiden in struggles against colonialism, to the uncertain present where the continent?s historians struggle to justify their value to frequently sceptical publics.

Long description:

The Routledge Companion to Postcolonial African Historiography explores history's fortunes in Modern Africa south of the Sahara, from the discipline's Golden Age as a handmaiden in struggles against colonialism, to difficult decades when its survival has been threatened by capricious political and economic conditions, and the uncertain present where the continent?s historians struggle to justify their value to frequently sceptical publics.

In exploring the discipline?s practical role in past struggles for African emancipation the volume speaks directly to these challenging but changing circumstances. The chapters feature contributions from leading experts on historiographical traditions of different regions of the continent. They collectively demonstrate how the process of instrumentalizing the past to advance lay struggles has influenced the choices historians have made regarding sources, methodology, interpretation, audiences, and platforms. This practical application has strongly shaped the diverse forms that African historiography has assumed, as reflected in this book. The themes discussed offer a platform for inserting Africa into comparative studies of global historiographical traditions, whilst also contributing to contemporary debates on decolonization.

In offering accessible insights from leading historians, this is an essential handbook for students and scholars of African history and historiography, as well as all those interested in postcolonial studies.

'The turn of the century brought steep challenges to historians interested in Africa's past. Such challenges have forced some backward steps, but also some maturation and growth. The present volume provides readers with examples and the much needed context to understand the many changes that have resulted in what today is a diverse, rich, embattled and yet thriving field.' ? Esperenza Brizuela-Garcia, Montclair State University

Table of Contents:

List of Contributors

Preface

Immanuel R. Harisch and Thula Simpson

Part I: Histories

1 The Evolution of Africanist Historiography

Thula Simpson and Immanuel R. Harisch

2 The Political Use of History from the Nineteenth-Century Gold Coast to Nkrumah?s Ghana

Matteo Grilli

3 History and the Politics of the Past in Côte d?Ivoire

Konstanze N?Guessan

4 The Teaching and Writing History at Makerere in Uganda, 1950s until 2020s

Pamela Khanakwa

5 The Dar es Salaam Schools of History, c. 1960s ? 1980s

Immanuel R. Harisch

6 Trends in Historical Studies on Angola and Mozambique from Decolonisation to the Present

Justin Pearce

7 Umkhonto we Sizwe and its Historians

Thulasizwe Simpson

8 Terence Ranger, Patriotic History, and the Dangers of a ?big man? in a Young Nation?s History

Diana Jeater

9 Urban Worlds in Motion: A Survey of African Urban Historiography

Carl-Philipp Bodenstein

Part II: Perspectives

10 How I Became an Africanist Historian

Neil Parsons

11 ?History is and remains the Soul of Society?

Drissa Kone

12 A Discipline under Threat: The Status of History in Zambia

Clarence Chongo

13 What makes an Africanist Historian?

Simplice Ayangma Bonoho

14 The Making of a Historian

Bryson G. Nkhoma

Index