Autobiography, Memory and Nationhood in Anglophone Africa

This book provides a critical analysis of the autobiographies of nine major leaders of national liberation movements in Africa, exploring themes of anti-colonial resistance, cultural sovereignty, and postcolonial contradictions. It is of interest to researchers of African literature, history, and politics.

Format: Hardback
Length: 198 pages
Publication date: 25 August 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book is a vital and comprehensive critical analysis of the autobiographies of nine significant leaders of national liberation movements in Africa. By delving into their self-narratives, we gain a deeper understanding of the intricate processes that shaped the decolonization of the continent. Through the examination of these autobiographies, we explore how activist-politicians sought to immortalize their roles for posterity, shaping the narratives of their respective movements.

The book focuses on the autobiographies of Peter Abrahams, Albert Luthuli, Ruth First, Nelson Mandela (South Africa), Nnamdi Azikiwe (Nigeria), Kenneth Kaunda (Zambia), George Mwase (Malawi), Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana), Maurice Nyagumbo (Zimbabwe), and Oginga Odinga (Kenya). These leaders played pivotal roles in the anti-colonial resistance movements across Africa, and their personal accounts provide valuable insights into the social and cultural forces that galvanized these movements.

One of the central themes explored in the book is the disdain for foreign domination, economic exploitation, and cultural imperialism. The authors examine how these forces shaped the experiences of African societies and fueled the desire for independence and self-determination. They explore the themes of African cultural sovereignty before the colonial encounter, the disruptive presence of colonialism, the nationalist ferment against European imperial domination, the achievement of political autonomy by African nation-states, and the complex contradictions that attended postcolonial becoming.

The book offers important insights into how these key historical figures navigated the process of self-determining nationhood in Africa. It sheds light on the challenges and complexities they faced, as well as the strategies they employed to overcome them. By examining their personal experiences and struggles, the authors provide a nuanced understanding of the complexities of the African colonial experience and the legacies that continue to shape the continent today.

This book will be of interest to researchers of African literature, history, and politics. It offers a wealth of information and analysis that will deepen our understanding of the complex and multifaceted history of Africa. The book's insights will be valuable to scholars, students, and anyone with an interest in the region's past and present.

Weight: 550g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032275215