Politics in The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau: Precolonial Influence on the Postcolonial State

This book explores how precolonial political traditions and practices shape modern-day politics in The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. It shows how postcolonial political administrations and Justice, Integrity and Truth (JIT) movements have mobilized to reclaim, reinvent and subvert traditional Kabunka norms of statecraft to prove their political legitimacy. It also provides evidence on the continuity of precolonial political culture along Africans west coast.

Format: Hardback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 19 November 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This captivating book delves into the intricate interplay between precolonial political traditions and practices and the contemporary politics of The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. The precolonial Kaabu empire, which ruled the region for over three centuries, left a profound legacy of oral and ritual culture that emphasized the importance of a ruler's legitimacy among the general population. This book traces how postcolonial political administrations and Justice, Integrity and Truth (JIT) movements have mobilized to reclaim, reinvent, and subvert traditional Kabunka norms of statecraft in order to prove their political legitimacy. It explores how cultural memory, oral arts, and musical forms can be employed to express ideals of leadership and followership, thereby creating various conversations and debates about politics and society, social attitudes, and morality. By highlighting the ways in which these latent but influential social and political practices from the Kaabu era are reclaimed, reproduced, or subverted, the book offers valuable insights into the evolving nature of political rhetoric in these two countries.

While many studies of the state in Africa tend to rely on Western democratic principles as a framework, this book provides valuable evidence of the continuity of precolonial political culture along the African west coast. It will appeal to researchers specializing in politics, history, and anthropology, both within the region and beyond. The insights and perspectives offered in this book contribute to our understanding of the complex and multifaceted dynamics shaping contemporary African politics.

Weight: 288g
Dimension: 142 x 222 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367690052