Books and films received for review

Books received:

Title: Intercultural Dialogue in Africa: Project review
Editor: Tom Broadhurst and Jo Angouri
Published by: British Council
First published: 2010
ISBN: N/A
Pages: 130

This review of the British Council’s May 2008 intercultural dialogue in Africa (ICDA) informs of the aims, coordination and lessons from this project. The British Council focused on 12 countries in its specific intention ‘to build trust between people in the UK and African Muslim communities’. These countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda) are all Sub-Saharan countries. This review should be of interest to those wishing to understand the intentions, from the British Council’s perspective, of such a project, and what were the lessons and outcomes of its activities in 2008.

Title: Identity Economics: Social Networks & the Informal Economy in Nigeria
Author: Kate Meagher
Published by: James Currey
First published: 2010
ISBN: 9781847010162
Pages: 224

Identity Economics explores the reasons behind the recognised failure of informal enterprise networks in Nigeria. Kate Meagher seeks to demonstrate how this failure is not simply down to what some may assume to be unproductive cultural institutions governing the informal sector, but instead a result of damaging liberalization and the retreat of the state. Meagher refers to two informal enterprise networks in Nigeria in the publication’s analysis, which leads the author to insist that the state’s role is critical in directing the informal economy in its development away from insecurity and eventual poverty for those involved. The author founds her analysis on over twenty years of research on African informal economies.

Title: The Politics of Genocide
Authors: Edward S. Herman and David Peterson
Published by: Monthly Review Press
First published: 2010
ISBN: 9781583672129
Pages: 159

The Politics of Genocide takes a look at the politics behind the term ‘genocide’. These authors investigate how national and international political propaganda can influence the condemnation of actions taken by governments and military forces as ‘genocide’, and suggest that political motives determine the use or retraction of this heavy term. The authors use a variation of case studies to illustrate the ‘politics of genocide’. Edward S. Herman is professor emeritus of finance at the Wharton School, Unversity of Pennsylvania and David Peterson is an independent journalist and researcher based in Chicago.

Title: Chistopher Okigbo 1930–67: Thirsting for Sunlight
Author: Obi Nwakanma
Published by: James Currey
First published: 2010
ISBN: 9781847010131
Pages: 276

In this new biography Obi Nwakanma explores the life and work of Chistopher Okigbo – the highly acclaimed Nigerian poet who was killed fighting for the independence of Biafra in September 1967 in the Nigerian civil war. Through interviews with Okigbo’s contemporaries Nwakanma explores this literary master’s place in African literature and politics. Obi Nwakanma is a journalist and a poet, and Assistant Professor in the Department of English at Truman State University, Kirksville, Missouri.

Title: Alex la Guma: A Literary and Political Biography
Author: Roger Field
Published by: James Currey
First published: 2010
ISBN: 9781847010179
Pages: 258

In this publication Roger Field investigates the life of Alex la Guma, the South African liberation activist and writer who was exiled during apartheid in 1966 and died in 1985 in Havana. The author combines a fresh consideration of the literary achievements of la Guma with the political situation in which he operated, and on which he had an important influence. Roger Field is a senior lecturer in the Department of English, University of the Western Cape.

Title: Transitional Justice in Kenya: A Toolkit for Training and Engagement
Produced and published by: The Kenya Human Rights Commission, The Kenyan Section of the International Commission of Jurists and the International Centre for Policy and Conflict
First published: 2010
ISBN: 9966941630
Pages: 117

Transitional Justice in Kenya: A Toolkit for Training and Engagement, also known as the Toolkit, is designed to be a manual for constructive engagement with ongoing transitional justice procedures in Kenya, following the post-2007/8 elections. The Toolkit is divided into 3 parts: part 1 defines transitional justice, part 2 informs of the mechanisms of transitional justice, part 3 demonstrates the tools that facilitate an engagement in the transitional justice process and part 4 recommends how this engagement can be achieved. The Kenya Human Rights Commission, The Kenyan Section of the International Commission of Jurists and the International Centre for Policy and Conflict collaborate in presenting this contribution to Kenya’s ongoing judicial procedures following the post-election atrocities.

Title: African Economic Outlook 2010
Produced and published by: The African Development Bank Group, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
First published: 2010
ISBN: N/A
Pages: 277

This is the ninth edition of the African Economic Outlook – published by the African Development Bank Group, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). African Economic Outlook analyses African economies and provides ‘evidence-based policy advice on key development challenges for policy-makers, academics, civil society, as well as the general public within and outside the African continent’. This edition has a special focus on public resource mobilisation and aid, and the alleviation of aid dependency. The analysis also explores the actors and challenges involved in the continent’s economic development, in the context of a recovering global economy.

Title: Surviving After Torture: A Case Digest on The Struggle for Justice by Torture Survivors in Kenya
Produced and published by: The Kenya Human Rights Commission
First published: 2009
ISBN: 9966941622
Pages: 107

This publication by the Kenya Human Rights Commission explores how torture victims in Kenya, from colonial days and post-colonial regimes up until the era of the present government, engaged and continue to engage courts in the pursuit of justice and the promotion of human rights. This digest is a comprehensive presentation of the history of torture in Kenya and the resilience of torture victims in confronting their oppressors through legal action.

Title: The End of White World Supremacy: Black Internationalism and the Problem of the Color Line
Author: Roderick D. Bush
Published by: Temple University Press
First published: 2009
ISBN: 9781592135738
Pages: 258

The End of White World Supremacy explores the complex issue of integration of blacks into white America. The author approaches this issue in its national and international context, as well as in the context of movements for social justice. Racial troubles in the US are presented as symptoms of global political-social relationships with the West. Roderick D. Bush was an activist in the Black Power and radical movements of the 1960s through to the 1980s, and is now an associate professor of sociology and anthropology at St. John’s University, New York City.

Title: Hope not Hype: The Future of Agriculture Guided by the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD)
Author: Jack A. Heinemann
Published by: Third World Network
First published: 2009
ISBN: 9789832729815
Pages: 160

The initiatives for agricultural sustainability envisioned by the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) form the basis of Jack A. Heinemann’s vision for global food security presented in Hope not Hype. This book calls for greater awareness about the need for sustainable food production, which not only provides for the future but improves social and economic equity, and offers advice to readers and policy-makers.

Films and documentaries received:

Title: Who They Said I Should Be: The Story Of African British Female Movers & Shakers
Director: Kwaku
Funded by: BTWSC
First released: 2009

Who They Said I Should Be, directed by Kwaku, is a testimony to female achievers of African descent. One of the original aims of this project was to restore the gender balance of the BTWSC's 2009 African History Month programme, entitled In Search Of Achievers Closer To Home, which was felt by the director to focus more on male role models. The documentary hopes to inspire women of African descent to climb the career ladder to wherever they wish to go.

Title: The ‘Unturned Stones’: A documentation on impunity and historical injustices in Kenya
A production of: The Kenya Human Rights Commission
First released: 2009

The ‘Unturned Stones’ is a four part documentary on past impunity and injustice in Kenya. The pattern of state-condoned and sponsored violence, assassinations, unlawful arrests and torture and violations against social, economic and cultural rights is presented in this production, which aims to increase awareness of these atrocities.