African Political Systems Revisited : Changing Perspectives on Statehood and Power

Reexamining a classical work of social anthropology, __African Political Systems__ (1940), edited by Fortes and Evans-Pritchard, this book looks at the colonial and academic context from which the work arose, as well as its reception and its subject matter, and looks at how the work can help with analysis of current politics in Africa. This book critically reflects upon the history of anthropology. It also contributes to a political anthropology which is aware of its antecedents, self-reflexive as a discipline, conscious of pitfalls and biases, and able to locate itself in its academic, social and political environment. Contents List of Illustrations Foreword Chapter 1. The Right Book at the Right Time: Early Reactions and Continuing Debates Chapter 2. African Political Systems and Political Anthropology Chapter 3. Complementary Segmentary Opposition, Early Kingship and the Looming State: Bridging the Dichotomy of African Political Systems Chapter 4. The Shilluk Reth: Early King or Head of State? An Inter-Nilotic Exploration Chapter 5. A New Approach to the Political Anthropology of Africa: From African Political Systems and Tribes without Rulers via The Early State Chapter 6. Retaliation, Mediation and Punishment in Ankole: Revisiting the Chapter by Oberg Chapter 7. Beyond ‘African Political Systems’? The Relevance of Patrilineal Descent in Moments of Crisis in Northern Somalia Chapter 8. Some Notes on the Tuareg (Kinin) of Northern Darfur, Sudan Chapter 9. The Nkandla Controversy: Insights from African Political Systems Chapter 10. Rethinking Tswana Kingships and Their Incorporation in Modern Botswana State Formation Afterword Index "Reexamining a classical work of Social Anthropology, African Political Systems (1940), edited by Fortes and Evans-Pritchard, this book looks at the colonial and academic context from which the work arose, as well as its reception and its subject matter and looks at how the work can help with analysis of current politics in Africa. This book contributes to the history of anthropology, which is critically reflected upon. It also contributes to a political anthropology which is aware of its antecedents, self-reflexive as a discipline, conscious of pitfalls and biases, and able to locate itself in its academic, social and political environment"-- Provided by publisher

Reexamining a classical work of social anthropology, African Political Systems (1940), edited by Fortes and Evans-Pritchard, this book looks at the colonial and academic context from which the work arose, as well as its reception and its subject matter, and looks at how the work can help with analysis of current politics in Africa. This book critically reflects upon the history of anthropology. It also contributes to a political anthropology which is aware of its antecedents, self-reflexive as a discipline, conscious of pitfalls and biases, and able to locate itself in its academic, social and political environment.