Women in Africa

"A cornucopia of historical & contemporary information about the life of women south of the Sahara.... An essential work." Choice "[A] pathbreaking effort.... Fills a conspicuous gap in African studies." Foreign Affairs

Sustainable development has traditionally neglected the contributions of women until recently. Government and institutions in developing countries, as well as foreign aid agencies, are just beginning to realize the important roles filled by women as farmers, entrepreneurs, food providers, educators, and role models in developing countries and are attempting to integrate women into nongovernmental organization projects and voluntary organization programs. According to James and his contributors, women should not be just acknowledged, they must be included in the planning, construction, implementation, and operation of development schemes in Africa in order for development to be successful and widespread.

An interdisciplinary study of market women from all parts of Africa shows how, from historical times to the present, African women have used the economic power they have derived from market activities and commercial enterprises to improve their social and political status in a man's world. They used their wealth in pre-colonial times to obtain titles and even chieftainship. Because of their involvement in trade, many women acquired considerable property, especially real estate. The authors stress the positive aspect of women's economic activities, but also point out the prevalent sexual division of labor in Africa as a limiting factor. They illustrate the concomitant struggle between men and women over certain market items traditionally associated with one or the other sex. They analyze the cultural, social, and economic barriers that restrict female involvement in some economic activities. Nevertheless, the overwhelming conclusion by all of the writers, who are Africans and Americans, is that women play a major role in the economic sector of all the regions of the continent.

Global Dimensions of the African Diaspora collects selected essays from the First and Second African Diaspora Institutes and other essays. This revised second edition, with broader geographical scope than the first edition, places greater emphasis on historical and sociopolitical analysis. New essays that examine the African experience and slavery in the Mediterranean, the black experience in Brazil, African religious retentions in Latin American countries, and essays by women that focus on the experience and contributions of African women of the diaspora address significant areas omitted in the first volume.