Historical Dictionary of Women in Sub-Saharan Africa

by Kathleen Sheldon University of California, Los Angeles

Overview

African women’s history is a vast topic that embraces a wide variety of societies in over 50 countries with different geographies, social customs, religions, and historical situations. Africa is a predominantly agricultural continent, and a major factor in African agriculture is the central role of women as farmers. It is estimated that between 65 and 80 percent of African women are engaged in cultivating food for their families, and in the past that percentage was likely even higher. Thus, one common thread across much of the continent is women’s daily work in their family plot.

This second edition of Historical Dictionary of Women in Sub-Saharan Africa contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 700 cross-referenced entries on individual African women in history, politics, religion, and the arts; on important events, organizations, and publications; and on topics important to women in general (marriage, fertility, employment) and to African women in particular (market women, child marriage, queen mothers). This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the Women in Africa.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781442262928
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	03/04/2016
Series:	Historical Dictionaries of Women in the World
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	520
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.90(d)

About the Author

Kathleen Sheldon is an independent historian with a research affiliation at the Center for the Study of Women, University of California, Los Angeles. She has published books and articles on African history, with particular concentration on women’s history and Mozambique.

Table of Contents

Editor’s Foreword
Preface
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Map
Chronology
Introduction
THE DICTIONARY
Appendix
Table 1: Fertility
Table 2: Literacy
Bibliography
Country Index
About the Author

Editorial Reviews

Issued in the publisher's prolific series of historical dictionaries, many entries in this second edition by independent scholar Sheldon have been carefully updated and revised from the edition published more than a decade ago. The dictionary's strengths continue to be its coverage of individuals, organizations, and institutions in entries ranging from a few lines to two pages. Though most information is likely available online, it is very useful to have a volume in hand focusing specifically on Sub-Saharan women.. . .An appendix lists entries by country—an effective addition. More than a third of the volume is a bibliography of scholarly sources on history and special topics such as art, education, literature, marriage, pastoralism, slavery, and urbanization.. . .Libraries that have found the first edition useful will want to replace it with the present title.

Summing Up:Recommended. All academic levels; general readers.

Choice Reviews

Issued in the publisher's prolific series of historical dictionaries, many entries in this second edition by independent scholar Sheldon have been carefully updated and revised from the edition published more than a decade ago. The dictionary's strengths continue to be its coverage of individuals, organizations, and institutions in entries ranging from a few lines to two pages. Though most information is likely available online, it is very useful to have a volume in hand focusing specifically on Sub-Saharan women.. . .An appendix lists entries by country—an effective addition. More than a third of the volume is a bibliography of scholarly sources on history and special topics such as art, education, literature, marriage, pastoralism, slavery, and urbanization.. . .Libraries that have found the first edition useful will want to replace it with the present title. Summing Up: Recommended. All academic levels; general readers.

Choice

Issued in the publisher's prolific series of historical dictionaries, many entries in this second edition by independent scholar Sheldon have been carefully updated and revised from the edition published more than a decade ago. The dictionary's strengths continue to be its coverage of individuals, organizations, and institutions in entries ranging from a few lines to two pages. Though most information is likely available online, it is very useful to have a volume in hand focusing specifically on Sub-Saharan women. . . .An appendix lists entries by country—an effective addition. More than a third of the volume is a bibliography of scholarly sources on history and special topics such as art, education, literature, marriage, pastoralism, slavery, and urbanization. . . .Libraries that have found the first edition useful will want to replace it with the present title.

Summing Up: Recommended. All academic levels; general readers.

CHOICE

Sheldon's great strength is her ability to write with a clarity that makes entries accessible to novices even as her extensive coverage allows them to be of value to specialists. She skillfully synthesizes topics like Christianity and colonialism while gracefully managing controversial items like feminism and female genital cutting. Entries are extensively cross-referenced....An outstanding bibliography running to 106 pages rivals the entries themselves for usefulness.

Journal of African History - Vol 49 2008

This is an excellent resource and all African studies collections will want to aquire a copy, as will general academic, community and major public libraries.

The African Book Publishing Record - Hans Zell

There is relatively little available in reference form on women in sub-Saharan Africa. Aside from breaking new ground, the great strength of this accessible historical dictionary is the organized presentation of topics bearing on women's issues on the subcontinent. An excellent, informative, and briskly written introduction is followed by approximately 300 alphabetically arranged entries covering a plethora of topics from the general (Education, HIV/AIDS, Literature) to the specific (Emecheta, Buchi; Inkatha Women's Brigade)....This excellent source gives just enough information to whet the interest and then points the way to in-depth sources in particular areas. An excellent purchase for academic and large public libraries.

9/15/2006 Booklist

Some 1000 entries by historian Sheldon (affiliated with the Center for the Study of Women at the U. of California, Los Angeles) provide biographical information on important African women, definitions of concepts important to women’s history in Africa, and descriptions of significant women’s organizations and publications. The entries date back to precolonial times in subject matter, but primarily treat the past half-century of history. As in other volumes of the series, the text also includes an introductory historical essay, a chronology, and a thematically organized bibliography. An appendix lists entries by country."

Reference and Research Book News

...this comprehensive reference book fills a huge gap in the African history literature....This fascinating book is highly recommended for all African history and women's studies collections.

American Reference Books Annual