Africa Since 1945

Taking an Africa-centred approach and a decolonial lens, this book analyses diversity, equity, inclusion and globalization in Africa from 1945 to the present.

By 1945, most of Africa was characterized by linguistic and ethnic differences as well as in economic livelihoods. Due to an absence of equity and inclusion in African colonies, the political, economic and social movements of the time were driven by demands for basic human rights, freedom of movement, and political rights. After 1945, these themes continued to be critical, leading to rise of nationalism in the period of decolonization. After independence the struggle for equity and inclusion persisted, and turned to conflict, as witnessed by the second liberation movements and military coups. Today, the segregation and political exclusion by race that existed during the colonial period have been replaced by exclusion based on ethnicity, regionalism, religion and class struggle amidst a scramble for African resources by multinational global companies. Through chronologically framed chapters, Africa Since 1945 guides the reader through these historical, social and economic developments, highlighting the effects of colonial legacies and neo-colonialism in Africa and providing a framework for understanding critical issues, including the persistent insufficiency in food production, the involvement of international organizations, and the initiatives undertaken by African countries, and finally, examining what the future may hold for Africa.

Africa Since 1945 is an invaluable source to undergraduate scholars of Modern Africa, and thanks to its analysis of political ideologies and conflict resolutions, it will also be of interest to students of Political Science, Peace and Global Studies, and International Relations.

Godriver Wanga-Odhiambo is an Associate Professor of African History at Le Moyne College, USA. Wanga-Odhiambo is a revisionist African historian, with her areas of specialty being African Refugee Women, Colonial African, and Modern Africa. Her publications include The Political Economy of Sugar Production in Colonial Kenya: The Asian Initiative in Central Nyanza (2016) and Resilience in South Sudanese Women: Hope for the Daughters of the Nile (2014).