Developing Africa

This book investigates development in British, French and Portuguese colonial Africa during the last decades of colonial rule. During this period, development became the central concept underpinning the relationship between metropolitan Europe and colonial Africa.

Combining historiographical accounts with analyses from other academic viewpoints, this book investigates a range of contexts, from agriculture to mass media. With its focus on the conceptual side of development and its broad geographical scope, it offers new and unique perspectives. An extensive introduction contextualises the individual chapters and makes the book an up-to-date point of entry into the subject of colonial development, not only for a specialist readership, but also for students of history, development and postcolonial studies.

Written by scholars from Africa, Europe and North America, Developing Africa is a uniquely international dialogue on this vital chapter of twentieth-century transnational history.

Autorentext
Joseph M. Hodge is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at West Virginia UniversityGerald Hödl is an Independent ScholarMartina Kopf is a Lecturer in African Studies and Development Studies at the University of Vienna

Klappentext
Contrary to widely held assumptions, the concept of development and practices such as development aid were the products neither of the Cold War nor of post-war decolonisation. Instead, they can be regarded as one of the major legacies of European colonialism.The continent that was (and still is) at the center of this historically new type of social and economic engineering was Africa. The essays within this book investigate the concepts and related practices of development in British, French and Portuguese colonial Africa during the twentieth century, particularly from the end of World War I to decolonisation (1918c.1970). During these decades, development became the central organising concept underpinning the relationship between metropolitan Europe and colonial Africa, altering the mindsets of both Europeans and Africans, and framing an increasing number of interactions between them.Combining historiographical accounts with analyses from social science and cultural studies perspectives, the book investigates a carefully selected range of economic, social and political contexts, from agriculture to mass media. With its focus on the conceptual side of development and its broad geographical scope, the book offers new and uncommon perspectives. An extensive introduction contextualises the individual chapters and makes the book an up-to-date point of entry into the subject of colonial development, not only for a specialist readership, but also for students of history, development and postcolonial studies.Written by scholars from Africa, Europe and North America, the book is a uniquely international dialogue on this vital chapter of twentieth-century transnational history.

Inhalt
General editor's introductionIntroduction Joseph Hodge and Gerald HödlPART I: Meanings of development in twentieth-century colonialism1. From dead end to new lease of life: development in South-Eastern Tanganyika from the late 1930s to the 1950s Juhani Koponen2. Developing 'Portuguese Africa' in late colonialism: confronting discourses Cláudia Castelo3. A history of maendeleo: the concept of 'development' in Tanganyika's late colonial public sphere Emma HunterPART II: Economic and rural development4. The 'private'face of African development planning during the Second World War Billy Frank5. Ecological concepts of development? The case of colonial Zambia Sven Speek6. Developing rural Africa: rural development discourse in colonial Zimbabwe, 194479 E.Kushinga Makombe7. The tractor as a tool of development? The mythologies and legacies of mechanised tropical agriculture in French Africa, 194456 Céline PessisPART III: Social development and welfare8. From precondition to goal of development: health and medicine in the planning and politics of British Tanganyika Walter Bruchhausen9. 'Keystone of progress' and mise en valeur d'ensemble: British and French colonial discourses on education for development in the interwar period Walter Schicho10. Development and education in British colonial Nigeria, 194055 Uyilawa Usuanlele11. Motherhood, morality, and social order: gender and development discourse and practice in late colonial Africa Barbara BushPART IV: Discourse-analytical and literary perspectives on colonial development 12. The world the Portuguese developed: racial politics, Luso-tropicalism, and development discourse in late Portuguese colonialism Caio Simões de Araújoand Iolanda Vasile13. Notions of 'développement' in French colonial discourses: changes in discursive practices and their social implications Françoise Dufour14. Developing Africa in the colonial imagination: European and African narrative writing of the interwar period Martina KopfEpilogue: taking stock, looking ahead Joseph HodgeBibliographyIndex