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Just published! The objects of life in Central Africa. The History of Consumption and Social Change, 1840-1980
In The Objects of Life in Central Africa the history of consumption and social change from 1840 until 1980 is explored. By taking consumption as a vantage point, the contributions deviate from and add to previous works which have mainly analysed issues of production from an economic and political perspective. The chapters are broad-ranging in temporal and geographical focus, including contributions on Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Angola. Topics range from the social history of firearms to the perception of the railway and include contributions on sewing machines, traders and advertising. By looking at the socio-economic, political and cultural meaning and impact of goods the history of Central Africa is reassessed.
About the author(s) / editor(s)
Robert Ross (Ph.D. Cambridge University) is Professor of African History at Leiden University. He has published extensively on South African history, recently focusing on material culture. He is co-editor of Cambridge History of South Africa (Cambridge University Press, 2010).
Marja Hinfelaar (Ph.D. in History, Utrecht University) is working at the National Archives of Zambia, where she coordinates digitisation projects. Her research interests include the historical relationship between church and state in Zambia.
Iva Peša is a historian currently doing her Ph.D. at Leiden University on the social history of Mwinilunga District in northwestern Zambia. Het interests include the changing patterns of (agricultural) production, consumption, labour migration and social relationships.
Afrika-Studiecentrum Series, volume 30, ISSN: 1570-9310
How to order
This publication can be ordered directly from Brill Publishers. Price: € 46,-
Posted on 3 September 2013, last modified on 16 September 2013