Term Paper on "Emergence of Global Study"
Term Paper 4 pages (1131 words) Sources: 1
[EXCERPT] . . . .
Black Man's Burden" by Basil DavidsonThe inappropriate path towards Nationalism in Africa: A book review on "The Black Man's Burden: Africa and the curse of the nation-states" by Basil Davidson
Throughout history, the most marginalized race in most countries in the age of capitalism and technological advancement remains to be the African race. Driven to live a life of bondage through slavery in most Western societies and being colonized in their own land, the Africans have not yet defined their true sense of identity as peoples. Instead, what was developed in their psyche is the feeling that they were indeed a race that would inevitably experience prejudice and discrimination in any society in the world.
In the book, "The Black Man's Burden: Africa and the curse of the nation-states," author Basil Davidson provides his own account and theory about how, in the midst of an almost-politically-free African region, its peoples have yet to experience true freedom, in the sense that they cannot govern themselves effectively, often falling prey to the promises of Nationalism, but failing to live the ideal model of a nation-state.
The thesis of the book is elucidated in the Introduction, wherein Davidson states that, "...nation-statism looked like liberation...But it did not continue as a liberation...it was not a restoration of Africa to Africa's own history, but the onset of a new period of indirect subjection to the history of Europe" (10). This meant that the path towards the establishment of a nation-state in the African region -- and in effect, liberation for African countries -- has been modeled after the European experience and po
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This problem was discussed in two-levels. The first one subsisted to the argument that most societies in Africa are not appropriate to the development of a nation-state simply because these societies or communities do not have established social classes. Compared to the Europeans, whose basic social structure is determined through the existence of a higher and lower classes as well as the middle class, African communities are devoid of this characteristic.
This point was illustrated in the book, wherein the author argues, "...this irresistible nation-statism took its rise in a period when economic development in Europe fostered and required the presence in society of acutely stratified classes" (133). This meant that nation-statism was established at the wrong context: introducing a political framework that is based on clear distinctions between the rich and the poor is simply not applicable in Africa, where social hierarchy is present only among its members rather than institutions.
Take as an example the experience of Nigeria, whose attempt to experience independence through self-governance in a political system that is European-oriented led to their further colonization to the country. As the author stated, "[t]hey accepted the colonial legacy...on the rash assumption that they could master it. But as things turned out, it mastered them" (181). The confusion and inability of the new government to govern and control the tribal-ist social system of the country led to further chaos rather than stability and order.
The Nigerian example brought home the argument that the Africans… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "Emergence of Global Study" Assignment:
Pick one of these books to do a book review on:
*****, Sydney. Lions and Foxes: Men and Ideas of the Italian Renaissance (1985)
Conrad, Geoffrey and Arthur Demarest. Religion and Emipire: The Dynamics of Aztec and Inca Expansionism, 1400-1700.
Inga Clendinnen, The Aztecs: An Interpretation. New York.
Peter Burke, Popular Culture in Early Modern Europe. New York: Harper Torchbooks, 1978.
Basil Davidson, Black Man's Burden: Africa and the Curse of the Nation-State. London: James Curry, 1992.
T. Todorov, The Conquest of America: The Question of the Other, New York, 1982.
John Murra, The Economic Organization of the Inca State, Connecticut: Jai Press Inc., 1980.
***** Landes, The Wealth and Poverty of Nations: Why are Some So Rich and others So Poor. New York: Norton, 1998.
Ross Hassig, Aztec Warfare: Imperial Exapansion and Political Control. Norman: Oklahoma 1988.
Paul Kennedy, The Rise and the Fall of the Great Pows. Economic Change and Military conflict from 1500 to 2000. New York: Random House, 1987.
Heiko a. Oberman. Luther. Man between God and the Devil: New Haven: Yale University Press, 1982.
Kathryn Burns, Colonial Habits: Convents and the Spiritual Economy of Cuzco, Peru. Durham: Duke University Press, 1999.
Guidelines for Book Reviews
1. You do not have to answer all these questions. You can focus on two or three questions if that is helpful for you to make your points.
2. General Purpose: The purpose is to analyze the book not to describe it or summarize it. The idea is to understand how historical research is done or how historians reconstruct the past. You are trying to understand the way an academic historian thinks and reasons with his/her subject matter.
3. Argument: Regarding the argument of a book: It is very important to distinguish between the topic of the book and the argument.
What is the main argument(s) of this book? Does the author clearly state his/her main argument?
a) arguments could be hypotheses, ideas, issues, historical truths, etc.
b) theoretical framework. Does the author have a preferential social theory or perspective to develop his/her arguments?
c) does he prove his/her argument throughout the book? How?
4. Background of the author: What can you say about the author's background?
5. Evidence: How does the author prove his/her points? Does he use statistics, inference, crtical analysis of texts, concepts or other ways to prove his/her points?
6. Organization of the book: Division of chapters, connection between the chapters? how are the transitions between the chapters?
7. Assessment of previous literature: What is the author's assessment about the preceding literature on the issue he or she is studying?
DON'T
Write comments that are too subjective such as "the book is boring", "too long", etc.
Do not use the Internet for this.
DO:
Work cite anything that is quoted from the book with page numbers.
How to Reference "Emergence of Global Study" Term Paper in a Bibliography
“Emergence of Global Study.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2005, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/black-man-burden-basil/878034. Accessed 5 Oct 2024.
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