Sam Mbah, I.E. Igariwey: African Anarchism: The History of A Movement (1997)

The first book ever written on this subject, African Anarchism was co-written by Sam Mbah and fellow Nigerian, I.E. Igariway. After dealing with questions such as what anarchism is and isn’t, this groundbreaking book introduces the reader to anarchistic elements in traditional African societies, with a focus on Nigeria. It also examines the influence of anarchism on African national liberation struggles, and the failure of State Socialist governments in Africa. The book addresses the ongoing social, economic and political crises caused by colonialism in Africa. The authors end by considering the future prospects and challenges for anarchism in Africa.

Publisher See Sharp Press, Tucson, Arizona, 1997
ISBN 1884365051, 9781884365058
119 pages
via libcom.org

interview with Sam Mbah (March 2012)
Sam Mbah’s blog

PDF
PDF (2001 Edition from The Anarchist Library, multiple formats)

James M. Harding, John Rouse (eds.): Not the Other Avant-Garde: The Transnational Foundations of Avant-Garde Performance (2006)

“Almost without exception, studies of the avant-garde take for granted the premise that the influential experimental practices associated with the avant-garde began primarily as a European phenomenon that in turn spread around the world. These ten original essays, especially commissioned for Not the Other Avant-Garde, forge a radically new conception of the avant-garde by demonstrating the many ways in which the first—and second—wave avant-gardes were always already a transnational phenomenon, an amalgam of often contradictory performance traditions and practices developed in various cultural locations around the world, including Africa, the Middle East, Mexico, Argentina, India, and Japan. Essays from leading scholars and critics—including Marvin Carlson, Sudipto Chatterjee, John Conteh-Morgan, Peter Eckersall, Harry J. Elam Jr., Joachim Fiebach, David G. Goodman, Jean Graham-Jones, Hannah Higgins, and Adam Versényi—suggest collectively that the very concept of the avant-garde is possible only if conceptualized beyond the limitations of Eurocentric paradigms.

Not the Other Avant-Garde is groundbreaking in both avant-garde studies and performance studies and will be a valuable contribution to the fields of theater studies, modernist studies, art history, literature, and music history.”

Publisher University of Michigan Press, 2006
Theater: Theory/Text/Performance series
ISBN 0472069314, 9780472099313
312 pages

Publisher

PDF (updated on 2017-7-11)

Cristina De Middel: Afronauts (2012)

“In 1964, still living the dream of their recently gained independence, Zambia started a space program that would put the first African on the moon catching up the USA and the Soviet Union in the space race.

Only a few optimists supported the project by Edward Makuka, the school teacher in charge of presenting the ambitious program and getting its necessary funding. But the financial aid never came, as the United Nations declined their support, and one of the astronauts, a 16 year old girl, got pregnant and had to quit.

That is how the heroic initiative turned into an exotic episode of the African history, surrounded by wars, violence, droughts and hunger.”

Published on the occasion of the exhibition The Afronauts organized by Sala Kursala and curated by Jesús Micó at Sala Kursala, University of Cádiz, Spain.

Editor Laia Abril
Design Ramón Pez
ISBN 9788461585960
98 pages
via uca.es

Video (4:30)
Exhibition
Review

Author
Author
Publisher

PDF