Africana Studies: A Survey of Africa and the African Diaspora

by Mario Azevedo

The third edition of Africana A Survey of Africa and the African Diaspora is an update of the second edition (1998) and incorporates new chapters that include expanded coverage of issues on women, health, terrorism, the African Union, and many others, as well as the most recent theories and methods in Africana studies. To date, Africana Studies remains the most comprehensive and most suitable text for both teachers and students interested in Africa and the Diaspora in the US, the Caribbean, Afro-Latin-America, and elsewhere. The book is divided into five the state of the art of Africana studies; the evolution of the history of black people; analysis of the contributions of the black world; the present and future status of these peoples; and the societies and values of black people. The book also includes a chronology of significant events in the history of peoples of African descent and a number of maps. "[This book] attempts in one volume to present more accurately the experiences and contributions of the African world. It introduces readers to the most comprehensive account of black interdisciplinary subjects to date and summarizes the research of specialists in a variety of fields… The number of contributors, variety, and depth of coverage show that the work was carefully thought out." ― Insights, on an earlier edition

Genres: History

600 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1993

Reviews

[esti klein]

this book made me wish there were no continents

[Rusty del Norte]

African Studies by Mario Azevedo covers a variety of topics in depth in discussing African culture. The areas of concern are the Caribbean, North America, and western sub-Saharan Africa. It tries to cover a variety of interests relating to culture, music, dance, religion, feminism, an other related topics.

One thing I found missing was African studies relating to Eastern sub-Saharan culture and South America. Brazil is virtually ignored and eastern Sub-Saharan areas are rarely mentioned. This to me was a mistake by the author as it would've greatly enhanced the value of this book. Overall, I enjoyed it.