East Africa: In search of national and regional renewal

“This is an exciting book, which brilliantly brings out disturbing social questions such as nationalism, ethnicity, the role of intellectuals, language, the military, regional security and the nature of political transitions in the East African region. The authors of the various papers present dynamic and convincing arguments on politics of identity, language and the quest for Africa’s renewal.”

Professor Eric Masinde Aseka, Kenyatta University, Kenya

“The papers in this volume confront some of the major problems facing the peoples of East Africa, as indeed of the African continent as a whole. Focusing in particular on the dilemmas of ethnic and national identities and their relationship to social and political conflict, these essays constitute a major contribution to debates on supra-national co-operation and socio-economic and political renewal in Africa.”

Professor Colin Herbert Creighton, University of Hull, UK

East Africa: In Search of National and Regional Renewal presents a stimulating mix of historical and contemporary experiences at the heart of African nationalism and pan-African aspirations. It offers rich, critical and insightful scholarly readings of East African discourses, practices and historiographies. While exploring the different dimensions of the challenges of renewal confronting the countries in the region, the authors take full cognisance of the changed contexts, conditions and forces shaping Africa today. The result is a lucid and highly accessible collection of empirically grounded contributions by reputed scholars on issues such as: African nationalism; intellectuals and Africa quest for renewal; ethnicity and citizenship; movementocracy and democracy; transient mobile ‘nations’ and nationhood; and the language question. The book provides remarkable readings of the problems confronting the East African region, and alternative approaches to meeting the challenges of nationalism, regionalism and promotion of pan-African ideals.