Tradition And Transition In East Africa

First published in 1969. Divided into two parts, the first sections in the book examine the significance of the tribal factor in certain general contexts and discuss some of the particular backgrounds to contemporary transition in East Africa. There are essays on politics, economic development, language, law and education, together with a comparative look at European nationalism. In the second part, the grass-roots basis and development of the concept of the tribe are considered and its operation in social life in rural areas discussed. The contributions come from a wide range of scholars in the social sciences, history and law and the contributors are: W.J. Argyle, George Bennett, Tom J. Mboya, W.H. Whiteley, Eugene Cotran, J.W. Tyler, J.S. La Fontaine, Michael Twaddle, Kathleen M. Stahl, P.H. Gulliver, Kirsten Alneas, David J. Parkin, R.D. Grillo, I.M. Lewis, H.F. Morris.

Over the past decade, there has been a growing awareness in sub-Sahara Africa that institutions of governance are critical to the achievement of sustainable human development. These institutions also play a crucial role in the promotion of democracy and partnership building in all areas that are essential to the advancement of developmental goals. The International Learning Centre (ILC) at the University of Nairobi, with support from the Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA) and Kalamazoo College, brought together leading scholars from the Universities of Dar-es-Salaam, Makerere and several Kenyan institutions. These were joined by a group of twenty scholars drawn from the collaborating universities and colleges in the United States of America. East Africa in Transition: Images, Institutions and Identities was the theme of the 2001 Symposium. The goal was to challenge the common thinking about countries undergoing transition, to re-examine the process of change as it occurs in all areas of modern life. Several questions have been put forward in the book. Chief among these questions is what, in a holistic manner, informs and moulds the East African identity. Is it the shared colonial heritage including the legacy of artificial political borders? Is it a product of ethnicity and/or home locale? Could it be the similarity among the languages within the region? Is it the commonality of the struggle of all the peoples of East Africa to take their place in the global village? Is identity the product of self-actualization or a local response to global pressures?

Social theory monograph on the sociology of developing countries - discusses the gap in standard of living and income distribution between rich and poor countries, including such topics as population growth, natural resources, economic conditions, colonialism, economic development, the family, urbanization, education, psychological aspects, cultural factors, religion, industrialization, politics, etc. References and statistical tables.