The African Today

Diedrich Westermann

• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781138600294
• eBook ISBN: 9780429895487
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Anthropology
• Index: Social Sciences

Originally published in 1934, and inevitably a product of the time in which it was published this book nevertheless remains an important volume in African sociology and psychology. Topics such as race, economics, family and kinship, tribal organization, ritual and the supernatural, language and education are discussed in a balanced way, especially given the era of publication.

CONTENTS

1. Cover
2. Half Title
3. Title Page
4. Copyright Page
5. Table of Contents
6. I. ANTHROPOLOGY AND PRACTICAL WORK IN AFRICA
7. 1. European penetration and African civilization (p. 1). Need for scientific preparation for study of the African (p. 4). 2. Social anthropology and the study of modem problems. The practical application of anthropology (p. 8). 3. The task of the anthropologist in the field (p. 12). Importance of recording texts (p. 15). 4. The aims of the institute (p. 16). The purpose of this book (p. 17).
8. II. MAN AND RACE IN AFRICA
9. 1. Common humanity and racial differences (p. 18). The dangers of generalization (p. 20). 2. The races of Africa (p. 20). The main racial groups: Pygmies and Bushmen; Hamites—their significance as cattle-owners and warriors; the Negro (p. 26). Adaptability of races to new circumstances (p. 27).
10. III. SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE NEGRO’S MIND
11. 1. Negro characteristics (p. 29). Results of intelligence tests (p. 31). Proverbs and folklore in Negro culture (p. 32). Technical abilities of the Negro (p. 34). The Negro’s absence of scientific approach to natural phenomena (p. 36). Ancestor cults and tribal tradition (p. 38). 2. The mental processes of ‘primitive man’ (p. 38). Predominance of emotional thought (p. 39). Mental attitude of individuals to group (p. 43). 3. Adaptation of the African to changing conditions in work and in education (p. 44). 4. Necessity for relating education to Native environment (p. 46). 5. Need for research into attitudes towards work and mental adaptation to new environment (p. 48).
12. IV. THE ECONOMIC BASES OF LIFE
13. 1. The Peasant (p. 50). Native methods of agriculture (p. 51). Intensive and extensive cultivation in relation to density of population (p. 53). Modification in economic and social life involved in change from hoe culture to plough (p. 54). Native attitude towards European ‘improvements’ (p. 55). 2. Native grown crops for export (p. 56). Relation to world markets and to food crops (p. 58). Grounds of European opposition to native grown commercial crops (p. 59). Statistics of Native crops (p. 60). Uses of agricultural schools (p. 61). 3. Agriculture and magic (p. 64). Agriculture in relation to social organization (p. 65). Contrast with labour for Europeans (p. 66). 4. The Shepherd (p. 66). Hamites and cattle breeding (p. 67). Cattle as medium of exchange (p. 67). Bride-wealth (p. 68). Emotional attitude to cattle (p....

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• FOREWORD
• I. Anthropology and Practical Work in Africa
• II. Man and Race in Africa
• III. Some Observations on The Negro’s Mind
• IV. The Economic Bases of Life
• V. Arts and Crafts
• VI. Life in The Family
• VII. The Group and The Individual
• VIII. Old and New Governments
• IX. The Supernatural World
• X. Education and Missions
• XI. Language and Education
• XII. Disintegration and Reintegration
• XIII. The Clash of Races
• EPILOGUE
• SOME RECENT BOOKS IN ENGLISH DEALING WITH AFRICAN PROBLEMS