Power and State Formation in West Africa

Looks at the political and social history of the Gold Coast in West Africa from the early 16th century to the second half of the 18th. The book examines how political entities in Nzema were structured territorially, as well as the formation of ruling groups and aspects of their political, economic, and military actions.

'The author provides important insight into the political development of one specific section of the Gold Coast and how regional participation in the Atlantic trade, and thus sustained contact with European traders and company officials, influenced this process. The author clearly shows how trade and cultural interaction influenced this political development, and provides an excellent example of the importance of interdisciplinary work to West Africa in this period. Highly recommended.' CHOICE

Autorentext
PIERLUIGI VALSECCHI Professor of African History, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Italy.

Inhalt
History and Identity The Regional Landscape Politics and Trade Changes in the Second Half of the Seventeenth Century Warning Signs of a Shifting Balance Big Men, Imperial Dynamics, and Local Powers The New Maanle of Appolonia The Framework of Hegemony