Encyclopedia of Sociology

AFRICAN STUDIES

AFRICAN STUDIES

African studies simply defined is the systematic,
scientific study of African peoples, and their insti-
tutions, culture, and history. But such a simple
definition fails to encompass adequately the com-
plexity of this important but often neglected arena
for sociological theory and research.

THE GEOGRAPHY OF AFRICA

In sociology, the definition of one’s unit of study is
prerequisite to undertaking any research project.
However, facts of history make the task of defining
what encompasses African studies elusive. Geo-
graphic or spatial definitions are generally clear-
cut, so if one asks, ‘‘Where is Africa?’’ a concise
answer is expected. The continent of Africa is
easily identifiable on any atlas or globe. By associa-
tion African studies could be defined as all re-
search falling within the identified physical bounda-
ries of this continental landmass. This is a simple
and neat solution—or so it would seem. In reality,
however, even the task of defining the physical
boundaries of Africa can be daunting. As a vast
continent of rich cultural, linguistic, political, and
historical diversity, Africa is subject to consider-
able geographical disaggregation. Thus, what is
one continent is approached and conceived of as
several subcontinents or subregions. For example,
many people—both lay and professional alike—
are not accustomed to thinking of Egypt and the
northern Islamic states (e.g., Algeria, Libya, Alge-
ria, Morocco) as part of the African continent.
These African states are routinely separated in
scholarly discourse from Africa and African stud-
ies, and are generally treated as parts of the Middle
East or Mediterranean.

The tendency toward geographic disaggregation
in the conceptualization and study of Africa is also
apparent at levels beyond the ‘‘North African’’
versus ‘‘sub-Saharan African’’ distinction. African
studies in the so-called ‘‘sub-Saharan’’ context is
usually divided into presumably distinct regions of
this vast continent: East Africa (e.g., Kenya, Somalia,
Tanzania, Uganda); West Africa (e.g., Nigeria, Gha-
na, Senegal); Central Africa (e.g., Zaire, Congo,
Central African Republic); and Southern Africa
(e.g., South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho).

An additional complication in approaching

the geography of Africa is represented by the

partitioning of the continent into arbitrarily desig-

nated and imposed nation-states. Climaxing dur-

ing the critical decades between 1870 and 1914,

Western European imperialists divided Africa

among themselves in order to share in the exploi-

tation of the continent’s rich natural and human

resources. The Berlin Conference, a meeting among

various European powers, was held from Novem-

ber 15, 1884 to February 26, 1885 in response to

envy and mistrust spurred by competing attempts

to claim and colonize Africa. The gathering pro-

duced negotiated guidelines for the division and

governance of Africa by Europeans. As one strik-

ing example, the Congo River basin, envied and

hotly contested by several European powers (e.g.,

Portugal, Britain, France, Germany, Belgium), was

by consensus ceded to King Leopold II and Bel-

gium. As another example, while some contested

claims were settled, West Africa continued to be

divided unequally among the colonizing countries

that were fighting amongst themselves for the land

and the people: Portugal claimed 14,000 square

miles; Germany took possession of 33,000 square

miles; Britain declared ownership of 450,000 square

miles; and France laid claim to 1.8 million square

miles of African soil. In claiming the land, these

European powers also declared dominion over the

people who occupied these lands.

By 1898 Europeans had colonized most of

Africa. Since the lines of demarcation were drawn

with European rather than African interests in

mind, these artificially imposed geographic bounda-

ries often dissected cultural and national groups

or tribes that had been unified entities for centu-

ries before the arrival of Europeans. The political

or national boundaries arbitrarily established by

European conquest had profound, far-reaching

consequences. These boundaries are largely re-

sponsible for contemporary borders and nation-

states in Africa. Moreover, these artificial divisions

or mergers, or both, damaged historic patterns

and relationships and, by so doing, contributed in

some degree to ongoing ethnic conflicts in Africa.

As with icebergs formed over centuries where we

only can see the tip, these historic machinations

provided the impetus for many ‘‘modern’’ con-

flicts in Africa. In these cases, colonial influence

persists long after independence was proclaimed.