{"product_id":"inventing-africa-history-archaeology-and-ideas-paperback","title":"Inventing Africa: History, Archaeology and Ideas - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eRobin Derricourt\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eInventing Africa is a critical account of narratives which have selectively interpreted and misinterpreted the continent's deep past. Writers have created alluring images of lost cities, vast prehistoric migrations and golden ages of past civilisations. Debates continue on the African origins of humankind, the contributions of ancient Egypt to the world and Africa's importance to global history. Images of 'Africa', simplifying a complex and diverse continent, have existed from ancient Mediterranean worlds, slave trading nations and colonial powers to today's political elites, ecotourists and aid-givers. Robin Derricourt draws on his background as publisher and practitioner in archaeology and history to explore the limits and the dangers of simplifications, arguing - as with Said's concept of 'Orientalism' - that ambitious ideas can delude or oppress as well as inform. Defending Africa against some of the grand narratives that have been imposed upon its peoples, Inventing Africa will spark new debates in the history of Africa and of archaeology.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRobin Derricourt\u003c\/b\u003e is Conjoint Associate Professor in History at the University of New South Wales. His career has included archaeology teaching and fieldwork, heritage administration, and editorial responsibilities for book publishing programmes in history, African studies and archaeology. As author his books include \u003ci\u003eIdeas into Books\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eAn Author's Guide to Scholarly Publishing\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eMan on the Kafue\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003ePeople of the Lakes\u003c\/i\u003e and (with C. Saunders) \u003ci\u003eBeyond the Cape Frontier\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 200\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.5 x 8.4 x 5.3 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e May 24, 2011\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47520762921181,"sku":"9780745331058","price":55.91,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0811\/9867\/8237\/files\/lnw56N6Ap49780745331058.webp?v=1772248569","url":"https:\/\/handfulofbooks.com\/products\/inventing-africa-history-archaeology-and-ideas-paperback","provider":"Handful of Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}