Historical Dictionary of Malawi FROM THE PUBLISHER
The the most extensive single-volume reference book on Malawi, covering a broad range of fields, including war, disease, the rise and fall of state systems, religious and socio-political movements, natural sciences, the environment, transport and the economy. Should be an essential companion of students, teachers, scholars and general readers interested in learning about, and understanding, the past and present of the Lake Malawi region. Praise for previous editions: "...well and succinctly documented..."—LIBRARY JOURNAL "...fascinating and extremely readable..."—REVUE CANADIENNE DES ETUDES AFRICAINES
Author Biography: Owen J. Kalinga is Professor of History at North Carolina State University. He is advisor to Encyclopaedia Britannica, with special responsibility for the Eastern African region. Cynthia Crosby researches social and economic developments in Eastern Africa, and Malawi in particular; her publications included a bibliography of Kenya and a chapter on the Malawi railways in "From Nyasaland to Malawi".
SYNOPSIS
This third edition of the dictionary emphasizes what the editor calls the "new" Malawi, or post Banda era, in which Malawi is seeking to reintroduce democracy and reinforce its capitalist heritage. The alphabetically arranged entries include broad topics such as environment, as well as specific examples of items such as government agencies, like the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation. Other entries, such as ethnic groups, incorporate dozens of other terms with their own entries, i.e. Ngoni, Nyanja, and Yao. Kalinga, currently teaching history at North Carolina State U., has also taught at a variety of African universities, including the University of Malawi, and Crosby whose research interests lie in the economics of East Africa, is currently a high school teacher and administrator.
Annotation © Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
FROM THE CRITICS
Booknews
An update of the 1980 encyclopedic reference to people, events, and other matters relating to the southeastern African country, from the early stone age to the early 1990s, which have brought such problems as the AIDS epidemic and the influx of refugees. Provides a background for watching the events unfold now that a recent referendum has ended nearly 30 years of one-party rule under Dr. Hastings Banda. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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