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The Objects of Life in Central Africa
The History of Consumption and Social Change, 1840-1980
Series: - Afrika-Studiecentrum Series, Volume: 30
In The Objects of Life in Central Africa the history of consumption and social change from 1840 until 1980 is explored. By taking consumption as a vantage point, the contributions deviate from and add to previous works which have mainly analysed issues of production from an economic and political perspective. The chapters are broad-ranging in temporal and geographical focus, including contributions on Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Angola. Topics range from the social history of firearms to the perception of the railway and include contributions on sewing machines, traders and advertising. By looking at the socio-economic, political and cultural meaning and impact of goods the history of Central Africa is reassessed.
Robert Ross, Ph.D. (1974), Cambridge University, is Professor of African History at Leiden University. He has published extensively on South African history, recently focusing on material culture. He is co-editor of Cambridge History of South Africa(Cambridge University Press, 2010).
Marja Hinfelaar, Ph.D. (2001) in History, Utrecht University, is a historian working at the National Archives of Zambia, where she coordinates digitisation projects. Her research interests include the historical relationship between church and state in Zambia.
Iva Peša is a historian and is currently doing her PhD at Leiden University on the social history of Mwinilunga District in northwestern Zambia. Her interests include the changing patterns of (agricultural) production, consumption, labour migration and social relationships.
Marja Hinfelaar, Ph.D. (2001) in History, Utrecht University, is a historian working at the National Archives of Zambia, where she coordinates digitisation projects. Her research interests include the historical relationship between church and state in Zambia.
Iva Peša is a historian and is currently doing her PhD at Leiden University on the social history of Mwinilunga District in northwestern Zambia. Her interests include the changing patterns of (agricultural) production, consumption, labour migration and social relationships.
CONTENTS
List of Illustrations
List of Contributors
Introduction: Material Culture and Consumption Patterns: A Southern African Revolution
Robert Ross, Marja Hinfelaar and Iva Peša
PART I
PRE-COLONIAL TRADE AND FIREARMS
Wearing Cloth, Wielding Guns: Consumption, Trade, and Politics in the South Central African Interior during the Nineteenth Century
David Gordon
The Role of Firearms in the Songye Region (1869â1960)
Donatien Dibwe Dia Mwembu
PART II
MIGRANCY, MOBILITY AND INNOVATION
Sipilingas: Intraregional African Initiatives and the United Methodist Church in Katanga and Zambia, 1910â1945
J. Jeffrey Hoover
âWalking Home Majesticallyâ: Consumption and the Enactment of Social Status among Labour Migrants from Barotseland, 1935â1965
Michael Barrett
Railways, Railway Culture, and âIndustrial Work Disciplineâ in the Rhodesias
Kenneth P. Vickery
PART III
ADVERTISING AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Advertising, Consuming Manufactured Goods and Contracting Colonial Hegemony on the Zambian Copperbelt, 1945â1964
Walima T. Kalusa
Fabricating Dreams: Sewing Machines, Tailors, and Urban Entrepreneurship in Zambia
Karen Tranberg Hansen
PART IV
TRADERS
Indian Traders as Agents of Western Technological Consumption and Social Change in Mukuni:
Memories of the Sharma Brothersâ Trading Store, 1950s to 1964
Friday Mufuzi
The Social and Economic Impact of the Fort Jameson (Chipata) Indians on the Development of Chipata District, 1899â1973
Bizeck J. Phiri
Business, Consumption and Politics: Robinson Nabulyatoâs Banamwaze Store, 1949â1969
Marja Hinfelaar
Buying Pineapples, Selling Cloth Traders and Trading Stores in Mwinilunga District, 1940â1970
Iva Peša
Index
List of Illustrations
List of Contributors
Introduction: Material Culture and Consumption Patterns: A Southern African Revolution
Robert Ross, Marja Hinfelaar and Iva Peša
PART I
PRE-COLONIAL TRADE AND FIREARMS
Wearing Cloth, Wielding Guns: Consumption, Trade, and Politics in the South Central African Interior during the Nineteenth Century
David Gordon
The Role of Firearms in the Songye Region (1869â1960)
Donatien Dibwe Dia Mwembu
PART II
MIGRANCY, MOBILITY AND INNOVATION
Sipilingas: Intraregional African Initiatives and the United Methodist Church in Katanga and Zambia, 1910â1945
J. Jeffrey Hoover
âWalking Home Majesticallyâ: Consumption and the Enactment of Social Status among Labour Migrants from Barotseland, 1935â1965
Michael Barrett
Railways, Railway Culture, and âIndustrial Work Disciplineâ in the Rhodesias
Kenneth P. Vickery
PART III
ADVERTISING AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Advertising, Consuming Manufactured Goods and Contracting Colonial Hegemony on the Zambian Copperbelt, 1945â1964
Walima T. Kalusa
Fabricating Dreams: Sewing Machines, Tailors, and Urban Entrepreneurship in Zambia
Karen Tranberg Hansen
PART IV
TRADERS
Indian Traders as Agents of Western Technological Consumption and Social Change in Mukuni:
Memories of the Sharma Brothersâ Trading Store, 1950s to 1964
Friday Mufuzi
The Social and Economic Impact of the Fort Jameson (Chipata) Indians on the Development of Chipata District, 1899â1973
Bizeck J. Phiri
Business, Consumption and Politics: Robinson Nabulyatoâs Banamwaze Store, 1949â1969
Marja Hinfelaar
Buying Pineapples, Selling Cloth Traders and Trading Stores in Mwinilunga District, 1940â1970
Iva Peša
Index
All those interested in the history of Central Africa, particularly in issues of consumption and material culture. This volume has a wide thematic, temporal and geographical coverage.