Comprises studies on the bibliographic control of various collections (e.g., films, museum materials, publications in African languages), background information on interlibrary cooperation, and an essay on improved online access to Africa-related materials in undergraduate collection. Annotation cop

This is a genuinely comparative study of the different trajectories and experiences of independent African states. It addresses the differential legacies of British, French, Portuguese, Belgian and Spanish colonialism as well as the unique qualities of imperial Ethiopia and Liberia. Paul Nugent analyses boundary problems, the reshaping of territorial structures and the contrasting ideological paths followed by civilian and military regimes. The book ends with a look at the interplay between structural adjustment, ethnicity, democratization and the impact of NGOs. A state-level perspective is balanced by a sensitivity to popular culture.