...200 Dr. Lamont King December 2, 2014 Devil on the Cross Review In Ngũgĩ’s novel Devil on the Cross, six characters are depicted as aspects of the social dynamic created by neocolonialism in post independent Kenya. As the events of the novel unfold, a cab drive from Nairobi to Illmrog leads the main characters to the satirical events of the “Devil’s Feast”. Each character, Wangarĩ, Warĩĩnga, Gatuĩria, Mwaũra, Mwĩreri, and Muturi portrays a facet of the social effects of neocolonialism on a subjugated population, culminating in a critical analysis of intersectionality, colonial psychology and capitalism. Wangarĩ first appears when being picked up by the cab being driven by Mwaũra. Shortly after being picked up, she tells the driver, Mwaũra, that she is unable to pay the fare for travel to Illmrog. The others decide to pay for her fare together after hearing that she has been left penniless from traveling to Nairobi looking for work, only to be arrested for vagrancy. Wangarĩ was denied work in Nairobi after being told repeatedly that there were no jobs for Africans, and particularly for African women, except prostitution. Much like Warĩĩnga, Wangarĩ is viewed as a commodity by many of her male Kenyan and foreign peers. Wangarĩ fought for the independence of Kenya from the British during the Mau Mau uprising or the Kenyan Emergency, a conflict she views as having produced little good for the Kenyan people after discovering that there were almost no employment opportunities...
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...• Focus to maintain a balance of power in Europe and to maintain a strong international status. This was cemented by the spread of the Empire which meant that Britain could challenge the rivalry in Europe • Revolutions in Europe in 1848- this caused ideas of nationalism to arise. Britain looked to strengthen their empire through aggressive patriotism whereby any means of threats and violence would be considered viable with the interests to protect the Empire. • Many colonies in Africa were known as dependent colonies whereby they were generally ruled directly by Britain due to the trading or naval bases within them. • Took advantage of weaker economies that were unable to protect themselves such as India. • Egyptian nationalism had meant that they had freed themselves from Turkish rule and was now able to form alliances with European countries. Although Egypt had not been a priority to Britain, due to the French influence in the country they felt the need to intervene (to protect economic interests in Egypt and India). • Boer Wars- Britain wanted to consolidate their power in Southern Africa. It allowed for Cecil Rhodes to encourage the expansion of Britain in Africa. The approach was more racist and after the Second Boer War the Boer Republics were annexed and the people became a part of the Empire. • In the 1880s there was a stark increase in the support for the expansion of the Empire as the economic advantages were recognised. • Under Chamberlain, the British economy...
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...100) says: “Ability to operate Swahili, however, is now a mark of national pride…” (cf. also Mazrui & Mazrui1999: 162). This pride corresponds with a tendency to use native words, not loans.188 Polomé (1980b: 92) says: “…the main source of loans is English, not only in the field of technical development, but also in all aspects of social and cultural life, though a conscious effort appears to have been made in recent years to limit the borrowing of lexical items as much as possible and to encourage Swahilisation.The difference is that, while English is the career-oriented urban language (Scotton 1979: 113), Swahili is the language of horizontal communication and of work organisations. Mazrui & Mazrui (1999: 124) says: “As for cultural nationalism in relation to class, Kiswahili is clearly much more of a language of the common man than English.” Thus it goes without saying that Kiswahili suffered a major setback when former Attorney General Charles Njonjo on July 25th, 1969 objected to its introduction as an official language. Then Embu East MP Kamwithi Mondi had tabled the Motion to have Kiswahili declared the official language in...
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...3. Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart is a good portrayal of an African society in a pre-New Colonialism era. Focus your study on Okonkwo's relationship with his society, which formed his values and traditions. Compare those norms with the arrival of Christian missionaries and the introduction of the European laws and values. (In an essay explain with concrete examples the political, social, economic, judicial, and religious structures of the village of Umofia from Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart. Also, state why Europeans were so determined to bring changes to this society and what kind of action Okonkwo took to defend his village.) 4. Examine the decline of the Ottoman Empire. What factors explain this process? What attempts at reform did the Ottomans undertake? (Bentley & Ziegler, chap.31) 5. Learn how and why Japan became industrialized (make sure you review your notes on the movie; Meiji Transformation). Learn also about hollow modernization of the Latin American countries. (Also Bentley & Ziegler pp. 724-728, 634-636 & chapter 30) 6. Definition, causes, and geopolitical scope and the result of the New Imperialism. (Class notes and read also, Bentley & Ziegler, Chapter 32) 7. African and Asian responses to Western Imperialism: Armed resistance and modernizing efforts. (Class notes) 8. Learn about the causes of World War I. How was it a global and modern war? Major consequences of the war for both Europe and the wider world. (Class notes...
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...death rate. The death rate fell from 22 per thousand to 16 per thousand between 1965and 1988. In sub-Saharan Africa, the life expectancy rose drastically from 39 to 51 between 1951 and 1988. Africa did not also experience as much crisis and hence the rate of crisis mortality also declined. The decline in infant mortality in Africa definitely played a big role in lowering the death rate. In the 1950’s 30-40 percent of children in most African countries died before the age of five. However in the mid 1970’s the infant mortality rate dropped to approximately 22-27 percent. The Western part of Africa however had higher mortality than most of the other countries. Another reason for the increase of population in Africa is high birth rate. In Kenya, an average of eight children were born to a mother who completed the child bearing cycle. The introduction of antibiotic drug contributed to the high birth rate as it reduced the proportion of infertile women in the 1960s. Besides the fact that the antibiotics helped lower the infertility ratio, there was also no effective birth...
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...Growth and development of foreign policy Name Institution Date There have been vast changes and developments in the foreign policy agenda that have seen Kenya as a country, transition through many regimes that had their individual differences since independence. Since the attainment of independence, Kenya has had fairly smooth international and regional relations that have been ensured by the various statutes and values put in place to make sure that Kenya grows in all dimensions, economically, socially, politically plus other aspects that are cupped under the bigger ones mentioned above. In the current global space we are in today that is so competitive and complex, strategies have to be put up that promote the many interests of Kenya. It should be noted that since independence Kenya has had four sitting presidents including the current one, this has a close relationship of the way the foreign policy agenda has revolutionized. It will be noted that since independence Kenya had quiet diplomacy that can be considered to have been of a low profile approach in terms of foreign affairs especially international ones. In this immediate post-independence period there was active involvement in regional peace diplomacy. The architectures of these polices then had the central idea that the future of the country strongly stood on the belief that regional stability and security in our environment is the basis for national prosperity and survival. Therefore, there was need to realign...
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...first rejected African traditional culture, but with the rise of African nationalism, a cultural revival occurred. The governments of most African nations foster national dance and music groups, museums, and to a lesser degree, artists and writers. Africa was the birthplace of the human species between 8 million and 5 million years ago. Today, the vast majority of its inhabitants are of indigenous origin. People across the continent are remarkably diverse by just about any measure: They speak a vast number of different languages, practice hundreds of distinct religions, live in a variety of types of dwellings, and engage in a wide range of economic activities. Over the centuries, peoples from other parts of the world have migrated to Africa and settled there. Historically, Arabs have been the most numerous immigrants. Starting in the 7th century, they crossed into North Africa from the Middle East, bringing the religion of Islam with them. A later movement of Arabs into East and Central Africa occurred in the 19th century. Europeans first settled in Africa in the mid-17th century near the Cape of Good Hope, at the southern end of the continent. More Europeans immigrated during the subsequent colonial period, particularly to present-day South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Algeria. South Asians also arrived during colonial times. Their descendants, often referred to as Indians, are found largely in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and...
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...Comparing and Contrasting France Verses Kenya awd Introduction Kenya is located approximately on the map as 2N, 38E. (Latitude, Longitude.) Kenya became independent in 1963, and only had three presidents since. The current population is estimated as 30, 339,770. The official language is Swahili. It has a host of cultural practices and beliefs. France is a country in Western Europe. It is famous for its wine and cheese. People in France also enjoy croissants and different kinds of bread but baguette is the most popular. They also like truffles; a black, warty fungus that grow in the roots of oak and hazelnut trees. Truffles are really expensive and they use trained pigs to find them. The study compares these two countries France and Kenya within the setting of International Management practices. Comparing and Contrasting France Verses Kenya Kenya is located in East Africa and borders Somalia to the northeast, Ethiopia to the north, Sudan to the northwest, Uganda to the west, Tanzania to the south, and the Indian Ocean to the east. The country straddles the equator, covering a total of 224,961 square miles (582,600 square kilometers; roughly twice the size of the state of Nevada). Kenya has wide white-sand beaches on the coast. Inland plains cover three-quarters of the country; they are mostly bush, covered in underbrush. In the west are the highlands where the altitude rises from three thousand to ten thousand feet. Nairobi, Kenya's largest city and capital, is...
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...Thomas 1 Kenya Thomas Instructor Stan Weeber Sociology 201-U 27 December 2013 Module Two Assignment 2B a. The procedures were the suspect being picked up at his home, charged, warned of his legal rights, spread-eagled against the police car, searched and handcuffed. People did not know that this was an experiment, so they were very confused. The suspect was then put in the rear of a police car, carried off to the police station with sirens wailing. The car arrived at the station, the suspect was brought inside, formally booked, warned of his Miranda rights, finger-printed, and a complete identification was made. b. The effects of living in this type of environment are getting the suspects to ponder their fate and having them think about what they have done to get into this mess. This has also resulted in some time-distorting experiences. c. These transformations would be leaving your dignity at the door. They feel like they are not an individual anymore, since they look and feel the same; they have lost their freedom to be themselves. It helps them to survive later on in life, and do what they are best at to make money. d. They were required to follow orders from their superiors; the superiors were the bad guards. The good guards did not want to be punished or put down by the bad guards. e. I would not be able to endure that experience, even if it was real. I would not be able to take the guard’s orders like the majority of the prisoners did. I...
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...specializes in development and politics in developing countries, particularly Africa. His works are “The Politics of Cultural Pluralism” , “Ideology and Development in Africa” , and “The Rise and Decline of the Zairian State”. In his essay, Young offers insight on Africa's experimentation on political liberalization. Young starts off by talking about the “third wave” of democratization which hit Africa in 1989 which was seen as a global dynamic. Factors such as modernization, diffusion and power politics helped shaped this transition. In Africa there were deeper structural factors which started first with the economical field. “In dramatic contrast to the aggressive assertion of economic nationalism in the 1970s, a decade peppered with sweeping indigenization programs and widespread nationalism, the 1980 Organization of African Unity Lagos Plan of Action, and the blistering critique of African development performance in the World Bank's 1981 Berg Report”(p.21). At the same time it caused a widespread debt crisis, which in term put the African states on the defensive end against public and private international investors. In the beginning of the 1989, thirty-eight out of forty-five African countries were under military/one-party regime, but 2 years later their were thirty-one African countries had...
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...Economics throughout the British Empire has always had to be focused on maintenance, especially in Africa. But as we will establish, Geo-strategic and Political factors, put strain on the Empire’s ability to preserve its economy, and caused dismantlement in Africa between the years of 1870 - 1980. Though the factors of the latter, outweigh that of economics, as they all relied on perfect economics in order to be maintained or in order for the Empire to expand. As a result of two World Wars, the British where wasting resources annually trying to uphold its colonies, and as a result, simply ran out of finance and began relying on its allies, such as the USA, for support. In addition, the looming Cold War priorities meant that Britain could no longer provide for her colonies in Africa, eventually leading to dismantlement. The first issues to consider are the financial and economical impact that Africa had on the Empire, pre-world war and during the African Scramble, which contributed to the expansion of the Empire in Africa. The diamond industry became the key to the economic fortunes of the Empire in Southern Africa in the late 1800s. Though intrinsically worthless, Cecil Rhodes, who had succeeded in monopolising the diamond industry in Southern Africa, allowed the value to increase, by restricting its sales. Diamonds, which were mined from the Transvaal region, accounted for (1) “£4,000,000 (£181,600,000 today), of a £15,000,000 (£618,000,000 today)” economy. South Africa was...
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...World History Dr. Mahdavi History 101 Fall 2015 Study Guide For Final Examination The examination will consist of 6 essay questions of and you may choose any four questions to write about (25 points each.) You will receive both a numerical score and a letter grade. In reviewing for the examination, focus your study on the following general topics: 1. Examine the process and the transition from the more traditional "putting-out" system to the rise of the factory system (make sure you learn all about the spinning and weaving machines.) What would be the economic and social implications of this change? (Class notes and Bentley & Ziegler, chapter 29) 2. Discuss the population explosion, urbanization, and other demographic factors of the industrial Revolution. Also, discuss the growth of huge industrial cities during the 19th Century. (Bentley & Ziegler, chap.29) 3. Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart is a good portrayal of an African society in a pre-New Colonialism era. Focus your study on Okonkwo's relationship with his society, which formed his values and traditions. Compare those norms with the arrival of Christian missionaries and the introduction of the European laws and values. (In an essay explain with concrete examples the political, social, economic, judicial, and religious structures of the village of Umofia from Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart. Also, state why Europeans were so determined to bring changes to this...
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...practices as “backwards” and labeled those people demonstrating them as uncivilized. They saw it as a matter of religious right and of nation pride to take upon themselves a civilizing mission of Africa. With them they brought new scientific developments to increase crop production and to bring crops to areas that were previously unable to sustain them. It seemed like a great improvement of the region, but the balance of life for the Africans had been disrupted. The onslaught of colonialism brought with a number of changes that affected the livelihoods of many Africans, but African replied with a number of diverse ways in which to react to the colonial management of African environmental resources. This paper will focus on the regions of Kenya, The Matopos Hills in modern day Zimbabwe, and finally colonial South Africa. The Inhabitants of Africa were controlled by the environment they resided in. It controlled every part of their lives from basic survival to agricultural production of goods. They had lived in such a matter for hundreds upon thousands of years and the land in return had cared for them. Then in the fifteenth century, Prince Henry the Navigator began sending out voyages of exploration to seek out wealth and spread European influence around the world. They first looked to Africa because of its gold reserves for wealth; it wouldn’t be till later that the Europeans would discover the many...
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...There is a widespread tendency for people to favour their own group over another group. This tendency has been variously labelled as ethnocentrism, intergroup bias, in‐group favouritism or in‐group /out group differentiation. It denotes a cultural narrowness in which the ethnically centred individual rigidly accepted those of the in‐group while rejecting those of the out‐group. In other words, Ethnocentrism is the point of view that one's own way of life is to be preferred to all others. Flowing logically from the process of early enculturation, it characterizes the way most individuals feel about their own culture, whether or not they verbalize their feeling. Therefore this essay will discuss what is understood by the term ethnocentrism and show how Ethnocentrism is bad in national politics. Firstly will define what ethnocentrism is, and discuss fully what is understood by the term. Secondly will show how ethnocentrism is bad for national politics. Thereafter a clear and concise conclusion will be drawn. Different scholars have given their understanding of the term ethnocentrism. According to anthropologists, the concept combines the belief that one’s own culture is superior to other cultures, with the practice of judging other cultures by the standards of one’s own culture (Den Van, 1970). Ethnocentrism is also defined as a feeling that one’s own group has a mode of living, values and patterns of adaptation that are superior to other groups. Ethnocentrism is a human universal...
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...Provision of Services in Urban Areas - What are the Challenges in Developing Countries? Introduction The manner in which provision of basic infrastructure services is dispensed to meet the demands of the public in general will determine the level of economic activity and, in turn, the overall development of a nation. Most sectors cannot function without electricity, telecommunications, and water; therefore, the adequate and effective provision of these services is central to the growth of an economy and the improvement of public welfare. Infrastructure can be seen as the “wheels of economic activity”1. Thus, developing infrastructure capacity: 1. Dominance of public enterprises In general, the widespread dominance of public enterprises in the provision of public goods in developing countries has been repeatedly blamed for the terrible state of these services. The monopolistic nature of the market structure has therefore lead to the absence of competition, resulting in inefficiency and the lack of pricing mechanisms to determine consumer demand and to reflect service costs. Accordingly these “below-cost prices” have contributed to the low levels of government investment and lack of service expansion. 2. Continuous government pressure. Against this backdrop, governments have been under continuous pressure to consider alternative ways of infrastructure provision. The past few years, therefore, have witnessed an upsurge in the commercialization of public services...
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