Africa: The Politics of Independence

by Immanuel Wallerstein

An essay on the transformation of Africa from a continent of dependent colonies to one of independent states.

Paperback

First published June 1, 1961

About the author

Immanuel Maurice Wallerstein was a scholar of politics, sociologist, historical social scientist, and world-systems analyst. His bimonthly commentaries on world affairs were syndicated.

Reviews

[Mrat Thein · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely enjoyable analysis of mid-century African independence movements, and the processes which informed and where cultivated by such nations, such as Pan-Africanism and post-colonial transition away from European powers. Incredibly accurate, informed predictions on the future actions of African states in the post-colonial context. It was remarkable to see how some of these predictions have panned out and continue to provide an analytical framework for contemporary African politics.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The only useful political analysis is to uncover what alternatives are in fact available for the actors in a given system at a given point of time.” (p. 174)