a very short introduction Parker, John 1960- creator Rathbone, Richard text History. monographic 165 pages : illustrations, maps ; 18 cm ""Until recently, Africa was seen by the outside world as being without history, a continent left behind in the wider story of human progress. But our understanding of the African past is very different today. This Very Short Introduction examines the changing ways in which African history has been understood and represented by historians and by Africans themselves. Examples drawn from across the continent and from the African diaspora beyond are used to examine key themes, from the diversity of African cultures, religions, and identities, to the slave trade, Africa's place in the world, and the rise and fall of colonial rule.""--BOOK JACKET The idea of Africa -- Africans: diversity and unity -- Africa's past: historical sources -- Africa in the world -- Colonialism in Africa -- Imagining the future, rebuilding the past -- Memory and forgetting, past and present John Parker and Richard Rathbone Includes bibliographical references (pages 151-160) and index Africa History 9780192802484 (pbk.) 2007297380 5685