Developing the Rivers of East and West Africa

Heather J. Hoag is Associate Professor of History at the University of San Francisco, USA. Her specialisms are in the fields of African environmental history with an emphasis in river history and hydropower development. She is one of the founding editors for the International Water History Association's journal, Water History.

How did rivers contribute to the economic and political development of modern Africa? How did African and European notions of nature's value and meaning differ? And how have these evaluations of Africa's rivers changed between 1850 and the present day? Drawing upon examples from across the African continent, Developing the Rivers of East and West Africa explores the role African waterways played in the continent's economic, social, and political development and provides the first historical study of the key themes in African river history. Rivers acted as more than important transportation byways; their waters were central to both colonial and postcolonial economic development efforts. This book synthesizes the available research on African rivers with new evidence to offer students of African and environmental history a narrative of how people have used and engaged the continent's water resources. It analyzes key themes in Africa's modern history - European exploration, establishment of colonial rule, economic development, 'green' politics - and each case study provides a lens through which to view social, economic and ecological change in Africa.

A new and timely introduction to water history in Africa.

1. Introduction: Harnessing Africa's WatersPart One: From the river's edge2. Unpredictable blessings: Life along the Rufiki River, Tanzania3. Mapping a Continent: British exploration of the Niger RiverPart Two: Colonizing Africa's rivers4. Greening the Fields: Agricultural development during the colonial period5. Electrifying the Empire: Debates about power production in AfricaPart Three: The changing value of rivers6. The damming of Africa: Converting African water to hydropower7. Thirsty cities: Urbanization and the changing values of African riversEpilogue: Managing Africa's Rivers in the twenty-first centuryHistorical glossaryBibliographyIndex