Jan 22, 2020
China is fighting a new type of coronavirus identified as the cause of an outbreak that started in central Chinese city, Wuhan. Cases of the Wuhan pneumonia have been reported in other cities, neighboring countries, as well as one case in the United States. And the number is climbing. So what do we know about the new coronavirus? How serious is the current situation and what measures should be taken for individuals and the public?
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Ten years in the making, this atlas has been well worth the wait. As the successor to J. D. Fage’s Atlas of African History (Holmes & Meier, 1978. 2d ed.), this new book, with its photographs, greater detail, larger format, and, above all, beautiful multicolor maps, far surpasses the earlier work. Its three main types of maps (showing “events,” “historical processes,” and “numerical data”) cover 71 subjects ranging from “Relief and rainfall,” to “Distribution of Late Stone Age industries,” the “African diaspora,” and “Decolonization and independence.” Additionally, the narrative accompanying each map is enough to qualify this work as a history text. Ajayi and Crowder have set a standard with this atlas that will almost certainly not be equaled in the near future. An essential reference work for any decent Africana collection. Paul H. Thomas, Hoover Inst. Lib., Stanford, Cal.
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Writing African History is an essential work for anyone who wants to write, or even seriously read, African history. It will replace Daniel McCall’s classic Africa in Time Perspective as the introduction to African history for the next generation and as a reference for professional historians, interested readers, and anyone who wants to understand how African history is written. Africa in Time Perspective was written in the 1960s, when African history was a new field of research. This new book reflects the development of African history since then. It opens with a comprehensive introduction by Daniel McCall, followed by a chapter by the editor explaining what African history is (and is not) in the context of historical theory and the development of historical narrative, the humanities, and social sciences.
The first half of the book focuses on sources of historical data while the second half examines different perspectives on history. The editor’s final chapter explains how to combine various sorts of evidence into a coherent account of African history. Writing African History will become the most important guide to African history for the 21st century.
Contributors: Bala Achi, Isaac Olawale Albert, Diedre L. Badéjo, Dorothea Bedigian, Barbara M. Cooper, Henry John Drewal, Christopher Ehret, Toyin Falola, David Henige, Joseph E. Holloway, John Hunwick, S. O. Y. Keita, William G. Martin, Daniel McCall, Susan Keech McIntosh, Donatien Dibwe Dia Mwembu, Kathleen Sheldon, John Thornton, and Masao Yoshida. John Edwards Philips is professor of international society, Hirosaki University, and author of Spurious Arabic: Hausa and Colonial Nigeria (Madison, University of Wisconsin African Studies Center, 2000).
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This volume traces the region’s earliest settlers, explores the development of societies, and describes how internal and external politics have changed the borders within Africa
Samuel Kasule, a professor of African literature, offers a wide-ranging view of African history in this heavily illustrated yet slender atlas. Proceeding chronologically, he covers topics such as the origins of humankind, the development of settled agriculture in the valley of the Nile, and the arrival of the first European colonists. Although the atlas covers African history after World War II rather too lightly, it is a useful student reference, nonetheless.
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The noted English scholar of African history (professor emeritus at the University of London and author of The Mombasa Rising Against the Portugese , Oxford, 1980, etc.) has produced a very good publication with 103 two-color maps covering a wide range of topics and historical periods. Nine are small insets lacking in detail, but the rest do their job well. Unfortunately, this volume suffers by comparison with the Historical Atlas of Africa ( LJ 10/1/85), whose 72 chapters feature more than 300 impressive, multicolored maps, as well as other illustrations. About the only thing The New Atlas has that the Historical Atlas lacks is a few reproductions of antiquarian maps; it’s also possible that some users might prefer the smaller format of The New Atlas (8 x 11) to that of its predecessor (16 x 12). But basically the Historical Atlas contains all that The New Atlas has and more. It costs more ($95), but the additional $30 purchases a bigger, more detailed, and much more lavish atlas; the difference seems well worth the extra expense.
– Paul H. Thomas, Hoover Inst. Lib., Stanford, Cal.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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The World Health Organisation has announced it will not yet declare an international public health emergency over the outbreak of a new respiratory virus in China, the Novel Coronavirus. The WHO said more information was needed about the spread of the disease, which has killed 17 people in China.
Also in the programme: UN experts demand a probe of the Saudi crown prince after the phone of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was hacked; and Monty Python stars pay tribute to comedy great Terry Jones.
Picture: A family wears masks while walking in the street on January 22, 2020 in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. Credit: Getty Images
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As one of the leading figures in the field of international relations, Joseph S. Nye Jr., Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor, Emeritus, has had a major influence on the way policymakers think about American foreign policy. In his new book, “Do Morals Matter: Presidents and Foreign Policy from FDR to Trump,” Nye explores the question of how heavily moral questions have weighed on the foreign policy decisions of U.S. presidents since the end of World War II. On this episode of Behind The Book, produced by Library and Knowledge Services at Harvard Kennedy School, we take a look at Nye’s new book and how he assesses the legacy of past presidents based on the morality of their foreign policy.
“Do Morals Matter: Presidents and Foreign Policy from FDR to Trump” is published by Oxford University Press.
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Jan 22, 2020
Chuck Schumer, the US Senate minority leader, said Donald Trump’s defence team appeared ‘unprepared, confused and unconvincing’ during the first day of debate at the president’s impeachment trial on Tuesday. All but one Republican voted against the amendments offered by Democrats, which was approved by the Senate on a party line vote in the early hours of Wednesday morning Trump impeachment: McConnell and Senate Republicans don’t want fair trial, says Schumer.
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Jan 22, 2020
Prince Charles addressed World Economic Forum in Davos with a plan for a a sustainable future which included green ‘taxes, policies and regulations in a way that catalyses sustainable markets’.
Charles said he was fighting for his children and grandchildren, and ended his speech by calling for the private sector to lead the world out of the climate emergency Davos 2020: Prince Charles calls for green taxes to fight climate emergency – live updates
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Jan 22, 2020
World leaders, entrepreneurs and activists are in Davos, Switzerland this week discussing the global economy, the impact of the China-US trade deal and climate change.
US President Donald Trump held a news conference Wednesday before flying back to the United States. He praised the strength of the US economy, called for reforms with the World Trade Organization, and said he hoped to engage soon in trade talks with the European Union after reaching trade deals with China, Japan, Mexico and Canada.
CGTN’s Guy Henderson reports.
Panel discussion with:
Einar Tangen is a political and economic affairs commentator.
Paul Bledsoe is president of Bledsoe and Associates and served as a climate advisor for US President Bill Clinton.
Anthony Chan is a former Chief Economist at JPMorgan Chase.
Philippe Monnier is an International Business Executive.
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Transition Studies 