Go to AfricaBib home

Go to AfricaBib home Education in Africa Go to database home

bibliographic database
Line
Previous page New search

The free AfricaBib App for Android is available here

Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:The Production of Historical Knowledge for Schools
Author:Zeleza, TiyambeISNI
Year:1990
Periodical:Transafrican Journal of History (ISSN 0251-0391)
Volume:19
Pages:1-23
Language:English
Notes:biblio. refs.
Geographic term:Africa
Subjects:textbooks
historiography
History and Exploration
Bibliography/Research
Education and Oral Traditions
History, Archaeology
history
education
External link:https://www.jstor.org/stable/24328672
Abstract:This paper analyses the production of historical knowledge for schools in Africa. It is divided into four parts. The first part involves a theoretical discussion on the production of historical knowledge. The second part examines the development of African historiography. A number of approaches, which have changed with time, are identified and analysed. The third part dwells on the historiographical limitations of existing history textbooks used in schools throughout Africa. Finally, the paper looks at the politics involved in the production of historical knowledge for schools. It is argued that scholarly research in African history at the tertiary level has reached a relatively high level of development, as reflected in UNESCO's 'General history of Africa' project. This project was launched in 1965 and the first volumes were published in 1981. But school textbooks have as yet to fully incorporate and reflect the methods, approaches and findings of modern African historiography. The factors behind this disjuncture are traced to the political and economic conjuncture in Africa, and the contradictions in the process and practices of producing historical knowledge. Bibliogr.
Views
Cover