The History of Ghana

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Gocking provides a historical overview of Ghana from the emergence of precolonial states through increasing contact with Europeans that led to the establishment of formal colonial rule by Great Britian at the end of the 19th century. Colonial rule transformed what was known as the Gold Coast economically, socially, and politically, but it contained the seeds of its own demise. After World War II an increasingly more effective nationalist movement challenged British rule, and in 1957 Ghana became independent. Independence brought its own challenges the most important of which was the inability to maintain political stability. Within the space of 24 years there were four military coups and the collapse of three republics. Ghana's Fourth Republic, established in 1993, has dealt with the legacy of instability inherited from the past as it moves towards a more stable future. A timeline, photographs, maps, and an appendix of biographies of notable figures in the history of Ghana are included. Students and adults alike will find this book to be highly effective in describing the often turbulent and tumultuous history of this country.

Reviews

[T]his volume is quite comprehensive, spanning the history of Ghana from the Stone Age to the twenty-first century. It also provides a thorough treatment of specific political and economic themes in the contemporary history of Ghana.Roger Gocking does not paint the history of Ghana in broad simple strokes. Rather, he seamlessly navigates Ghana's complex political history of colonialism, nationalist movements, independent republics, and military coups.This volume also succeeds in presenting the history of Ghana not as the isolated history of a British colonial outpost but as an integral part of world history.[A] welcome contribution to the growing list of works that seek to take African history beyond the confines of university and college curricula to a broader audience. * African Studies Review *
The History of Ghana is in the series Greenwood Histories of the Modern Nations. It is an historical overview - the kind that every library needs as basic, general academic research material.The first section of the book covers the beginnings of pre-Colonial statehood in the area of West Africa that would become Ghana. It discusses the interactions with various European Colonial powers and the creation of the Gold Coast - a colonial system designed to exploit the resources of the area. Those resources included gold and slaves. The book then continues with the struggles for independence that wracked all of Western Africa in the 20th century, and the struggles and problems faced by Ghana since gaining independence from Great Britain in 1957. The book is recommended for collections in African history, but also as a valuable asset to any basic library reference collection. * Academia *
A specialist in African colonial history and especially Ghana, Gocking offers non- specialist students and general readers a concise history of the West African country. The first third covers the emergence of early precolonial states, the increasing contact with Europeans, and colonial rule to the end of the 19th century. The rest focuses on the struggle for independence and the challenges that Ghana has faced through 1994. * Reference & Research Book News *
Few other books on Africa allow such depth and detail for Ghana, making History of Ghana an important survey which many will find intriguing. * Midwest Book Review *
[A] balanced and complex narrative that gives readersa sense of both continuity and transformation in Ghanaian history.[t]his text will become a standard reference for a student planning to study modern Ghanaian history, and as a reference for scholars it is superior to previous works. * Africa News *

Author Bio

Roger S. Gocking is a Professor in the Civic and Cultural Studies Department at Mercy College. His main area of specialization is African colonial history with a focus on Ghana, West Africa. He has authored Facing Two Ways: Ghana's Coastal Communities Under Colonial Rule.