On Writing Africa’s Economic History

Abstract

It is well established that the African continent today faces many challenges but also opportunities. Since the turn of the millennium there has been a re-surge of economic growth and at present an increasing number of African economies are transforming. We hear the continent being discussed in terms of “Africa Rising”, but in the midst of development optimism there remains a widespread unawareness of Africa’s past and of its diversity. Hillbom and Green provide us with a short introduction to the need to learn more about Africa’s economic history and they present a stylised conceptual model to guide their arguments. They emphasise the need to acknowledge the diversity of the continent, to get away from simplifications and to write history from the perspective of African societies.