Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
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  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
The Scramble for Africa, Berlin Conference (1884-1885): Africa's Broken Promises from Partition to Neocolonialism

The Scramble for Africa, Berlin Conference (1884-1885): Africa's Broken Promises from Partition to Neocolonialism

Morissen, Matt

Paperback

ExplorationGeneral World History

ISBN13: 9798253276396
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Mar 22 2026
Pages: 372
Weight: 1.42
Height: 0.77 Width: 7.00 Depth: 10.00
Language: English
The book examines the cataclysmic impact of the Berlin Conference on the African continent, tracing a timeline from the vibrant, sovereign kingdoms that existed pre-1884 to the modern struggles against neocolonialism. Morissen challenges the dark continent trope by highlighting the sophisticated political systems, global trade networks, and rich cultural heritage of pre-colonial societies like the Mali Empire and the Kingdom of Kongo. It explores how European powers, driven by industrial greed and nationalism, arbitrarily partitioned the land without African consent, sowing the seeds for contemporary conflicts while celebrating the enduring spirit of African resistance and the quest for self-determination.

The narrative is structured to guide the reader through the thunderous roar of history across thirteen chapters:

  • The Foundation: It begins with the mosaic of pre-colonial Africa, detailing diverse empires and stateless societies that flourished through trans-Saharan and Indian Ocean trade.
  • The Storm: It then dissects the European Road to Berlin, fueled by the Industrial Revolution's need for raw materials and a paternalistic civilizing mission.
  • The Partition: The core focus is the Berlin Conference itself, where diplomats like Otto von Bismarck redrew maps that severed kinships and disrupted indigenous governance.
  • The Legacy: The latter half of the book addresses the complexities of decolonization and the insidious web of modern neocolonialism-economic dependencies and debt burdens that continue to challenge true sovereignty.
  • The Future: It concludes with a hopeful look at Pan-Africanism, cultural revival, and grassroots movements that seek to reclaim Africa's future on its own terms.

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