Custom and Politics in Urban Africa

A discussion of the process by which some ethnic groups manipulate values, myths, symbols and ceremonials from their traditional culture in order to develop an informal political organisation. This organisation is then used as a weapon in the struggle for power and privilege within contemporary society. Chapter 1 The Migratory Process: Settlers and Strangers; Chapter 2 The Migratory Process: Prostitutes and Housewives; Chapter 3 Landlords of the Trade; Chapter 4 The Politics of Long-Distance Trade (1906–1950); Chapter 5 From a Tribal Polity to a Religious Brotherhood (1951–63); Chapter 6 The Ritualization of Political Authority;