ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explores a variety of different modes, and "Africa" can be approached in a multi-faceted manner. It suggests that dominant knowledge is a product of power but also that knowledge is itself a form of power. The book illustrates how interests are politically, economically, and ideologically constructed in already existing terrains. It examines the way in which dominant ideologies become organic and are mapped in society and on the human body. The book considers contemporary Africa, but there is no dividing line drawn between the colonial and post-colonial. It deals with the history of mapmaking in the context of the power of knowledge. The book provides an overview of the traditions and establishes the context for discussing Africa's economic history from the fifteenth to the twentieth centuries. It explores the relationship of international organizations, the state, and society.
