ABSTRACT
Gender and its impact on the social, economic, and political development within varied human societies is the subject of serious inquiries. Many African and African Diaspora societies struggle with the perplexing issue of gender and development. The dominant concerns in most of these inquiries are the establishment and improvement, in cases where it is already established, of gender equality within the society. The convoluted and arduous history of kingdoms, slavery, colonialism, segregation, and neo-colonialism makes Africa and its Diaspora appropriate venues for such inquiries about gender, especially gender equality and its impact on development. The contributions, from diverse academic fields, highlight both the gains and challenges of the extensive inquiries on gender and its impact on development within many African societies. Colonial history and its detrimental effect consequently further constrain generalities about gender and its impact on the African continent, especially in the area of development. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
