Suchergebnisse

It is now nearly five years since Buganda rebelled against the Government of Uganda, and the Kabaka, Sir Edward Mutesa, fled to Britain. Relatively little has been written about these events, perhaps because they happened so rapidly and were dealt with so determinedly that not much precise information is available. In rural Buganda, in such places as Bugerere where I was engaged in fieldwork, party political activity reached a crescendo in the months before the May 1966 crisis and was then abruptly extinguished. Ever since, things have been ostensibly very quiet – indeed the districts of the disbanded Kingdom have remained under a declared state of emergency. During the heyday of politics I was impressed by a clear distinction in the focus of party activity; in the commercial townships on the main road through Bugerere its intensity was immediately obvious, whereas in the farming villages which spread over the fertile, rolling land of the county it was scarcely in evidence. What was the reason for this discrimination? The answer, I was sure, had not a little to do with the unusual economic and demographic circumstances of Bugerere.

From the author's own experience, the Mankrom Circle, its org, functions, traditions, & role in local European society in the Ru areas of Ghana, are described informally. The members were a selection of people with approximately similar SS who all shared the District Officer's need for soc discretion. While the Circle appeared to constitute a status-group to which outsiders might aspire, there was also some internal rank diff'iation which might seem to belie the assertions that the members of the club were a peer-group seeking to foster an enlightened' esprit de corps. The Circle played a role in the SM of members. There were injunctions to relax & make merry, but there was also an underlying Christian ethic manifest in the opening prayer & in a special service of thanksgiving held on the occasion of a member's recovery from an illness. In this context the importance of the voluntary assoc as a mechanism of soc control is referred to. While the Circle was not directly modeled on the European Club of Colonial days, its soc situation & its functions suggest inescapable similarities. There was a genuine European Club in the Makrom District which provided an intriguing contrast to the activities & org of the Circle, & the diff's are pointed out. Both were elites, & both were exclusive, but the Club was involved in a very limited soc field, while the Circle was part of a wider system in terms of recruitment & the aspirations of its members in the higher strata of Ghanaian society at large. It is concluded that 'The trading of professional confidences was indeed 'enlightening' & the cementing of strategic friendships of the greatest value.' M. Maxfield.

"In this insightful analysis, highly-respected expert John Robertson canvases the entirety of Iraq's rich history, from the seminal advances of its Neolithic inhabitants to the aftermath of the American-led invasion and Iraq today. Grounded in extensive research, this balanced account of a country and its people explores the greatness and grandeur of Iraq's achievements, the brutality and magnificence of its ancient empires, its contributions to the emergence of the world's enduring monotheistic faiths, and the role the great Arab caliphs of Baghdad played in the medieval cultural flowering that contributed so much to the European Renaissance and the eventual rise of the West. Fascinating and thought-provoking, Robertson's work sheds light on a remarkable story of world history, one that has been too often overlooked. Wide-ranging and extensive in approach, it is sure to be greatly appreciated by historians, students and all those with an interest in this diverse and enigmatic country." --

An end to KKN - the Indonesian acronym for corruption, collusion and nepotism - is currently one of the demands of Indonesia's growing reform movement. This is not the first time corruption has been on the political agenda in Indonesia; indeed, Suharto came to power promising to end corruption. The article examines the political, economic and cultural conditions which have allowed corruption to flourish in Indonesia and concludes by considering whether the new political mood in the country offers hope for a new, more corruption-free Indonesia. (DSE/DÜI)