To My Friends in Struggle, Jideofor Adibe, editor and publisher of AR, has again brought out an excellent issue with timely topics. I am quite excited about his work. This African Renaissance is on the cutting edge of what Africans should be discussing. Here we have contemporary African thought that I would recommend strongly. I'm going for it. Will you? -- Rudy

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From the Publisher

Who is an African?

On the face of it, it seems such a simple, and even rhetorical question. Surely, everyone knows who is an African, it would seem. But not so simple if other qualifiers are added to the question: Do all people regarded as Africans, or of having an African pedigree, regard themselves as such? Are all who regard themselves as Africans accepted as being so? Where does African identity fit into the mosaic of identities that people of African ancestry, or who live in Africa bear?

Using President Thabo Mbeki's  I Am an African speech as a context, four leading African scholars -- Steven Friedman, a white South African; Mammo Muchie, an Ethiopian; Garbo Diallo, black Mauritanian; and Kimani Nehisi, a black Caribbean examine the issue of identity and what it means to be an African. Rudolph Lewis, an African American, narrates a rather moving story of his own journey to Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) in search of his African identity. We were so moved by the story that we asked Rudolph to rework it into a book. We hope to publish the book sometime next year.

It would of course be incomplete to discuss who the African is without bringing up the issue of Africans in the Diaspora, including their relations to the Mother Continent. Rudolph Lewis explains why most African Americans are not as sentimentally attached to Africa as the Jews are to the state of Israel. Other contributors discuss the issues of partnership between the Diaspora Africans and the continent, the problems of Africans raising up their children in the Diaspora and globalization and African identity in Latin America. The discussions that follow these contributions, in our unique seminar/workshop format, are very rich, and bound to enlighten and provoke.

In addition to the lead theme, we also packaged other topical articles -- from concerns about the current feminisation of HIV/AIDS to reflections on Africa's global futures and the issue of human rights in a renascent Africa.

Next edition -- Wars and Conflicts: Will Africa ever know peace?

For some, Africa has become a figurative expression for disaster, a narrative for wars, conflicts, underdevelopment and squalor. Why does our continent seem to be constantly at war with itself? What can be done to end these conflicts, and create the necessary conditions for investments and prosperity? What role can peoples of African ancestry and institutions play to end the wars and conflicts that litter the continent's landscape?

Write for African Renaissance

We invite contributions to the journal or reactions to the articles we publish. We also invite suggestions on the lead themes the journal should explore. Contact us at editor@adonis-abbey.com

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African Renaisance per copy (retail price) is £19.99 (+p&p) -- The American edition is:US$14.90 and Can$19.35 -- Subscription: for companies/organisations etc: £250 PA (6 issues) -- Individuals (UK and Europe £120;  Rest of the world £150).

The next edition is for September/October. The change in format was distributors' preference.

The European edition of September/October edition will be out about 15 September, and about 20 Sept for the American edition.

Editor:

Jideofor (Patrick) Adibe, Ph.D

Publisher

Adonis & Abbey Publishers Ltd.

SouthBank House

Black Prince Road

London SEI 7SJ

UK-Europe

jideofor.Adibe@adonis-abbey.com

Source: African Renaissance, September/October 2004.

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