10 recommended books to read before studying abroad in Africa
August 8th, 2024 | Africa, SIT Study Abroad
Across the continent of Africa, with its breathtaking landscapes and diverse cultures and traditions, major contributions are being made at the forefront of social justice, sustainability, healthcare, and more, making it a prime location for studying abroad.
From global health and international relations to conservation and sustainable development, SIT offers students a wide range of programs that deepen their knowledge and offer global perspectives on topics that interest them and support their career goals.
Students headed to the African continent for their next study abroad experience can dive into these 10 recommended books reflecting SIT’s program themes.
Cameroon
Your Madness, Not Mine: Stories of Cameroon by Juliana Makuchi Abbenyi-Nfah
The stories in “Your Madness, Not Mine” are about postcolonial Cameroon, but especially about Cameroonian women, who probe their day-to-day experiences of survival and empowerment as they deal with gender oppression.
Ghana
Romancing Ghanaland: The Beauty of 10 Regions by Kofi Akpabli
This book bares the public face and the private parts of Ghana's tourist attractions. “Romancing Ghanaland” brings to Ghanaian readers a beautiful testament of their beloved nation and shows the rest of the world why Ghana remains God's own country.
Kenya
Facing Mt. Kenya by Jomo Kenyatta
“Facing Mount Kenya” is a formal study of life and death, work and play, and sex and the family in one of the greatest tribes of contemporary Africa, the Kikuyu.
Madagascar
Made in Madagascar: Sapphires, Ecotourism, and the Global Bazaar by Andrew Walsh
An exploration of the tensions and speculations that have come with the parallel emergence of the sapphire and ecotourist trades, allowing for insights into globalization, inequality, and the appeal of the "natural.”
Malawi
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
William dreamed of building a windmill that would bring electricity and running water to his small village. With a small pile of once-forgotten science textbooks; some scrap metal, tractor parts, and bicycle halves; and an armory of curiosity and determination, he embarked on a daring plan to forge an unlikely contraption and small miracle that would change the lives around him.
Morocco
This Blinding Absence of Light by Tahar Ben Jelloun
Ben Jelloun reveals the horrific story of the desert concentration camps in which King Hassan II of Morocco held his political enemies in underground cells with no light and only enough food and water to keep them lingering on the edge of death.
Rwanda
A Voice in the Darkness: Memoir of a Rwandan Genocide Survivor by Jeanne Celestine Lakin
Human rights advocate Jeanne Celestine Lakin chronicles her harrowing survival during the darkest days of Rwanda and her transformative journey to becoming a powerful voice for the voiceless.
South Africa
Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela by Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela was one of the great moral and political leaders of his time. He was an international hero whose lifelong dedication to fighting racial oppression in South Africa won him the Nobel Peace Prize and the presidency of his country.
Tanzania
Nature Unbound: Conservation, Capitalism and the Future of Protected Areas by Dan Brockington, Rosaleen Duffy, and Jim Igoe
This groundbreaking volume is the first comprehensive, critical examination of the rise of protected areas and their current social and economic position in our world.
Tunisia
Youth and Revolution in Tunisia by Alcinda Honwana
Drawing on fresh testimony, the book describes in detail the experiences of young activists through the 29 days of the Arab Spring and the challenges they encountered after the fall of the regime and the dismantling of the ruling party.