Senegal and Gambia by Hubert Deschamps is a comprehensive study of the history, geography, society, and political dynamics that shape two neighboring countries in West Africa: Senegal and Gambia. Using a historical and ethnographic approach, Deschamps traces the development of this region from pre-colonial times, through the period of European exploration and French-British colonization, to the…
Senegalese democracy is considered exemplary by foreign observers and by a large section of the African intelligentsia, which is under siege from multifaceted forms of state terrorism. Given the democratic demands currently shaking Africa, it is tempting to view Senegal as a model. And yet, for a large majority of Senegalese, more and better democracy has become the central demand that mobilize…