Historical Dictionary of Cote d'Ivoire (The Ivory Coast)

By (author) Cyril K. Daddieh

Publication date:

09 February 2016

Length of book:

704 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9780810871861

Côte d’Ivoire remains one of the most intriguing countries in sub-Saharan Africa. It appeared well on its way to becoming a model of development under its single political party and charismatic founding father, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, when it fell on hard economic times in the 1980s. Poor management of the socio-economic challenges by Houphouët-Boigny’s successors produced disastrous political consequences, including unprecedented political violence, the first-ever successful military coup, and two civil wars, culminating in former President Laurent Gbagbo being sent to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to stand trial for war crimes.

This third edition of Historical Dictionary of Cote d'Ivoire (The Ivory Coast) contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 700 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the Cote d'Ivoire.

Editor’s Foreword (Jon Woronoff)
Acknowledgments
Readers’ Note
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Maps
Chronology
Table 1: Production Statistics of Some Major Staple Foods and Export Crops
Introduction
THE DICTIONARY
Appendix A: Governors of Côte d’Ivoire, 1893-1960
Appendix B: Heads of State of Independent Côte d’Ivoire, 1960-present
Appendix C: Prime Ministers of Independent Côte d’Ivoire, 1990-present
Bibliography
About the Author

After two editions written by the late Robert J. Mundt, Daddieh takes on the task with this third edition. The author expands the work by several hundred pages and many more entries, and includes an extensive chronology, subject-based bibliography, and a thorough introduction to assist the reader in contextualizing the material. In addition to the precolonial, colonial, and postcolonial history of Côte d'Ivoire, this revision covers the country's long struggle with political and civil strife following the death of Félix Houphouët-Boigny in 1993, who ruled the nation for more than three decades after independence. Thoroughly detailed, well-written, and insightful entries treat the political and social upheaval and the consequences resulting from various coups and civil wars, as well as attempts at peace, Ivoirian reconciliation, and economic stabilization. Occasionally, new editions...can be skipped; not this one. It is a significant update that features information on the important individuals, places, organizations, and events during the most turbulent period in the nation's history.

Summing Up: Highly recommended. All libraries. All levels.