Publishing in African Languages: Challenges and Prospects Philip G. Altbach and Damtew Teferra (eds.), ISBN 964607859 163pp 1999 Bellagio Studies in Publishing, Boston, $19.95, £11.95 pb. Click for ordering info.

Publishing in the many languages of Africa has always been a difficult problem. Most agree that books and other publications in the mother tongue is the most effective way of promoting and maintaining literacy. The problems of publishing in African languages is especially difficult because of the mutiplicity of languages, limited purchasing power, and low literacy rates. Added to this situation is the strength of the metropolitan languges, mainly English and French, in Africa.

This book focuses on both the problems and the possibilities of African language publishing. Case studies from southern Africa, francophone West Africa, Ethiopia, and Nigeria shed light on the issues involved. In addition, India is featured in a chapter that discusses how that country was able to stimulate local language publishing. Two chapters discuss the broader issues of language and publishing. This book will be of interest to anyone concerned with the future of publishing and development.

Table of Contents

Preface by Philip G. Altbach and Damtew Teferra

1. The Dilemmas of Publishing in African Languages: A comparative Perspective by Philip G. Altbach
2. Publishing in Kiswahili: A Writer's Perspective by M. M. Mulokozi
3. Publishing in Southern African Languages: History, Challenges, and Opportunities by Dumisani K. Ntshangase
4. African Publishing and National Languages: The West African Experience by Mamadou Aliou Sow
5. The Politics of Multilingual Education and Publishing in Ethiopia by Damtew Teferra
6. Publishing in Local Languages in Nigeria: A Publisher's Perspective by Victor Nwankwo
7. Publishing in Indian Languages: Perspectives from the Sub-continent by Urvashi Butalia
8. World or Indigenous Languages? Influences on Language Policies for Publishing in Africa

Reviews

• See review by Peter Limb in the H-Net Reviews

Ordering Info

Copies of these books can be ordered from the distributor:

African Books Collective Ltd.
PO Box 721
Oxford OX1 9EN UK
Tel/Fax: +44-(0)1869-349110
Email: orders@africanbookscollective.com
www.africanbookscollective.com

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