Museums and Urban Culture in West Africa

Part 1 Origins of the urban phenomenon in Africa: early towns and the development of urban culture in Ghana - an archaeological view, James Anquandah; colonial town/indigenous town - duality or cultural juxtaposition - the cases of Ouidah and Abomey, Bernardin Agbo; the colonial legacy and self-definition of a Ghanian city - the case of Sekondi-Takoradi, Kofi E. Agovi; the urban development of Swahili civilization, Omar Bwana. Part 2 Museums and investigations into urban culture: court arts in West Africa - finished forms of expression of urban life in pre-colonial cities, Joseph C.E. Adande; Nigerian archaeology and the material aspects of urban culture, Abi Derefaka; research in urban sociology in West Africa - findings and trends, Abdoulaye Bara Diop; urban float traditions in West Africa - a museum perspective, Jenny Oram. Part 3 Urban culture in museums: the urban culture phenomenon - how have museums responded?, Emmanuel N. Arinze; urban material culture in museums - the case of the National Museum of Mali, Salia Male; the impact of urban culture on museums - a Ghana perspective, Isaac Debrah; play and display at the Museum of Mankind, Nigel Barley; the state of collections and the place of urban culture in museums in Togo - problems and prospects, Nayondjoua Djanguenane. Part 4 The role of museums in the enhancement of urban culture: museums in West Africa - the impact on urban cultures, David Aradeon; African ingenuity in recovery and recycling - some aspects of urban artisanal culture, Yaya Savane; the place of women in the museum of St-Louis, Senegal, Fatima Fall; urbanization and heritage in Nigeria, Peter I. Ikwueme.