The Flaws and Shortcomings of African Historiography Essay

The Flaws and Shortcomings of African Historiography History is formed through a combination of personal experiences, psychological state, personal objectives, relation with the interviewer, position in society and many other factors that cannot be scientifically monitored and accounted for. Thus, no historian has been able to filter through the many layers they need to in order to arrive at an accurate account of history. What â€Å"personal narratives† and â€Å"life histories† provide are numerous examples of the complexities and ambiguities that accompany any reconstruction of African history. Each account of history does not offer a different perspective from which one may view a particular event or time, simply because no two accounts have†¦show more content†¦But that is all it is, interesting! With enough disclaimers and ‘considering’ any claim, theory, or historical account becomes valid history. Relationships Between Interviewer and Subject: As recognition and acceptance of the subjects’ ability to hold back and alter information increased, so did historians’ emphasis on the quality of the relationship between interviewer and interviewee. For example, Bozzoli made a point of reducing the physical and ethnical variations between interviewer and interviewee. In order to increase the comfort level of the subject, and in turn, get more honest and personal information, Bozzoli used female interviewers with racial and ethnic ties to the subject whereas Mbilinyi had a much more direct approach. Alagoa, Bozzoli, andShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesprimates in central Africa gave birth to the first hominids some 5 million years ago. Movement made possible the appearance of every hominid species since then, including our own some 150,000 years ago, and the spread of Homo sapiens from our African cradle to every major area of the planet since 50,000 b.p.. These migratory currents have connected all the continents since 1500 C.E., helping create the political, social, and ethnic landscapes of the world today. Premodern societies were far