Scholarly studies on the Igbo have been scanty and fragmented: Politics and Identity Formation in Southeastern Nigeria: The Igbo in Perspective fills an obvious gap. This book explores the social, cultural, economic, political and aesthetic traditions that distinguish the Igbo of southeastern Nigeria from their neighbors. It is both multi- and cross-disciplinary in scope, content and analyses, focusing essentially on experiences and forces that shaped the Igbo society, Igbo identity formation, and Igbo socio-cultural, political and aesthetic representations. The themes interrogated in refreshing fashion with an appreciable level of originality include the importance of Igbo names in understanding the people’s social, linguistic, religious, gender, and cultural identities, spiritual matters, Pentecostalism and their attendant social, political, and economic consequences for the Igbo, and textile and fashion museums of Igbo fabrics, attires, designs, patterns and colors.

Legacies of Passed African Women Writers: Matrix of Creativity and Power proffers varied perspectives of the invaluable contributions of ten deceased African writers from all across Africa who have cleared the path to a vibrant African feminist arena. The dynamics of change gleaned from both their textual and contextual concerns unarguably set the pace for contemporary African women writers who have striven to follow in the footsteps of their literary mothers as well as their oral foremothers. This book, edited by Helen Chukwuma and Chioma Carol Opara, shows the collective testament of ample creativity and power generated by these departed heroes: Flora Nwapa, Mariama Ba, Grace Ogot, Zulu Sofola, Bessie Head, Buchi Emecheta, Nawal El Saadawi, Assia Djebar, Yvonne Vera, and Nadine Gordimer. These chapters revolve around the positive impact of the celebrated writers on creative writing, theoretical formulations, and socio-cultural change. The contributors argue that these corpus of works have illuminated creativity rooted in power, vision, and freedom.

Chinua Achebe and the Igbo-African World: Between Fiction, Fact, and Historical Representation explores Chinua Achebe's literary works and how they communicated the Igbo-African world to readers. Engaging in the politics of representation, Achebe sought to demystify deterministic views of race and cultural ethnocentrism. While his books and commentaries have been very influential in shaping a unique and multifaceted view of the African world, some scholars have challenged Achebe's representations of historical reality. Through in-depth analyses of his writing, contributors examine the interpretations Achebe imposed on African culture and history in his texts. The chapters cover Achebe's engagement with critical issues like historical representation, gender relations, and indigenous political institutions in a changing society. Throughout, contributors present new ways for understanding Achebe's literary works and show how his work draws from African historical reality and identity while challenging Western epistemological hegemony.