Africa in the World: Lessons from African History for World History‪.‬

African history is less consistently integrated into world history than other geographical regions. World history textbooks discuss African history more now than they did a decade ago, but Africa is usually only treated in any significant detail after 1000 CE (ancient Egypt being the exception). (1) This is due in part, at least, to the fact that African historians have generally not situated their works and discoveries within a wider frame of world historical developments. Scholars of other regions, therefore, continue to assume that throughout its history Africa was isolated and perpetually lagging behind, thus mimicking historical precedents elsewhere. (2) Achille Mbembe laments Africa's academic isolation, contending that: African history, indeed, can and should have a stronger impact on our study of history and models of historical processes because it was a place of significant historical developments and offers alternatives to the accepted narrative of the development of civilizations. In short, thorough incorporation of African history into world history changes how we see the world.