Vijay Prashad

One of the best things I have done, for a long time, is to join the Left Book Club. I would not have come across this, yet another excellent selection, without them.

This book gives the perspective from the third world. Unlike some books, this one does its best to be objective. This is not the story of how the third world countries are/were perfect and the west evil: which would have been fair enough to offset my education which tried to indoctrinate me into the obverse view!

It is amazing to see how stupid we all are and how easily greed over rides good judgement. Somewhat depressing, but eminently believable.… (meer)

A thought-provoking examination of the Third World's anti-colonial struggles in the C20th, from co-operating to try and make their agenda herd in the UN to organizing as a Non-Aligned Movement to distance thmselvs from both First and Second world interference. There are case studies of liberation movements which are often, to quote Franz Fanon, "better at the struggle for freedom or the creation of manifestos than governance", sometimes usurped by military coups (frequently sposored by the US) or by elites who speak "freedom" but are closely aligned with the First world capitalists who of course will only give financial assistance (at extortionate interest rates) in return for corporate concessions that don't benefit the local people. In the end it's an instructive but depressing book. Highly recommended.… (meer)

This is largely a sociological history book, discussing various race relations.

But, in the middle of it is this amazing criticism of multiculturalism and the idea that we aren't (and can't) be strictly segregated into arbitrarily defined 'pure' culture bubbles: that's just not how culture works. We borrow from, adapt, reinvent and change as people, and trying to define strict cultural bounderies is counterproductive.

I'm still digesting all the thoughts in here, but I love it, and it seems to echo so much of the shortcomings of multiculturalism I've seen myself.

… (meer)

In his book, The Darker Nations, Vijay Prashad analyses the third world of the twentieth century as a project to unite formerly colonized states of Asia, Africa, and South and Central America. He looks at the major issues confronting them as they seek to build their own futures: their shared and separate ideologies, struggles for achieve economic and cultural autonomy from their former colonizers. He examines both their wins and the pitfalls they confront including monetary debt to the the IMP and the World Bank and whether to embrace the first world or to avoid its influence.

Like so many in the global north, my studies and knowledge of history has been mainly Eurocentric with little reference to the Third World. As a result, Prashad's book was a real eye opener for me. The book is divided into different nations which makes it easier to read and understand the differences and similarities between the different nations. He also avoids pedantry making it a fairly easy read for those with little or no knowledge of the problems former colonized nations faced and still face. First published in 2008, it is still as relevant and important today and I recommend it highly.

Thanks to Edelweiss+ and The New Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review… (meer)