African Indigenous Knowledge and the Sciences

This book offers a crucial intellectual journey into the often-overlooked scientific dimensions of African Indigenous Knowledge, examining fields from physics and metallurgy to architecture and medicine. Gloria Emeagwali and contributing authors shift the discourse beyond the humanities to explore the sophisticated epistemologies and technological innovations developed across the continent. The work provides a vital corrective to historical narratives by meticulously detailing indigenous scientific and technological systems that have been systematically marginalized. It serves as a foundational text for anyone seeking to understand the depth and breadth of pre-colonial African scientific thought.

What makes this volume particularly compelling is its multidisciplinary approach, offering diverse perspectives that bridge academic scholarship with practical applications for development agents and policymakers. Readers will find a rich tapestry of knowledge that challenges conventional Western-centric histories of science and technology, presenting a more complete and accurate global scientific heritage. This is essential reading for students and scholars in African studies, history of science, and postcolonial studies, as it fundamentally expands our understanding of what constitutes scientific knowledge and whose contributions are valued in that narrative.