To Be or Not To Be: Sudan at Crossroads, A Pan-African Perspective

A provocative analysis by M. Jalal Hashim of the misconfiguring nature of Islam-Arab ideology on the indigenous African populations of Sudan. Praised by Molefi Kete Asante (Temple University), Professor Kwesi Kwaa Prah (Centre for Advanced Studies of African Society), and Baba Buntu (Johannesburg), the book offers a rich analysis of linguistic, cultural, political, economic, and social factors explaining the intricate root causes of conflict in Sudan. It stands in stark contrast to the dominant simplification and distortions which have come to typify presentations of the region. Central is an unapologetic explanation of Arabisation, often portrayed as individual choices of religious loyalty, but in fact masking an intentional power-system which corrupts African identities. By highlighting manipulation, geopolitics, identity confusion, and cultural imperialism, Hashim has written not only an authoritative book about Sudan but a comprehensive case study for all of Africa. A must-read for Pan-Africanist scholars and anyone interested in understanding Sudan’s position vis-à-vis Africa.