Medicinal Rule

This book is the first to introduce medicine as the forgotten model of rule in central and east Africa


This book introduces medicinal rule to replace the obsolete trope of divine kingship. It breaks with the old scholarly division of politics and religion


This book is a rare comparative exercise revisiting classics of anthropology and African history, thus taking into account data about 40 African cultural groups


This book uses anthropology to develop and apply new methodologies in the study of African history

Tables and figures
Acknowledgements
Note on Language
List of Abbreviations of Referenced Works
Introduction: Endogenous Kingship
PART I: DIVINATORY SOCIETIES
Chapter 1. The Forest Within
Chapter 2. Beyond Turner's Watershed Division
PART II: MEDICINAL RULE
Chapter 3. A Sukuma Chief on Medicine
Chapter 4. Endogenizing Vansina's Equatorial Tradition
Chapter 5. From Cult to Dynasty: Nilotic and Niger-Congo Extensions
Chapter 6. Magic and the Sole Mode of Production
Chapter 7. Tio Shrines of the Forest Master
PART III: THE CEREMONIAL STATE
Chapter 8. Kuba, Kongo and Buganda 'Miracles': Reversions in Transition
Chapter 9. From Divinatory to Ceremonial State: Narrative Proof from Rwanda
Conclusion: Reversible Transitions
References
Index