Ecology of African Pastoralist Societies — 2008

By Katherine Homewood

“A tour de force, if one considers the vast amount of material it covers, and the clear and balanced summaries it provides of recent literature and debates. A compendium of information about cattle-herding groups in Africa, and about approaches to understanding their history and ecology. Clear and well judged summaries of the current state of knowledge.”

David Turton, Senior Associate, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford

This study presents a comprehensive survey and analysis of the literature and debates surrounding African pastoralist societies by a leading anthropologist of African pastoralism. Katherine Homewood traces the origins and spread of pastoralism on the African continent before examining contemporary pastoralist environments and livelihoods. There are separate discussions of herd biology, pastoralist demography, and the impact of developments and change on pastoralist systems.

Katherine Homewood is a professor of anthropology at University College, London.