Book Reviews : The Development of Tropical and Sub-Tropical Countries with Particular Reference to Africa. Edited by A. LESLIE BANKS. (London: Edward Arnold, Ltd. 1954. Pp. xvi, 217. $3.75.) An Essay on Racial Tension. By PHILIP MASON. (London: Royal Institute of International Affairs. 1954. Pp. ix, 149. $1.50.)

• Date: 01 March 1956
• DOI: 10.1177/106591295600900118
• Author: James S. Coleman
• Published date: 01 March 1956
• Subject Matter: Articles

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In sum, Africa Today is important not only for the many answers it
gives, but also for the vital questions it raises. Thorough and dissecting
throughout, it also manages to achieve that rarity among volumes of this
sort -
an almost uniformly high standard among all the contributors.
LORNA H. HAHN.
Temple University.
The Development of Tropical and Sub-Tropical Countries with Particular
Reference to Africa. Edited by A. LESLIE BANKS. (London: Edward
Arnold, Ltd. 1954. Pp. xvi, 217. $3.75.)
An Essay on Racial Tension. By PHILIP MASON. (London: Royal Institute
of International Affairs. 1954. Pp. ix, 149. $1.50.)
These two books are related in respects other than their common areal
focus upon sub-Saharan Africa. Each deals with one of the two dominant
themes characteristic of most current discussions regarding the Dark Conti-
nent -
&dquo;development&dquo; and racial tension. The first, a full report of the
proceedings of a seminar of thirty-two specialists, singled out the improve.
ment of soil fertility and food resources as a precondition for all other lines
of development. Similarly, Mr. Mason, in his survey of the genesis and
anatomy of racial tension, suggests that perhaps malnutrition and deficiency
diseases provide the most convincing of all replies to queries about why
Africans have lagged so far behind and, as a consequence, have been and
continue to be dominated by other races. Both works conclude that first
priority must be assigned to systematic multipronged research-an absolute
prerequisite for any substantial &dquo;development&dquo; or for any fresh insight into
the cause and cure of racial tension.
While the seminar report suffers from certain inherent shortcomings
(lack of focus, unevenness in quality, repetition, irrelevant comment, etc.),
these are partially overcome by the editor’s introduction and summary as
well as the self-discipline displayed by most of the participants. Following
a broad review of the problems inherent in the...