[Africana]

Includes bibliographical references (p. 147-153) and index.

1. The Historical Background. Precolonial Senegal. European Imperialism and Islam. The Colonial Era, 1885-1945. The Road to Independence, 1945-1960 -- 2. Government and Politics. Senegalese Politics: The Senghor Era, 1960-1980. The Struggle for Democracy: The Diouf Era, 1981-1994. The 1993 Presidential and Legislative Elections. The Political Process: Clan Politics and Party Structures. The Political Process: Ideological and Interest-Group Politics. Government Institutions. Postcolonial Administrative Reforms and Local Government -- 3. The Economy. Senegalese Economic Structures: Sahelian and Maritime Senegal. Senegalese Economic Structures: From Peanut Dependency to Diversification. From Neocolonial Dependency to Foreign Debt and Aid Dependency. Africanization, Nationalization, and Privatization. Senegalese Economic Policy: From African Socialism to Economic Liberalism. Development for Whom? Structural Adjustment and Devaluation: Economic Recovery or Pauperization? --

4. Senegal and the World. The French Connection. Senegal and Africa. Senegal and the Islamic World. Senegal and the Third World. Senegal and East-West Relationships -- 5. Culture and Society. Islam in Senegal. Interethnic Relationships and Conflicts. Solidarity Networks and Self-Help Associations. Women. Youth. Popular Culture and the Arts -- 6. Toward the Year 2000: Whither Senegal? The Mystique of the Year 2000. Senegal's Political Future: Democracy or Disintegration? Senegal's Economic Future: Prosperity or Decline? Toward the Year 2000: Prospects for the Future.

A West African nation with an extremely rich political and cultural heritage, Senegal continues to serve as a role model for Francophone Africa despite its weak economic base and small population. Senegal's status as both a Sahelian and a maritime country brought its people into early contact with Islam and the West, making the country a crossroads where traditional African, Islamic, and European cultures met and blended.

Sheldon Gellar begins his exploration of Senegal by examining the influence of Islam, Western imperialism, and French colonial rule and by tracing the country's political, economic, and social evolution since independence.

This expanded second edition also analyzes developments since 1983, looking in particular at the state of multiparty democracy, the 1993 national elections, the deterioration of the political climate following the assassination of the vice president of the Constitutional Council, the 1994 devaluation of the CFA franc, and the return of Abdoulaye Wade to the government coalition in 1995.

Despite its inability to break out of severe and chronic economic crises, Senegal has managed to solicit high levels of foreign aid and has gained a significant profile on the international scene. Gellar closes with an evaluation of the social and cultural trends that have contributed to Senegal's emergence as one of Africa's most important cultural centers.