A dictionary of Mozambican history and society

Abstract

This book, now co-authored with Mozambican scholar Amelia Neves de Souto, is based on Colin Darch's Historical Dictionary of Mozambique (2019), with new entries, updated information, and the correction of some minor errors of fact and interpretation. Written primarily for a South African readership, the revised edition aims to make information on Mozambique easily available and affordable for readers interested in the history of one of South Africa's closest neighbours. Over several centuries, relations between the two emerging territories have been complex and sometimes troubled, and although the economies of the two countries have for many years been interdependent, the simple fact that Mozambique is officially a Portuguese-speaking country has acted as a barrier to understanding.

The emphasis is on contemporary history and society from the middle of the twentieth century onwards, with perhaps one-third of the entries dealing with topics and personalities from that period. However, the dictionary includes multiple entries covering the period before the arrival of the Portuguese in the late fifteenth century, as well as on the five centuries of their often precarious presence in Mozambique.