Unisa Press
The Strangers of New Bell
Immigration, Public Space and Community in Colonial Douala, Cameroon, 1914–1960
| Author: | Lynn Schler |
|---|---|
| Published: | October 22, 2009 |
| ISBN: | 978-1-86888-489-6 |
| Number of pages: | 159 |
| This book is not available in electronic format |
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About the book
This book studies a community of African immigrants – or ‘strangers’ – designated to quarters in New Bell, Douala, in Cameroon, during the colonial era. New Bell was created in 1914 as part of an extensive urbanisation and relocation plan intended to reserve the Douala city centre for Europeans. New Bell housed thousands of migrants converging on Douala from Cameroon and the entire west coast of Africa. Though never completely evading colonial economic and political agendas, this vastly diverse and sometimes strife ridden community forged alliances, solidarities, and common experiences in response to its immediate needs and long terms goals. Schler focuses on the ability of Africans to bridge differences in culture and experience, and live as neighbours in cultural and political spaces, transcending post-colonial political boundaries.
Table of content
ONE
Introduction 1
TWO
The strangers of New Bell: An overview
THREE
Membership fees: Money, consumption and immigrant participation
in urban public spaces
FOUR
Crime and community
FIVE
Sharing a drink: Alcohol and urban popular culture
SIX
Nationalism and ethnicity in the struggle against marginalisation:
The final years of the colonial era
SEVEN