Poverty and Wealth in East Africa, a Conceptual History

Rhiannon Stephens's "Poverty and Wealth in East Africa: A Conceptual History" explores the evolution of economic thought in eastern Uganda over two millennia.

The book challenges the notion that colonialism introduced economic concepts to the region, demonstrating the intellectual engagement with wealth and poverty even in periods of relative material equality.

Stephens employs an interdisciplinary approach, combining comparative historical linguistics with archaeology, climate science, oral traditions, and ethnography to reconstruct the economic discourse of societies lacking written records.

The study reveals the dynamism of economic thought long before colonial influence, questioning established assumptions about inequality in the region's past.

The book offers a unique perspective on the complexities of economic understanding across time and cultures.