... The term post-slavery refers to historical and social circumstances identifiable in contexts where slavery was a fundamental social institution and its legal abolition was followed by resilient legacies of past hierarchy and abuse. It is commonly used as an adjective, as in the expressions "post-slavery subjects," "post-slavery population," "post-slavery societ...

The three books reviewed in this article seek to provide interpretations of dependence, unfreedom and slavery in African societies. But they reach different conclusions; bring different methodological frameworks to bear on the circumstances they examine; and ? when they are concerned with policy questions ? propose different remedies. A comparison of these books is...