[Maths-Education] New: Mathematics in African History and Cultures

Paulus Gerdes pgerdes at virconn.com
Wed Mar 28 14:31:39 BST 2007


please circulate to all interested:

New edition: 
Paulus Gerdes & Ahmed Djebbar: Mathematics in African History and Cultures:
An annotated Bibliography (430 pp., ISBN 978-1-4303-1537-7) is now available
(both in print and as download) from www.lulu.com  by searching Paulus
Gerdes or by going to Gerdes' Lulu storefront,
http://stores.lulu.com/pgerdes.
In a few weeks time the book will also become available from amazon.com and
other retailers / bookshops.

This volume constitutes an updated and extended version of the bibliography
published under the same name in 2004 by the African Mathematical Union.
The African Studies Association attributed the original edition a Œspecial
mention¹ in the 2006 Conover-Porter Award competition.
The book contains over 1600 bibliographic entries.
The appendices contain additional bibliographic information on (1)
mathematicians of the Diaspora, (2) publications by Africans on the history
of mathematics outside Africa, (3) time-reckoning and astronomy in African
history and cultures, (4) string figures in Africa, (5) examples of books
published by African mathematicians, (6) board games in Africa, (7) research
inspired by geometric aspects of the Œsona¹ tradition.
The book concludes with several indices (subject, country, region, author,
ethnographic and linguistic, journal, mathematicians).
Professor Jan Persens of the University of the Western Cape (South Africa)
and president of the African Mathematical Union (AMU, 2000-2004) wrote the
preface.

>From the preface:
"One cannot but welcome this very important annotated bibliography on
Mathematics in African History and Culture.  Š On behalf of the African
Mathematical Union, I sincerely wish to thank Professors Paulus Gerdes and
Ahmed Djebbar for their contribution.  They are, indeed, two stalwarts in
our quest for unearthing and highlighting contributions by Africans to
mathematical research and teaching"  (Professor Jan Persens, President AMU).

Paulus Gerdes and Ahmed Djebbar are the chairman and secretary of the
African Mathematical Union Commission on the History of Mathematics in
Africa (AMUCHMA).   Both are fellows of the International Academy for the
History of Science.

ŒGeometry from Africa¹ (Mathematical Association of America, Washington,
1999), ŒWomen, Art and Geometry in Southern Africa¹ (Africa World Press,
Trenton NJ, 1998), ŒSona Geometry from Angola ­ Mathematics of an African
Tradition¹ (Polimetrica, Monza, 2006) and ŒAfrican Doctorates in
Mathematics¹ (Lulu, 2007) are among other books published by Paulus Gerdes
from Mozambique.
ŒA History of Arab Science¹ (Editions du Seuil, Paris, 2001), ŒArab Algebra:
Genesis of an Art¹ (Vuibert & Adapt, Paris, 2005) and ŒThe Golden Age of
Arab Sciences¹ (Le Pommier, Paris, 2005) are among other books published in
French by Ahmed Djebbar from Algeria.

--
Prof. Dr. Paulus Gerdes
Vice-President for Southern Africa, African Academy of Sciences

Chairman AMUCHMA
(African Mathematical Union Commission on the History of Mathematics)
Postal address: C.P. 915, Maputo, Mozambique
Tel.: +258-21-49 45 04
E-mail: pgerdes at virconn.com
AMUCHMA webpage: http://www.math.buffalo.edu/mad/AMU/amuchma_online.html

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