Subject index and checklist of history and archaeology dissertations and research essays submitted at the University of Botswana, 1976 - 1998

Four MA dissertations and 222 BA research essays are listed alphabetically, and indexed by reference number under three subject categories-geographical area (by district, etc.), ethnic group, and a general subject index of 42 headings. All but 31 of the 226 alphabetical entries contain research solely on Botswana: the other countries being South Africa (12 entries), Zimbabwe (11), Namibia (6), Angola and Zambia (1 each). The most researched district of Botswana is Central (54 entries), followed by Kgatleng and Kweneng (25 each), North-East (24), South-East (16), Southern (9), Ngamiland (6), Chobe and Ghanzi (3 each), and Kgalagadi (2). The subject index of 29 ethnic groups ranges from Afrikaners (2 entries) and Amandebele (2) through Babirwa (7), Bakalanga (24), Bakgatla (27), Bakhalagari (4), Bakwena (21), Bangwato (19), Basarwa (5), and Batlharo (1), to Indians (3) and Ovambanderu (2). The general subject index ranges from Administration (29 entries), Agriculture (18), and Archaeology (21), through Biography (28), Cattle (7), Chieftainship (27), Class formation (7), Councils (7), Economic development (23), Education (14), and Heritage management (7), to Labour and labour migration (7), Medicine (4), Nationalism (13), Religion (15), Serfdom, servitude and slavery (7), Settlement history (19), Trade and commerce (13), Trade unions (6), and Urbanization (15). With the notable exception of one MA dissertation, there is a lack of cultural studies which may partly be attributed to research being done instead under the aegis of other departments in the Faculty of Humanities

The rise of the Kingdom of Shoa, 1813-1889.

From the beginning of the 17th century to the middle of the 19th century the Christian Empire of Ethiopia was in decline; the power and prestige of the Emperor were at a low ebb and the provincial governors vied with one another for a dominant position in Empire. This decline was the combined effect upon the Empire of past wars with her Muslim neighbours, religious civil war and the Galla invasions. At the provincial level the period was marked by territorial expansion, centralization and consolidation of provincial autonomy. This development achieved varying degrees of success in the different provinces. Probably the highest degree of success was achieved in the Galla-dominated province of Shoa, where a line of Amhara rulers the district of Manz succeeded in establishing a stable dynasty. Through military prowess and administrative ability the dynasty gradually conquered the surrounding Galla, and by the 1840s had created a powerful kingdom independent of the Emperor. The success of Shoa's development was due partly to the ability of its rulers, partly to the absence of interference from other princes in the Empire, and party to the political and military weakness of the Galla tribes. In 1855-6 Emperor Theodros, having revived the imperial authority, conquered Shoa but nine years later Shoa regained her independence. From 1865 to 1889 the relations between Shoa and the revitalized Imperial power became a crucial domestic issue in the Empire. The period also saw Shoa conquer more Galla provinces. As a result of her expansion there evolved in Shoa a strong centralized administration, and a commercial and military activity, the relative efficiency of which enabled the kingdom to withstand efforts by the Imperial power to conquer it. In 1889 the King of Shoa became Emperor and thereby re-united the Empire under the Shoan. dynasty

Analysis of Land Tenure Systems and its Relationship with Productivity in the Agricultural Sector in Ghana

The paper assesses the effects of Land Tenure systems and its relationship with agricultural productivity in Ghana. It discusses the complex nature of the Tenure systems and some of the reforms the country has done over the years and standard of living in the rural communities. In its assessments, this paper extracts information from Cross-Section Data and analyse it by applying Chi-square test to show the relationship between Land Tenure Systems and agriculture productivity. The outcome shows that Land Tenure Systems has a direct influence on productivity in Agriculture and can result in poverty and low standard of living among peasant farmers. In view of the problems, the paper discusses the prevalence of the terms, rules and regulations of the land acquisitions process and its repercussions and concludes from the results that Land Tenure Systems is a factor for low productivity in Agribusiness, and makes recommendations for the improvement of the land Tenure Systems to reduce the inherent insecurity