A Current Bibliography on African Affairs - Baywood Publishing

VOLUME 42, NUMBER 4—2009-2010 / 433
workers who came from not only Gujarat but also from Maharashtra and the Punjab and that
those marginalised by simplified definitions need to be given a place in the historiography.
1463. Jul-Larsen, E., and P. Mvula. SECURITY FOR MANY OR SURPLUS
FOR THE FEW? CUSTOMARY TENURE AND SOCIAL DIFFERENTIATION IN
SOUTHERN MALAWI. Journal of Southern African Studies. 2009, 35(1):175-190.
It has been argued that the ambiguities in Malawian customary tenure may aggravate
processes of social differentiation and class formation. The article investigates this claim
based primarily on data from the rural areas in the Southern Region. An analysis of the
political economy at the national and local level indicates that accumulation of customary
land is not a significant factor accounting for increased economic differences. At the
same time, land distribution in smallholder agriculture remains quite equal. A review of 45
court cases of land conflict in the Thyolo and Mangochi districts shows that the inherent
ambiguities in customary tenure make accumulation of landholdings difficult and often
serve the interests of the poor.
1464. Voss, U., and I. Tuin. INTEGRATION OF IMMIGRANTS INTO A NEW
CULTURE IS RELATED TO POOR SLEEP QUALITY. Health and Quality of Life
Outcomes. 2008, 6:61.
This article reports on the relationship between cultural influences on life style, coping
style, and sleep in a sample of female Portuguese immigrants living in Germany. Sleep
quality is known to be poorer in women than in men, yet little is known about mediating
psychological and sociological variables such as stress and coping with stressful life
circumstances. Migration constitutes a particularly difficult life circumstance for women if
it involves differing role conceptions in the country of origin and the emigrant country. Our
data suggest that non-integration may be less stressful than integration. This result points to
possible benefits of non-integration. The high preference for an information-seeking coping
style may be related to the process of migration, representing the attempt at regaining
control over an uncontrollable and stressful life situation.
SYMBOL SYSTEMS
1465. Ahmed, C. THE WAHUBIRI WA KISLAMU (PREACHERS OF ISLAM) IN
EAST AFRICA. Africa Today. 2008, 54(4):4-18.
Unlike Islamic missionary groups that focus on education as a means of conversion, the
Wahubiri wa Kislamu (Preachers of Islam) specialize in giving sermons and preaching on
the streets, at markets, or in football stadiums. They refer to these activities as “open-air
conferences.” Their sermons consist of an “Islamic” reading of the Bible, with the intention
of converting Christians to Islam; hence their somewhat hybrid name. This article traces the
emergence of this missionary method in East Africa. Regardless of how negatively the
Preachers of Islam interpret the Bible, the fact that they do this in front of a mixed
Muslim-Christian public could be interpreted as a contribution to greater mutual understanding
between the groups.
1466. Alidou, O., and H. Alidou. WOMEN, RELIGION, AND THE DISCOURSES
OF LEGAL IDEOLOGY IN NIGER REPUBLIC. Africa Today. 2008, 54(3):21-36.
There is an international movement that advocates the establishment of quotas for