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Copyright of Review of African Political Economy is the property of Review of Political Economy (ROAPE) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In a committed anti-apartheid publisher like Ravan Press in the 1970s and 1980s, the selection of authors was usually based on political or ideological grounds as well as the quality of their writing. As a result, Ravan was harassed and subjected to censorship. But to what extent did Ravan's social position and capital inform the author-publisher relationship? One relatively well-known case is that of Miriam Tlali, described as 'the first black woman to publish a novel in South Africa'. Tlali's account of her relationship with Ravan has been described in very negative terms. However, her account changed over time and is not supported by other evidence. Based on archival sources and interviews, this article will explore the relationship between Tlali and Ravan Press, raising questions of the politics and power dynamics of literary publishing in the apartheid period. The article also raises questions about the methods used to write literary history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editors discuss various reports within the issue on topics including the formation of reading publics, the impact of reading cultures and print culture in Southern Africa.

The essay evaluates the field of book history within Africa, with the author arguing that a traditional understanding of print culture does not apply to an African context, and that a more general view of reading and writing must be considered. The author traces the history of book production on the continent and its connection to the spread of Islam, and comments on the transition between an oral culture and a literary one. The effects of imperialism on African publishing are also outlined.

Evaluating how intrinsic (intraspecific density), extrinsic (interspecific density and prey density) and anthropogenic (management intervention) factors affect African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) population performance is key to implementing effective conservation strategies. Lions (Panthera leo) can affect wild dog populations, and in small and highly managed protected areas, populations of wild dogs and lions often co-occur at high densities. It is unknown what mediates these co-occurring high densities and how trophic interactions facilitate the persistence of wild dogs in areas with high lion densities. In this study, we modelled how intrinsic and extrinsic factors affected population change and survival of 590 individually identifiable wild dogs in Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park (HiP), South Africa, an area with high lion density. The wild dog population in HiP grew significantly and comprised one of the highest population densities and the largest pack sizes in Africa. Pup survival rate was also the highest known in Africa, and the median individual survival was 29 months. During low lion density periods, the rate of wild dog population change increased despite low prey density, while at higher lion density, the rate of population change decreased only when prey density decreased. Survival for all age classes increased as population density increased, suggesting there is an important density-dependent effect on survival for all age classes that manifests at the population level. While increasing lion density had negative effects on adult and yearling survival, it did not affect pup survival. Our results suggest that both intrinsic and extrinsic drivers regulated the HiP wild dog population. Importantly, populations of wild dogs in small (~ 900 km2), fenced protected areas are highly adaptable and can co-exist at high levels of interspecific competition over many generations as long as there is an intact and abundant prey base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]