Gender is one of the most productive, dynamic, and vibrant areas of Africanist research. This work contains essays on how gender works in Africa. It shows gender as an applied rather than theoretical tool. It discusses themes such as the performance of sexuality, lesbianism, women's political mobilization, the work of gendered NGOs, and more.

Cole is Associate Professor of Dramatic Art and Associate Director of the Interdisciplinary Humanities Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is author of "Ghana's Concert Party Theatre" (IUP, 2001). Takyiwaa Manuh is Professor of African Studies at the University of Ghana, Legon, and serves as Director of the Institute of African Studies. Stephan F. Miescher is Associate Professor of History at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is author of "Making Men in Ghana" (IUP, 2005).

Contributors are Hussaina J. Abdullah, Nwando Achebe, Susan Andrade, Eileen Boris, Catherine M. Cole, Paulla A. Ebron, Eileen Julien, Lisa A. Lindsay, Adrienne MacIain, Takyiwaa Manuh, Stephan F. Miescher, Helen Mugambi, Gay Seidman, Sylvia Tamale, Bridget Teboh, Lynn M. Thomas, and Nana Wilson-Tagoe.