VOLUME XXIX 2004 Number 2 LIBERIAN STUDIES JOURNAL I 10°W 8°W LIBERIA -8°N 8°N- LOFA GRAND CAPE MOUNT BONG NIMBA BOMI _a? ,o, MONSERRADO *- GRAND BASSA MARGIBI -6°N RIVER 6°N-' CESS GRAND GEDEH /Or amain. It. SINGE 11144561616p LIBERIA 4411111110 GRAND KRU N 110.4 MILES 0 1 --1 50 le 0 MARYLAND Geography Department 10°W Universty of Pittsburgh at Johnstown 8°W i i Published by THE LIBERIAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION, INC. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor LIBERIAN STUDIES JOURNAL Editorial Policy The Liberian Studies Journal is dedicated to the publication of original research on social, politi- cal, economic, scientific, and other issues about Liberia or with implications for Liberia. Opin- ions of contributors to the Journal do not necessarily reflect the policy of the organizations they represent or the Liberian Studies Association, publisher of the Journal. Manuscript Requirements Manuscripts submitted for publication should not exceed 25 typewritten, double-spaced pages, with margins of one-and a-half inches. The page limit includes graphs, references, tables and appendices. Authors may, in addition to their manuscripts, submit a computer disk of their work preferably in MS Word 2000 or WordPerfect 6.1 for Windows. Notes and references should be placed at the end of the text with headings, e.g., Notes; References. Notes, if any, should precede the references. The Journal is published in June and December. Deadline for the first issue is February, and for the second, August. Manuscripts should include a cover page that provides the title of the text, author's name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and affiliation. Anonymous referees will review all works. Manuscripts are accepted in English and French. Manuscripts must conform to the editorial style of either the Chicago Manual of Style, or the American Psychological Association (APA), or Modern Language Association (MLA). Authors should send their manuscripts for consideration by regular mail or e-mail attachments to: Amos J. Beyan, Editor Liberian Studies Journal 4453 Friedmann Hall, Department of History Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan 49008 E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 269-387-4567 All Book Reviews should be mailed to: Phyllis Belt-Beyan, Associate Editor Liberian Studies Journal College of Education, Teaching, Learning & Leadership 3418 Sangren Hall Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan 49008 E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 269-387-3898 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor VOLUME XXIX 2004 Number 2 LIBERIAN STUDIES JOURNAL Editor, Amos J. Beyan Western Michigan University Associate Editor, Phyllis Belt-Beyan Book Review Editor, Tim Geysbeek Western Michigan University Grand Valley State University EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: William C. Allen, Virginia State University D. Elwood Dunn, The University of the South James N. J. Kollie, Sr., University of Liberia Alpha M. Bah, College of Charleston Warren d'Azevedo, University of Nevada Momo K. Rogers, Kpazolu Media Enterprises Christopher Clapham, Lancaster University Yekutiel Gershoni, Tel Aviv University Thomas Hayden, Society of African Missions Lawrence Breitborde, Knox College Svend E. Holsoe, University of Delaware Romeo E. Philips, Kalamazoo College Coroann Okorodudu, Rowan College of N. J. Henrique F. Tokpa, Cuttington University College LIBERIAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS: James Guseh, North Carolina State University, President Mary Moran, Colgate University, Secretary-Treasurer James Guseh, North Carolina State University, Parliamentarian Yekutiel Gershoni, Tel Aviv University, Past President Timothy A. Rainey, Johns Hopkins University Joseph Holloway, California State University-Northridge FORMER EDITORS Al-Hassan Conteh Amos J. Beyan C. William Allen Edward J. Biggane D. Elwood Dunn Svend Holsoe Jo Sullivan Edited at the History Department, Western Michigan University The Editors and Advisory Board gratefully acknowledge the contributions of Diether H. Haenicke, Institute for International and Areas Studies, the History Department, and the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Leadership, Western Michigan University. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor CONTENTS FOLK AND MODERN MEDICINE IN AFRICA: A CASE STUDY OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE IN LIBERIA by Emmanuel 0. Oritsejafor and Emma L. Jones 1 THE FANTE CONFEDERATION AND THE GREBOR UNITED CONFEDERA- TION: A POLITICAL HISTORY OF WEST AFRICAN CONFEDERATIONS IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY by Yekutiel Gershoni 16 ASSIDUOUS EXILE: STRATEGIES OF WORK AND INTEGRATION AMONG LIBERIAN REFUGEES IN DANANE, IVORY COAST by Mats Utas 33 GOVERNMENT SIZE, POLITICAL FREEDOM, AND ECONOMIC GROWNTH IN LIBERIA: A COMPARISON OF THREE PRESIDENTIAL REGIMES by James S. Guseh 59 BOOK REVIEWS Small, Tarnue, In the Crosshairs by Robert H. Brown 72 Hyman, Lester S., United States Policy Toward Liberia 1822 to 2003: Unintended Consequences? by D. Elwood Dunn 76 NEW STUDIES ON OR RELEVANT TO LIBERIAN STUDIES 80 DOCUMENTS 81 A refereed journal that emphasizes the social sciences, humanities and the natural sciences, the Liberian Studies Journal is a semiannual publication devoted to studies on Africa's oldest Repub- lic. The annual subscription rate is US$40.00, US$15.00 for students, and US$50.00 for insti- tutions. It includes membership in the Liberian Studies Association, Inc. All manuscripts and related matters should be addressed to Dr. Amos J. Beyan, Editor, Liberian Studies Journal, Friedmann Hall, Department of History, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49008. Subscriptions and other business matters should be directed to Dr. Mary Moran, Secre- tary-Treasurer, Liberian Studies Association, Inc., Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Colgate University, 13 Oak Drive, Hamilton, New York 13346-1398. E-mail: [email protected] Copyright © 2004 by the Liberian Studies Association ISSN 0024 1989 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor Folk and Modern Medicine in Africa: A Case Study of Mental Health Care in Liberia Emmanuel 0. Oritsejafor and Emma L. Jones* Introduction Given the vulnerability of most developing African countries to poor health care as a result of political, social, and economic factors; this inquiry attempts to show that effective linkage between folk and traditional medicine can become a viable means of providing "health care for all". Drawing from the study on mental health care in Liberia, this study proposes that traditional medicine could be merged with modern medicine if practitioners can harness some of the similarities in both areas of medicine in order to meet the World Health Organization goal of health care for all. In traditional African cultures, illness is generally thought to be caused by psycho- logical conflicts or disturbed social relationships that create disequilibria in the form of physical or mental problems. The primary objective of traditional healers is the amelioration of these disequilibria within a spiritual realm. In contrast modern and western medicine originated from Cartesian dualism, which focuses on the separation of the mind and the body; which leads to a fragmented approach to health care. The aim of modern medicine therefore, is to heal the body and relieve patients from physi- cal suffering (Hewson, 1998, 1029, Bruce, 2002, 162). In light of the utility of both health practices, traditional approaches have gener- ally been viewed as un-scientific and disregarded as "hocus pocus". Nevertheless, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized the harnessing of traditional and Dr. Emmanuel 0. Oritsejafor is an Associate Professor of Political Science in the Department of Political Science, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707. His teaching and research interests include the political economy of Sub Saharan Africa, international relations, and comparative politics. He has published articles in many scholarly journals. Ms. Emma L. Jones, (RN. MSN), is a Clinical System Analyst, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Hospital. Her areas of specialization include Nursing Informatics and Outcomes Management. Liberian Studies Journal, XXIX, 2 (2004) PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor 2 FOLK AND MODERN MEDICINE IN AFRICA modern medicine as far back as 1977, and declared that by 2000 its goal is to provide health care for all. To this end, WHO hosted a forum in Harare, Zimbabwe promot- ing the development of training and research related to traditional medicine with the hope of harnessing the potential benefits of traditional and modern medicine (Green, 2000). Prior to this period, most modern health practitioners did not see the benefits of traditional medicine and have generally disregarded this form of health care through prohibitive legislation, and sometimes through share neglect. However, in Africa there appears to be a growing need for modern and traditional health care to be harnessed in order to address some of the development challenges of various African communities (Bruce, 2002). This paper draws from the Liberian experience and highlights