Oxford Street in Accra, Ghana, is not just a location; it’s a vibrant artery pumping life, culture, and history through the heart of the city. Acclaimed across numerous reviews, Ato Quayson’s book, Oxford Street, Accra, delves deep into this iconic locale, revealing its multifaceted nature and its significance far beyond a simple commercial strip. This insightful work has garnered praise from leading scholars and publications for its profound exploration of urban African life, using Oxford Street as a lens to examine Accra’s past, present, and future.
Critics highlight Oxford Street, Accra as an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of African urbanism. AbdouMaliq Simone, author of For the City Yet to Come, hails the book as “erudite and accomplished,” praising Quayson’s astute application of critical theory to illuminate the dynamic transformations of African urban cultures. Simone emphasizes the book’s creative analysis of urban space, showcasing the diverse “imaginaries, calculations, and ethical sensibilities” that shape city life and forge new connections.
Achille Mbembe, author of Critique de la raison nègre, echoes this sentiment, calling Oxford Street, Accra “a fresh portrait of a rising African metropolis” and Quayson “one of the most original and skilled critics of the African condition.” Mbembe underscores the book’s deep research, rich detail, and bold analytical scope, positioning it as a unique and vital contribution to the expanding field of contemporary African urbanism. He further suggests that the future of urban theory itself may well be shaped by perspectives emerging from the Global South, exemplified by this extraordinary book.
Victoria Okoye of The Guardian poses a fundamental question: “What can a street teach us?” Her review elucidates how Quayson’s anthropological framework allows readers to move beyond the superficial aspects of Oxford Street. Instead, the book investigates the people, their interactions, and the historical layers that have cumulatively crafted the unique sense of place that defines this area of Accra. Okoye notes the book’s examination of migrations – Ga, Osu, Afro-Brazilian, Danish, and Lebanese – and the contemporary flow of Ghanaians and expats, alongside the social, economic, and political forces shaping the Osu neighborhood.
Peace Adzo Medie, writing for The New York Times, recommends Oxford Street, Accra as “an excellent introduction to the city.” She describes how the book takes readers on a historical journey, tracing Accra’s evolution from a fishing village to a bustling port town under British colonial rule, and finally to the vibrant metropolis it is today. Medie highlights Oxford Street as the starting point for Quayson’s exploration, evoking the city’s sights and sounds and focusing on the interactions between people and their surroundings. She points to the book’s forays into salsa and gym scenes as examples of the transnational dimensions of Accra’s contemporary life.
Zhuyun Amy Zang in Society & Space emphasizes the book’s profound impact, stating, “After reading it, I was amazed by how much a street can teach and inspire.” Zang recommends Oxford Street, Accra to geographers, anthropologists, and anyone interested in African culture and transnationalism, highlighting its accessibility and compelling nature, making it suitable for both academic courses and general readers interested in transnational scholarship.
George Mavrommatis in Postcolonial Studies delves into the multifaceted nature of Quayson’s approach. He observes that through Oxford Street, Accra, Quayson embodies various scholarly perspectives – historian, ethnographer, structuralist, post-structuralist, political economist, culturalist, phenomenologist, and observer. Mavrommatis suggests that this multiplicity of perspectives is key to the book’s significance, offering a rich and nuanced analysis of global urban studies through the lens of Oxford Street.
Jennifer Anne Hart in the International Journal of African Historical Studies positions Oxford Street as a critical reference point for urban Africa, placing it alongside AbdouMaliq Simone’s seminal work For the City Yet to Come. Hart recognizes its importance within critical urban studies, highlighting its contribution to the field.
James Christopher Mizes in the International Journal of Urban and Regional Research underscores the book’s ambitious scope, noting Quayson’s use of Oxford Street as an entry point to develop a nuanced historical portrait of contemporary Accra. Mizes emphasizes the rarity and necessity of single-city monographs from Africa within urban studies, particularly as the field increasingly draws insights from the continent. He deems Oxford Street an indispensable asset for current debates on history, method, life, and policy in African cities.
Claudia Gastrow in the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute highlights the book’s innovative methodology, blending literary analysis with anthropological approaches. This interdisciplinary method allows for a rethinking of the relationships between space, capitalism, and self-making, focusing on the everyday practices and aesthetics of urban life often taken for granted in urban environments.
Adedamola Osinulu in the Journal of African History asserts that Quayson surpasses the goal of a superficial understanding of Oxford Street. Instead, Oxford Street, Accra provides readers with a deep understanding of the entirety of Accra, its history, and its spatial practices, demonstrating the street’s role as a microcosm of the larger city.
Carina Ray in PMLA notes the book’s resistance to easy categorization. Oxford Street, Accra is described as more than just a history of Accra viewed through its most cosmopolitan corridor. It is also a profound reflection on contemporary urbanism in Accra, exploring both its connections to and departures from the past.
Jesse Weaver Shipley, also in PMLA, emphasizes Quayson’s insightful approach to understanding Accra’s particularities. The book reveals how Accra fosters intimacy and a sense of belonging for diverse people. Shipley describes Accra’s feeling of closeness, where personal spaces quickly expand into broader senses of history and future possibilities, praising Quayson’s attentive and patient observation.
Alissa Trotz in PMLA suggests that Oxford Street, Accra extends beyond diaspora and transnationalism studies, offering insights relevant to global urban developments. She proposes viewing the book as an invitation to broaden critical literacy within higher education, internationalizing curricula and fostering deeper conversations.
Adélékè Adéeko, also in PMLA, highlights the book’s portrayal of Accra as a city defined by constant motion and connection. The conclusion, which juxtaposes Lagos and Accra, reveals the broader significance of West African capital cities in understanding contemporary global existence.
Anjali Prabhu in PMLA describes Oxford Street, Accra as a “courageous piece of writing” with a coherent intellectual project. Prabhu appreciates both the successes and weaknesses of the book, finding that together they embody a conviction that permeates the entire work. She notes the unexpected emergence of coherence through autobiographical narrative, enhancing the reading experience.
Geertrui Vannoppen in Africa recommends the book as a “must-read” for those interested in African history, urban studies, transnationalism, and Accra itself. Vannoppen praises Quayson’s compelling writing style and the book’s effortless oscillation between local and global perspectives, past, present, and future, creating a richly detailed narrative.
David Alexander Brown in Anthropological Notebooks recognizes the book’s significant contribution to post-colonial spatial and urban theory. He highlights its contemporary examples of local communities interacting with global trends and its complex historical perspectives that move beyond colonialism as the sole framework for understanding modern Accra. Brown also praises the book as an exemplary model for ethnographers on how to narrate daily life and balance description with historical and theoretical material.
Victoria Okoye, writing for UrbanAfrica.net, summarizes Oxford Street, Accra as inspired by over a decade of research into the cultural shifts and influences shaping Oxford Street in Accra’s Osu district. She points to Quayson’s inclusion of oral histories, colonial correspondence, and conversations with residents, covering topics from salsa to gym habits, and even tro tro slogans and billboard messages. Okoye emphasizes the book’s invitation to engage with the ongoing discourse on Accra’s urban street life.
In conclusion, Oxford Street, Accra emerges as a highly significant and insightful book, lauded by critics across diverse fields. It offers a rich and nuanced portrait of Accra through the microcosm of Oxford Street, exploring themes of urbanism, history, culture, and transnationalism. For anyone seeking a deeper understanding of African cities and the evolving dynamics of global urban life, Ato Quayson’s Oxford Street, Accra is an indispensable and compelling read. Its critical acclaim and comprehensive approach solidify its place as a landmark study in urban studies and African scholarship, making Oxford Street in Accra a focal point for understanding broader urban narratives.
