A London-based historian is in Seychelles this month to do research for a book about the country’s modern history.

Dr Kevin Shillington, a freelance historian, has been contracted through Macmillan Publishing in England to write a book about the contemporary history of the country, focusing on the period from the second world war up to the present.

The main purpose of the book will be to provide a thorough account of this period, especially during the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, when the country’s political climate was changing, Dr Shillington said last week at the National Archives in Victoria.

The historian said that he hoped the book would be an informative but entertaining read.

“You won’t necessarily have to read through an entire chapter to get some ideas out of (the book),” Dr Shillington said, “but I hope it is written in a way that people would want to read it (from front to back).”

Dr Shillington will be in Seychelles for the entire month of December and will return next year for a follow-up visit.  Dr Shillington also visited the country in August for a two-week preliminary research trip.

During his time in the country, Dr Shillington said he would attempt to speak first-hand to as many people as he can about their viewpoints and memories of Seychelles during the last 50 years.

Currently he is making arrangements to talk with former president James R. Mancham, and is also looking into an interview with President France Albert Rene and other political and influential figures.

But Dr Shillington added that there are many more people he would like to get in touch with to provide an accurate picture.

“It’s not going to be a dry analysis of what different leaders said,” he noted.  “I want to get opinions and feelings to show what (Seychelles) was really like.”

Dr Shillington said he hoped the book would also encourage a dialogue among Seychellois about a period of time that has not been looked at too closely in comparison with the island nation’s early colonial past.

The book will not, however, be solely a political history, Dr Shillington said.  The social and economic transformations of the country will also be covered in the book.

Dr Shillington, who is originally from Ireland, earned his doctorate degree from London University.

After a number of years spent teaching history in Zambia and Botswana, Dr Shillington said he became aware of a severe need for good textbooks on Africa and African history.

Since then Dr Shillington has had an extensive track record of chronicling the events of mainland Africa as a freelance historian, having published more than 10 historical books during the past 18 years.  He has written a book about Jerry Rawlings’ stint as president of Ghana and also helped Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni with his autobiography.

Dr Shillington said that after finishing a book on the contemporary history of Mauritius, Macmillan approached him about doing a similar project for Seychelles.

The book for Seychelles, he said, will be written for a large audience – upper-secondary students and older – and is expected to be completed by the end of 2004.

LINKS