West African Urban Craftsman

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Periodical article

Title:	West African Urban Craftsman
Author:	Peil, Margaret
Year:	1979
Periodical:	Journal of Developing Areas
Volume:	14
Issue:	1
Period:	October
Pages:	3-22
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	Gambia Ghana Nigeria
Subjects:	artisans Architecture and the Arts Economics and Trade Development and Technology Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) Labor and Employment
External links:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/4190716 http://search.proquest.com/pao/docview/1311636940
Abstract:	Using data from several towns in The Gambia, Ghana and Nigeria, the author shows how customary values and social and economic structure combine to encourage small-scale artisanal production (e.g. tailoring, carpentry, seamstresses, shoe-making/repair, leatherworking, metalworking, photography, gold/silversmithing, electrical work, printing, weaving, repairing). Because of their importance as entrepreneurs and trainers, the focus is mainly on self-employed craftsmen, but because many craftsman experience both wage and self-employment and compare the two as sources of economic success, data on wage-employed craftsmen are also included. The first two sections of the article are largely comparative description, to demonstrate the range of variation between crafts and towns, especially in areas such as geographic and occupational mobility. The next two sections assess the differences between self and wage employment, Notes, tab.