Challenging Hierarchies explores the provocative and compelling work of African authors, from the writing of eighteenth-century social critic Ottobah Cugoano to that of contemporary novelists Chinua Achebe, Tsitsi Dangarembga, and Ben Okri. The book focuses on challenges to colonial and neo-colonial oppression, with a special emphasis on African feminism and the work of women writers. Combining criticism, fiction, and creative autobiography, Challenging Hierarchies reflects the vital spirit of African literature and literary studies today.