Book excerpt: Africa is a crucible of culture and heritage with a complex history. Indigenous tribal practices and preexisting values were altered dramatically, either by force or as a result of the Christian and Islamic cultures that spread throughout the continent. Later, the domineering forces of European colonial nations brought even greater change. Africa emerged from its colonization an amalgam of diverse and conflicting traditions, legacies, values, and languages. Consequently, these developments have had a wide impact on the formulation and execution of African foreign policy and diplomacy today.