In contrast to many other regions of the world, in West Africa traditional oral narratives are still thriving. While verbal art is posited in between activities of preservation and a gradual adaption to the exigencies of modern life, local and regional researchers are actively engaged in studying the related processes. In this book West-African scholars from different disciplines present their research, discuss current research topics and reflect new perspectives on narratives in and about West Africa. Their challenging studies provide new perspectives on the state of narrative culture and related research in contemporary West Africa.