Learn to effectively assess and monitor biodiversity and ecosystems across all biomes. The Postgraduate Certificate in Ecological Survey Techniques is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Since our first intake of students in September 2012, more than 135 students have been part of the programme. The Postgraduate Certificate in Ecological Survey Techniques aims to provide the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to conduct effective ecological field surveys for a range of key taxa, and to analyse field survey data with confidence. The PGCert is taught via a mixture of face-to-face, online and experiential learning. A choice of modules enables students to explore areas of interest and specialism relevant to their professional needs. Drawing on a rich pool of expertise, teaching is conducted by a highly knowledgeable and diverse team of practitioners and academics engaged directly with ecological issues. Quick links Who is the course for? Charter Status Course content and aims Assessment methods Staff IT requirements Accommodation How to apply and fees and funding Who is the course for? The course (taught part-time, normally over one year) is designed for a wide range of both students and professionals needing to up-skill in: Environmental management; Environmental assessment; Biodiversity monitoring. Many of our PGCert students are professional ecological consultants, environmental managers and rangers, research and postgraduate students, educators as well as volunteers and those looking to make a career change. The course suits those looking for flexible study combined with expert training.  The techniques covered are universal using international case studies and examples. Past students have joined from the UK, the USA, Asia, Australia, Africa and Europe. Charter Status The course can help you to apply for Chartered Status (such as Chartered Environmentalist and Chartered Ecologist) and to meet relevant professional competency thresholds. Further information can be found in our Chartered status and essential skills guide. Course content Face-to-Face Week in Oxford: Introduction to Ecological Survey Techniques This five day Core Module provides a practical introduction to: Geographical Information Systems (GIS); an overview of approaches to plant and animal identification; an introduction to selected surveying techniques; University facilities and resources; and the Field Project. It is a mix of classroom and field-based teaching, with two days spent in the field at Wytham Woods, Oxford's 'living laboratory,' with activities including the use of GPS, bird netting and ringing, and surveying bats and vegetation. The week will build toward a formative (no credit) assessment. Online Modules Students take four tutor-led online modules of five weeks in duration and will take no more than 100 hours to complete.  Core Online Modules: Plant biodiversity and habitat assessment methods (Previously known as Field Techniques for Surveying Vegetation​) Data Analysis: Statistics for Ecologists and Field Biologists Option Modules (select two): Mammal and reptile survey methods (Previously known as Field Techniques for Surveying Mammals & Reptiles) Bird biodiversity and population monitoring methods (Previously known as Field Techniques for Surveying Birds) Fish and amphibian survey methods (Previously known as Field Techniques for Surveying Fish and Amphibians) Invertebrate biodiversity and population monitoring method (Previously known as Field Techniques for Surveying Invertebrates​) Option modules are subject to availability, which includes recruiting sufficient student numbers to run successfully. Content is roughly equivalent to one week full time study.  Modules include research and discussion activities, multimedia tasks, practical exercises, revision activities and an assessment. Class sizes are small with less than 25 students. Assessments are normally due two weeks after the final class Module tutors usually engage online for 6 hours per week distributed across each week and will focus on particular topics, questions and activities. There is no set time to log in to accommodate students in different time zones. The online modules are also available as standalone modules, PGCert students can therefore expect to share their learning with a wide range of other professionals and researchers looking to develop their skills in a particular area. Field Project The Field Project consolidates and further develops the skills gained during taught modules by enabling students to apply them to their own research topic and undertake their own field work It consists of 1 month preparation time, 1-2 weeks full-time (or equivalent) field work and 1 month project writing for submission in September. Four one-hour online tutorials will be provided to help students design, develop and implement their projects. Course aims The course aims to equip students with the techniques to survey, measure, quantify, assess and monitor biodiversity and ecosystems in the field. It is essential for conservation practitioners and volunteers worldwide to make evidence-based decisions about a site or species. Equipping environmental conservation practitioners with the capacity to collect and analyse field survey data in order to understand, interpret and, therefore, make informed decisions in environmental conservation is critical to the future of ecosystems and ecosystem services in all biomes. In particular, the course aims to create a hybrid programme of experiential and online learning in environmental conservation practice for practitioners and volunteers worldwide, that will: Focus on the use of survey techniques for measuring, quantifying and monitoring biodiversity; Develop a critical understanding of how to analyse field survey data to answer particular research or management questions; Enable conservationists to make informed decisions on, and assess the status of, a species or habitat; Enable conservationists to evaluate which field techniques to use for measuring and monitoring the impacts of environmental change on biodiversity; Build capacity and communities of practice among environmental conservationists worldwide;  Prepare students to progress onto a Postgraduate Diploma or Masters programme. Assessment methods The course is modularly assessed reflecting the learning objectives of the course. Students are required to submit: One 2500 word formative (marked with feedback but no credit towards formal course results) assignment Four 2000 word assignments, up to two of which may be submitted as PowerPoint poster or slide presentation – Option Module dependent (10 CATS points each) One 5000 word field project and 1000 word online journal (20 CATS points) IT requirements As the course is delivered mostly online students will need access to the Internet and a computer meeting our recommended minimum computer specification. Certain modules will also require an assessment produced in Microsoft PowerPoint. Face-to-Face Week Students are required to bring a personal laptop computer The free open source Geographical Information Systems software 'QGIS' (installation is simple and guidance will be given during the course). QGIS is used by many environmental scientists and employers, and further details are available at the QGIS website. Course Tutorials Typically conducted via Skype Students will require suitable hardware and Internet connection to take part Further IT Requirements Students are required to download and install R and QED Statistics in the Data Analysis course. (full instructions on how to download this software is available from the R website). Access to QED Statistics is provided as part of the course, this software is not compatible with Mac or Linux operating systems. Alternative software to QED Statistics is currently being researched; where possible, students are encouraged to use R in the Data Analysis course if they are using Mac or Linux systems. Students wishing to use QED Statistics on Mac or Linux systems are advised by the programme developer Pisces Conservation Ltd to consider Windows emulation software, such as Bootcamp, to run a Windows system on their machine. For further information and a full system specification please visit the Pisces Conservation Ltd website. Accommodation Please note that accommodation and catering are not included in the course fees. The Department offers a full residential and catering facility, with a range of both 3 and 4-star campus accommodation. 'Number 12', the Department's recently refurbished Victorian townhouse on Wellington Square, right next to Rewley House, offers superior en-suite bedrooms. How to apply Applications for this course should be made via the University of Oxford Graduate Admissions website. This website includes further information about this course and a guide to applying. Early application for the programme is strongly advised. All applications must have been fully completed before the application deadline in order to be considered.  If you would like to discuss the programme please contact:Tel: +44 (0)1865 286960 Email: est@conted.ox.ac.uk Fees Annual fees for entry in 2023-24 Please visit the Graduate Admissions web page for fee information. Funding Ghana and Nigeria Ecological Survey Techniques Scholarship Available to applicants who are either a national of Ghana and ordinarily resident in Ghana or a national of Nigeria who is ordinarily resident in Nigeria. View further details about The Ghana and Nigeria Ecological Survey Techniques Scholarship. Departmental bursaries for undergraduate and postgraduate study The bursaries are for UK-based students who receive benefits because they are on a low income, and are available for certain undergraduate or postgraduate courses. View further details about the departmental bursaries. Employer sponsorship Over 35% of students over the past few years have received significant contributions from a sponsoring employer toward all or part of their fees. Should further information be required from Oxford to support an application for funding from an employer, please contact the Programme Manager via email on est@conted.ox.ac.uk. Instalment plans The course offers instalment packages to help students manage the payment of their fees. Instalment plans are confirmed and approved by the Programme Manager on an individual basis once an unconditional offer has been accepted. Typically the course expects be able to offer plans of three and seven instalments starting in August, with the final payment received before the following Easter. Read more

Key information 1. The Ghana and Nigeria Ecological Survey Techniques Scholarship funds the full course fees and a study support grant for one student per annual cohort for the duration of their course. The scholarship is available to applicants who are either a national of Ghana and ordinarily resident in Ghana or a national of Nigeria who is ordinarily resident in Nigeria. The scholarship is awarded on the basis of demonstrated outstanding academic or professional merit and/or potential, and a candidate’s potential to contribute to the field in their home country. 2. The Scholarship is available for each academic year from 2022 to 2024. 3. One scholarship is available for the Postgraduate Certificate in Ecological Survey Techniques (PGCert) commencing in September 2023. It covers the course fees for the first three terms of registration (the PGCert is normally completed over one year) as well as a study support grant to contribute towards costs such as travel and accommodation for the face to face week in Oxford in September. 4. If the awardee suspends their studies for one or more terms, the Scholarship will not automatically be carried over—they should contact the Senior Course Administrator to request this. Eligibility 5. Applicants meeting the usual course entry requirements and who are either: a national of Ghana and ordinarily resident in Ghana or a national of Nigeria and ordinarily resident in Nigeria. 6. All eligible applicants (see point 5) who apply to the PGCert before 1 March 2023 will be automatically considered for the scholarship. Criteria 7. The Scholarship will be awarded on the basis of outstanding academic and/or professional merit and/or potential, and taking account of demonstrable commitment and ability to contribute significantly to the fields of ecology and conservation in their home countries. Key criteria include: (a) Academic excellence, where indicators may include: a high-level qualification in a relevant discipline (such as a first-class honours degree, US GPA of 3.7, or equivalent, merit or distinction at postgraduate level) and individual marks on a student’s transcript. (b) Professional excellence: Evidence of a strong record of relevant professional achievement including extensive practical field experience in the areas of ecology and biodiversity. Indicators may include the candidate’s CV, personal statement, interview and professional references. (c) Motivation and potential future contribution to the field: Applications should demonstrate the potential to make an on-going professional contribution to ecology and conservation in Ghana or Nigeria either via applied ecology or conservation projects or via academic research and teaching. Assessment 8. A panel (comprising at least two suitable University staff) will assess candidates according to the criteria above, and may consider any written and/ or oral components of candidates’ PGCert applications. 9. The Panel may propose a ranked shortlist, whereby the Scholarship, if declined by the first candidate, will be offered to the next one, and so on. Offer and acceptance 10. The awardee is normally contacted in early May, and will be given a deadline to confirm their acceptance. 11. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified as soon as the awardee has accepted their offer. Further information 12. For any queries about the Scholarship, please email the course team at est@conted.ox.ac.uk Read more

Decolonization discourses have taken new turns since the second decade of the 21st century. Unfortunately, instead of accounting for decades of activism and scholarship on the decolonization of African knowledge systems, ideologies, and practices since the 1950s, the new decolonization agitation largely disregards previous incarnations. Decolonization has become a catch-all word for every legacy of colonialism that must be dismantled as new ones emerge. As it is, what needs to be decolonized has increased as new bodies of knowledge and the real consequences of imperial domination in the everyday life of Africans emerge and are transformed from their familiar state.   Moving beyond the simplistic definitions of decolonization, we ask for critical reflections on the historicity of actions, politics, and practices that have shaped how scholars, artists, and public commentators have been reflecting on the legacies of colonial domination. We ask for continuity and change in the history of decolonization. We seek contributions that engage with decolonization paradigms beyond the dichotomy of contemporary or postcolonial Africa and the colonial past to interrogate the new challenges of decolonization emanating from the struggle to decolonize within African institutions of power, including but not limited to universities. Should the decolonizer be decolonized? How is coloniality emerging within decolonization movements? What are the limits of decolonization, and who should set these parameters? How are movements and ideologies of decolonization introducing new paradigms that need to be decolonized?   This short conceptual note does not claim to fully espouse the contradictions in decolonization discourses and praxis of the 21st century. Nevertheless, we anticipate unpretentious and bold contributions that engage with decolonization both as a living reality of the past and the present and as a way of knowing. We ask for empirically grounded contributions that take conceptual and theoretical issues seriously. We anticipate contributions that are not afraid to problematize decolonization in any framework. We seek new ways of thinking about the decolonization of knowledges, ideologies, and practices in 21st-century Africa. Submission Rules Individual Submission: Individual proposals should include a 250-word abstract, a short bio, and the email and phone contacts of presenters. Please do not submit more than one abstract. Abstracts cannot have more than two presenters. You cannot present more than one paper, either solo or joint. Submit your abstract here: https://forms.gle/qziEGvJMV3eybGRCA   Group Submission: Panel, roundtable, and workshop proposals should comprise a 250-word summary, and the email and phone contacts of all panelists. Please email panel proposals to LSA at lagosstudiesassociation@gmail.com Submission Deadline: December 1, 2022. Notification of acceptance of abstracts by January 15, 2023. Registration fees covers nine full meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) throughout the conference. Everyone listed on abstracts must pre-register by paying the registration fee after acceptance of abstract. For full information on fees please visit Lagosstudies.org.   If you have any questions about the conference, contact LSA at:   Email Address: lagosstudiesassociation@gmail.com    Website: Lagosstudies.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/205111409881162/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LagosStudies Read more

GUEST EDITORSAdam Calo, Assistant Professor of Environmental Governance and Politics, Radboud UniversityColine Perrin, Senior Researcher in Geography, INRAEKirsteen Shields, Senior Lecturer in International Law and Food Systems, University of EdinburghSylvia Kay, Researcher, The Transnational InstituteSarah Ruth Sippel, Professor of Economic Geography and Globalization Studies, University of Münster This Elementa special feature invites articles exploring the role of land in sustainable food transformations. The forthcoming collection provides new understandings on how governance of land (property relations, land access, land tenure, landscape policy) mediates the potential for food system transformations. The special issue goes beyond understanding dynamics of the land food nexus to ask how land relations can be reformed to create favorable conditions for more just and sustainable food systems to emerge. A complete call for proposals can be found here.   Land relations—property, access, tenure, landscape—are a central underlying driver of the material form of food systems, from farm to distribution. Despite their fluidity and historical and geographical diversity, land relations have a tendency to become “normalized” through law, custom, and practice. In particular, the exclusionary private ownership model of property has come to be deeply entrenched in legal systems worldwide, particularly in the Global North. The power of this normalization is evidenced, for example, in how research and practice aimed at reshaping food systems from grassroots movement, policy-level, or biophysical perspectives often omit the role of land relations in bringing about agricultural sustainability and agrarian change. Understanding land relations as “static” thus  potentially constrains or directs the kinds of sustainable agriculture and food transformations that can take place. We thus invite contributions on characterizing the role of land relations in sustainable food production, critiques of existing sustainability interventions in the food system from a perspective of land relations, and socio-legal analysis of pathways to reforming or reimagining synergized land and food system transformations. We aim to highlight the role of land relations and property regimes in a ‘Global North Context’. We call for insights on the power relations embedded in land in both the dominant land regimes that underly the industrial food system but also in the alternative counter movements bubbling up to contest the status quo of the land food nexus. Articles in this special symposium might examine the following topics or other related issues: The role of power relations in assembling land for food production of differing forms; Discourses that shape the legitimacy of strong property regimes and the resulting material influence in institutions, actors, social movements, resources, and technologies; Cross disciplinary learning from other domains such as housing justice, intellectual property debates, and antitrust applied to understand food system transformations; Global South—North food system co-learning on alternative land governance for food systems change; Empirical evidence of the relationship between alternative property regimes and  alternative food system practices such as agroecology, diversified or organic farming, local food processing, and/or food sovereignty; Dominant food system technocratic “solutions” or interventions (such as vertical farming, regenerative agriculture, agricultural easements, payments for ecosystem services, crop biotechnology, alt-proteins and sustainable intensification) and the way they either entrench, challenge, rely upon, or overlook the role of property regimes; Dominant food system social “solutions” or interventions (such as farmer training programs, capacity building, empowerment campaigns, dietary nudging, microfinance) and the way they either entrench, challenge, rely upon, or overlook the role of property regimes; Politics of land reform in (seemingly) stable statutory institutions (such as liberal sovereign states in industrialized economies);  Creative imagined or practiced legal or social pathways to reform the norms of property on farmland or other nodes of the food system; Advancements on access theory with regards to food system transformations; The above themes relate to questions of how land politics influence food system transformation pathways. If you wish to submit a paper to the special issue, please submit a 500-word abstract detailing your article’s title, type, purpose, methodology, key findings, and significance to the guest editors at adam.calo@ru.nl by 14th January. Elementa accepts original research articles, reviews, policy bridges, commentary, and other creative multi-media formats such as interviews and podcasts. and discussion papers. All paper formats will be considered although original research articles are preferred. More information about submission criteria can be found here: https://online.ucpress.edu/elementa/pages/submissionguidelines   Deadlines: Abstracts: 14th January 2023 Authors notified of invitation to submit a paper:  1st February 2023Complete first drafts due to editors: April 28th 2023 (Spring 2023)Reviews sent to authors: Summer 2023 Read more

Theme: Technology, Culture, and African Societies Date: March 31- April 2, 2023 Email: austinafricaconference2023@gmail.com   The 22nd Annual Africa Conference at the University of Texas at Austin calls for submissions of papers in the humanities, social sciences, sciences, and other disciplines on the kaleidoscopic presence of technology and culture in African societies. The objective of this conference is to encourage conversations rooted in the histories of the African people, with the connection of science and technology to imagine alternate realities and a liberated African future. Culture is dynamic, and globalization has become an epoch for the constant reinvention of culture that transcends time and space. As globalization continues to spread, more people find themselves across spaces and borders, with their lives structured and oriented by connections to one or several other places. Africa’s rich history is multifaceted and complex, with multiple heritage that cut across centuries and regions. The distinctiveness of each culture is peculiar to their authentic traditional practices and identities, ranging from language to literature, music, visual art, and fashion. In present-day Africa, globalization paves the way for technology, which has aided the growth, adaptation, and transfer of African cultures worldwide. Artificial intelligence and the web are perhaps the most increasingly emerging technologies that are radically shifting normative paradigms in Africa today. The African continent requires new approaches that respond to the sociopolitical and economic needs of African societies. These approaches will define the future for the cultural, political, economic, and social spheres and on the national, regional, and international levels as they re-imagine a new future for Africa where humanity and technology meet. Accordingly, we invite proposals for papers, panel presentations, roundtables, and artistic works/performances that critically examine these and other related issues on African history, culture, and its intersection with technology. The conference will allow scholars from various disciplines and geographical locations to interact, exchange ideas, and receive feedback. As in previous years, participants will be drawn from around the world. Graduate students are encouraged to attend and present papers. Submitted papers will be assigned to panels based on similarities in theme, topic, discipline, or geographical focus, and selected papers will be published in a series of book volumes. We welcome submissions that include but are not limited to the following sub-themes and topics: Technology and African Historical Discourses Technology and African Literature Technology and the African Diaspora Cultural Dimensions in Africa and Technology Technology and Popular Culture Technology and Gender Constructions Technology and Environmental Security Culture, Urbanization, and Digital Urbanism Globalization, Technology, and Identity Formation Technology and Education Technology, Religions and Ritual Performance Technology and Performative Arts Visual Arts and Digital Culture Technology and Cinema Technology and African Fashion Technology and Health Sciences Cultural Practices, Indigenous Medicine, and Technology Technology and Linguistics Culture, Technology and New Media Technology and Postcolonial/ Postmodern Conditions Technology and Decoloniality Technology, Politics and Cultural Paradigms Festivals, Ceremonies and Technology Funeral Technology–Old and New Digital Economy for Africa’s Initiative Technology, Language, and Rhetoric Technology and Archival Studies Africa Trade and Technology Technology, Geography, and Natural resources Technology and Archaeology Anthropology and Africa’s Digital Revolution Social Mobility in the Digital Age Security Technology in Africa Technology and Peace and Conflict Resolution   Each proposal must include: Title of the work and an abstract of 200 words Name of the presenter (with the surname underlined) Mailing address Phone number Email Institutional affiliation Three to five keywords best characterize the themes and topics relevant to your submission.   Participants are expected to follow these guidelines.  ​Proposals for panels (3-5 presenters) must include: (1) the title of the panel and a collective summary of 250 words on the panel’s theme, including the title of each individual’s work (2) a 200-word abstract for each speaker’s presentation (3) mailing addresses (4) phone numbers  (5) email addresses (6) institutional affiliation of each presenter. ​ Proposals will be accepted on the official conference website (www.utafricaconference.com) and by email: toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu  (cc: austinafricaconference2023@gmail.com) from mid-August to mid-December 2022. Participants who require a visa to enter the United States must submit abstracts and register early, as it may take six months to book visa appointments. A mandatory non-refundable registration fee of $150 for scholars and $100 for graduate students must be paid immediately upon the acceptance of the abstract. This in-person conference fee includes a conference t-shirt and bag, admission to the panels, workshops, special events, and transportation to and from the hotel and conference events. Registration also includes breakfast for all three days, dinner on Friday night, lunch on Saturday, a banquet with DJ and an open bar on Saturday evening, and a closing celebration on Sunday.   All participants must have funds to attend the conference, including the registration fee, transportation, and accommodation. The conference and the University of Texas at Austin do not provide any form of sponsorship or financial support. However, the Holiday Inn Austin-Town Lake will have a special rate for conference participants, and transportation between the hotel and the university is included.   ​ *Events are subject to change in accordance with CDC guidelines and global health and safety concerns. We are currently exploring a possible hybrid model for attendees who may not be able to attend physically due to US travel restrictions. All official updates will be posted on the conference website as soon as they are available.  ​ If you have questions, please contact the conference coordinators via the official email. All correspondence, including submission of abstracts, panel proposals, completed papers, and all kinds of inquiries, must go through the official conference email: austinafricaconference2023@gmail.com     CONFERENCE TEAM   Organizers: Olayombo Raji-Oyelade, olayombo.raji@utexas.edu Victor Angbah, vangbah@utexas.edu Convener: Toyin Falola, toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu Read more

Dear all,    A call for abstracts in the middle of summer for a special issue of the journal Sources. Matériaux & Terrains en études africaines around the "sources of madness" coordinated by the team of the ERC project MaDAf ("Governing Madness in West Africa »): https://madaf.hypotheses.org/    The deadline for submission of abstracts is 30 September 2022   Here is the call in French: https://www.sources-journal.org/881  And in English: https://www.sources-journal.org/887    This proposal for a special dossier on the sources of madness in Africa (continent and diasporas) is part of the recent epistemological renewal of studies on mental disorder on the continent. It is based on the observation that reflections on the nature and diversity of sources mobilised in this field by researchers remain sparse and fragmentary. Anchored in an interdisciplinary and long-term perspective, this dossier aims to show the richness of the materials exploited, as much as to promote a reflection on sources often situated at the intersection of different mediations (medical, administrative, (post)colonial, etc.).   Here is the provisional timetable:    30 September 2022: submission of article proposals, consisting of a summary of about twenty lines with a provisional title, name(s), contact details and affiliations of the authors. An email address must be included. The abstract must present the nature of the materials treated, briefly describe them, and give some contextualisation in relation to the discipline and the research question. Indicate the possibilities of online dissemination of the sources - in whole or in part.   1 November 2022: reply to the authors (acceptance or refusal) 1 March 2023: article sent 15 July 2023: send an evaluation report to the authors 1 October 2023: submission of final versions of the article Spring 2024: release of the issue     Gina Aïtmehdi, Camille Evrard, Raphaël Gallien, Paul Marquis and Romain Tiquet Read more

Workshop presentation We would like to invite academics (Graduate students, junior researchers, independent scholars, and university professors) to visit Indiana University’s collections on African cinemas (mainly Ousmane Sembène’s archives, held at the Lilly Library, and the Paulin S. Vieyra archives, held at the Black Film Center & Archive (BFCA), during a fixed period of approximately 10 days, in August 2024. Each attendee will use the workshop to conduct archival research for a chapter on these pioneers of African cinemas, to be finalized and submitted for December 2024. During this collective research stay, we will organize discussion tables, paper presentations, and film screenings to stress new perspectives on African Film studies and to share novel discoveries from the archives with specialists and the general public.   If Ousmane Sembène is to this day recognized as the “father” of African cinema, Paulin S. Vieyra, as his friend, mentor, and producer, was a key eyewitness and contributor to early sub-Saharan African cinema. Starting in 1954, Vieyra was a filmmaker, the first director of the Senegalese newsreel service, and a film critic and historian. During this period, Vieyra also directed a series of short films that documented the Independence of Senegal: Une nation est née (A Nation is Born, 1961) is a historical portrait depicting pre-colonial traditions and then European domination, before celebrating the wealth and collective strengths of the young Republic of Senegal; Lamb (1963) shows the social ramifications of traditional wrestling performances. Later in his career, he directed his only feature film, En résidence surveillée (Under House Arrest, 1981), which justifies the political choices of President Senghor and his administration. In his role as an administrator within the nascent African film industry, Vieyra helped young French-speaking African filmmakers to produce their first movies, advocating for them at film festivals in Russia, France, Burkina Faso, and Tunisia. Additionally, he wrote articles to promote African cinema and was a leader in organizing the Fédération panafricaine des cinéastes (FEPACI), using his political connections to procure funding for film production and distribution. Near the end of his life in the 1980s, Vieyra earned a Ph.D. (under the supervision of Jean Rouch) and became Professor of Film Studies at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar (UCAD).   Writer and filmmaker Ousmane Sembène (1923-2007) drew on his experiences as the son of a Lébou fisherman in Casamance, in the French colonial army and as a docker in Marseille in order to stage colonial injustices. A well-known novelist, he sought in the early 1960s to reach an audience beyond the Westernized elites. Understanding film to be a privileged medium for this access, he trained in Moscow (Berty 2019). In 1962, Sembène directed his first short film Borom Sarret. Then he adapted one of his short stories, La Noire de... (1966), the story of a young Senegalese woman who takes her own life while working in France, a film awarded the Jean Vigo Prize. The recurring themes of Sembène's films are the history of colonialism, the critique of the new African bourgeoisie, and the affirming of the strength of African women. His films have been regularly presented at the Moscow International Film Festival, the Berlin International Film Festival and FESPACO, which in 2001 paid tribute to his extraordinary career. Sembène’s last film, Moolaadé (2004), explored the issue of female genital mutilation and received an enthusiastic reception at both FESPACO and the Cannes Film Festival.    Both Vieyra and Sembène were key innovators of a postcolonial film aesthetic and in the development of audio-visual means of production, both in Senegal and throughout French-speaking West Africa. As intellectuals and artists, but also as political activists, they made movies that were close to the African public. And, importantly for today’s researchers, they kept all of the papers and materials related to their storied careers. Now that their archives have been acquired by the Lilly Library and the BFCA, we have the opportunity to explore Sembène’s and Vieyra’s work and legacies and have a better understanding of the origins of sub-Saharan African cinema.   Workshop goals The primary goal of this workshop is to begin to fulfill Indiana University’s commitment to make available and to promote Sembène’s archives (Lilly Library) and Vieyra’s archives (BFCA).   The second goal is to facilitate the journey to and stay in Bloomington, IN of specialists in early African cinema and to involve junior scholars in this fascinating research field. We are planning to gather about ten to fifteen researchers for approximately ten days.   The third goal of this workshop is to produce a collection of essays linked to the archives, published by a major university press. Thus, each of the archival workshop participants will be selected according to the pertinence of their proposed chapter in this collective work. The final text will be expected before the end of 2024, after having participated in the archival workshop at Indiana University.   Call for chapter proposals   The co-editors will be Vincent Bouchard (Indiana University), Rachel Gabara (University of Georgia), and Amadou Ouédraogo (University of Louisiana at Lafayette).    We welcome proposals that focus on (but are not limited to) the following themes, with a particular interest in submissions that treat the links between these two key figures:  -Sembène’s and/or Vieyra’s intellectual legacies in their writings.  - The new aesthetic to which they contributed through their own audio-visual production, collaborations, and film criticism, in the early stages of sub-Saharan African cinema (1955-1980).  - Sembène’s and/or Vieyra’s contributions in the organization and administration of cinematographic institutions in West Africa.  - Sembène’s and/or Vieyra’s support, as producer or mentor, of other African filmmakers.   - Sembène’s and/or Vieyra’s contributions to the promotion of African cinema more broadly.     By October 30th, 2022, proposals (500 words, a short bibliography, and a brief professional biography) in English should be sent to the following email: clafouch@iu.edu.   Should you have any questions, please contact one of the co-editors: vbouchar@iu.edu, rgabara@uga.edu, amadou@louisiana.edu.   ---------------------   Information forwarded by the UCLA African Studies Center www.international.ucla.edu/africa   Read more

The Centre of Excellence for ICT in East Africa (CENIT@EA) at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) in Arusha, Tanzania, offers a 2-year Master in Embedded and Mobile System that imparts theoretical scientific background knowledge, as well as practical methods, techniques, and tools to enable young professionals todevelop and marketize digital solutions, that are crucial for the transformation of industries and development. The Master includes elements such as an internship, an applied Master thesis, summer schools, guest lectures from the private and public sector, as well as Entrepreneurial and Soft Skills training.  The following research topics stand in the centre of CENIT@EA and are addressed in the master’s programme . Mobile Computing Embedded Systems Project Management Soft Skills Entrepreneurship Information Systems  Who can apply? The call is aimed at graduates with a first academic degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) fields related to Embedded and Mobile systems, as well as professionals working already in the academia or private and the public sector. The CENIT@EA project especially aims to strengthen the role of women in STEM-related fields and the ICT sector. Female graduates are therefore particularly encouraged to apply. How to apply? Interested students can apply for admission to the master programme in Embedded and Mobile Systems through the NM-AIST Online Admission System. The admissions process is fully handled by NM-AIST. You can find more information about the Master on the CENIT@EA website. For assistance or more inquiries on general admission applications to the EMoS programme at NM-AIST please write to admission@nm-aist.ac.tz or call +255 628 183 676 during office hours. Want to advance your career and make an impact? Then go ahead and apply for the MSc EMoS at NM-AIST! Read more

Technology and Material Culture in African History:Challenges and Potentials for Research and Teaching An international conference, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, January 4 – 8, 2023   Call for Papers and Roundtables   The conference seeks to consolidate and foster the further development of history of technology and material culture in Africa. By gathering scholars from Tanzania and across Africa, as well as colleagues from other continents, the conference will demonstrate the discipline’s high degree of relevance—to the research and teaching of history and adjacent fields, as well as to contemporary political agendas. The organizers wish to use this event to discuss how historians of technology and material culture may contribute to the writing of a “usable past” for further generations.   The organizers invite historians, archaeologists, anthropologists, geographers, sociologists, and urban scholars to discuss the potentials of interdisciplinary and international collaboration around present intellectual, social, technological, and environmental challenges in Africa and globally. In the recent past, African countries have increased citizens’ access to up-to-date mobility and communication technologies—electric household items, mobile phones, and engine-driven vehicles. As the variety of terms indicates—daladala, matatu, tro tros, bodaboda, bajaji, and so on—artifacts are not just simply imported, but constantly modified to fit local circumstances and needs. By and large, however, a historical understanding of these processes of domestication and reinvention is still lacking. That present-day historians of technology do not limit themselves to the study of modern, Western machines and systems, but include broader aspects of (pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial) “material culture,” also means the discipline plays a central role both in research projects and teaching programs.   There have been growing initiatives to integrate Africa into the global history of technology and material culture, but such efforts rarely focus on issues of teaching. Considering the ongoing curricular review at African universities, it is a pressing concern to discuss the potentials of including the history of technology and material culture in Bachelor and Masters programs. The organizers are convinced that the discipline of history needs to include an African perspective and showcase Africa’s contribution to global history of technology and material culture. Therefore, the conference focuses on policies, practices, and use to rethink the historiographic role played by material artifacts and systems. We believe there is a certain urgency in researching, writing, and teaching the history of technology and material culture from a truly African perspective. The organizers hope that the workshop will provide important additions to the nationalist and materialist views which have dominated African history research, writing, and teaching since independence. By giving participants an opportunity to discuss existing research projects and teaching programs, the organizers aim at laying the foundation for an international network of historians of technology and material culture in Africa. We thus ask interested teachers and researchers from Africa and beyond to contribute with standard workshop sessions and papers, roundtable discussions, and further innovative formats. Proposals may be on any thematic area in history of technology and material culture, for example: The place of technology and material culture in the teaching of African history The political “usefulness” of technological and material history Gender and material culture in African history Craft technologies (e.g., basketry, carpentry, weaving, pottery, metal working). Farming, fishing, and hunting technologies The adoption of material objects (e.g., cars, bicycles, electronic and domestic appliances) Infrastructure histories (e.g., transportation, water, power, sanitation) Repair and maintenance cultures Archaeological evidence Please submit 300-word proposals and one-page CVs to:Emanuel L. Mchome at emanuellukio@yahoo.com orFrank Edward at f38edward@yahoo.co.uk no later than August 31, 2022.   This unique event will be organized by the History Department at University of Dar es Salaam in collaboration with the ERC-funded research project “A Global History of Technology, 1850-2000” at the Technical University of Darmstadt in Germany, the Society for the History of Technology (SHOT), and the Foundation for the History of Technology in the Netherlands. The event will take place on site in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Lodging and main meals are provided by the organizers; a one-day excursion is also included. Participants from Africa are invited to apply for travel grants. Selected applicants will be notified Sept. 15, 2022, and they will be requested to submit preliminary conference papers (min. 2,500 words) by Nov. 15, 2022. Representatives of leading scientific journals will be present at the event. Contact Info:  Professor Mikael Hård ERC Project “A Global History of Technology, 1850-2000” Institute of History Technical University of Darmstadt Schloss, Marktplatz 15 64283 Darmstadt Germany Contact Email:  hard@ifs.tu-darmstadt.de URL:  http://www.global-hot.eu Read more

World History Bulletin is seeking quality essays, lesson plans, and classroom activities for inclusion in its upcoming Fall 2022 issue, “Comics and Graphic Novels in the World History Classroom.” The deadline for submissions is August 29, 2022.   Guest-edited by Trevor R Getz, author of the graphic novel Abina and the Important Men, “Comics and Graphic Novels in the World History Classroom” explores the juncture of emergent popular forms of history and the traditional texts which have historically served as the backbone of history coursework. This point of overlap has caused friction, as shown recently with the banning of Art Spiegelman’s Holocaust-set Maus by a school board in the American state of Tennessee. The controversy over Maus has motivated conversations about the uses of comics and graphic novels in classrooms and the themes they depict, as well as raised questions about the limits on teaching curriculum.   Yet Maus is but one of many comics and graphic novels scholarly historians and instructors have used in their research and classrooms, from Perpetua’s Journey to The Arab of the Future and The Three Escapes of Hannah Arendt, each are rich in historical context and detailed storytelling, as well as provide vivid windows into moments of historical significance that capture the imagination of students—while at the same time being controversial. It is clear, however, that the trend toward popularizing historical events in this medium is accelerating, and World History Bulletin’s upcoming issue sets out to capture some of the ways in which educators and researchers have used comics and graphic novels in their work.   World History Bulletin invites contributions to a thematic issue at the intersection of popular histories in the form of comics and graphic novels and world histories. We are especially interested in articles that share fresh research or historiographical perspectives on the use of popular histories; present innovative teaching at all levels that employ comics and graphic novels to explore world history themes; or explore the connection between student engagement with traditional history texts and the medium of comics and graphic novels. We welcome short interviews with designers, artists, writers, and scholars and small roundtables on a book, film, or other work.   Essays and questions should be directed to Joseph M. Snyder, Editor-in-Chief of the World History Bulletin, at bulletin@thewha.org. Read more

Application now open for the next competition of theCarnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program (CADFP)DEADLINE: September 30, 2022 at 11:59 PM EST The Institute of International Education (IIE) is pleased to announce that the next round of competition for the CADFP is now open.Apply now or share this message with those who might be interested.   What is the CADFP? The CADFP is a scholar exchange program for African higher education institutions to host a diaspora scholar for 14-90 days for projects in curriculum co-development, research collaboration and graduate student teaching and mentoring.   Who is eligible? Accredited universities in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda, and member institutions of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) (including Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia; the University of Rwanda; Cheikh Anta Diop University, Senegal; and University of Mauritius) can submit a project request to host a scholar. Scholars born in Africa, who live in the United States or Canada and work in an accredited college or university in either of those two countries, can apply online to be placed on a roster of candidates for a fellowship. Scholars must hold a terminal degree in their field and may hold any academic rank.  How do I apply?Links and information about the African host institution project request application, scholar roster application and review guidelines are posted on the CADFP website.  Interested parties are invited to register for one of our informational webinars:  Information for Diaspora Scholars, Webinar #1: Wednesday August 3 at 12 noon Eastern US TimeInformation for Potential Hosts, Webinar #1: Thursday, August 4 at  12 noon West Central Africa Standard TimeInformation for Diaspora Scholars, Webinar #2: Tuesday, August 23 at 2:00 PM Eastern US TimeInformation for Potential Hosts, Webinar #2: Wednesday, August 24 at 2:00 PM West Central Africa Time After the webinars, we will post a recording on our YouTube Channel. TimelineThe deadline for project requests from host universities and scholar applications for diaspora scholars is September 30, 2022 at 11:59 pm EST. Selection decisions will be made in October-November 2022; project visits can begin as early as January 1, 2023 and must be completed by November 30, 2023. BenefitsSelected fellows receive a $150/day stipend, visa costs, limited health insurance, round-trip international air travel and ground transportation costs to and from home and the U.S./Canadian airport. Selected Host Fellows and Diaspora Fellows can apply for supplemental funds to be used for fieldwork, publication costs and workshops. The CADFP Team manages the fellowships and payments to fellows. Host institutions are encouraged to provide cost-share for the fellow’s meals, lodging and in-country transportation.For more information on the fellowship program and application process, as well as the projects of current fellows, please write to us at AfricanDiaspora@iie.org visit our website and our communities on Facebook and Twitter. The program is made possible by a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York.     Please contact:Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program (CADFP)Institute of International Education (IIE)Email: africandiaspora@iie.orghttp://www.iie.org/AfricanDiaspora Read more

RUFORUM 18th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGSCIENTIFIC SESSIONS: JOINT CONVENING WITH THE AFRICAN CROP SCIENCE SOCIETYCONCEPT NOTEBackgroundThe Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) is a network of 147universities in 38 African countries. It was established in 2004 to (i) foster integration of African universities into the national agricultural innovation systems (NAIS); (ii) provide a platform for training quality graduates to support development processes in Africa; (iii) rationalise resource use and enhance economies of scale and scope; and (iv) provide a platform for networking, resource mobilisation and advocacy for agricultural higher education in Africa. RUFORUM envisions ‘vibrant, transformative universities to catalyse sustainable, inclusive agricultural development to feed and create prosperity for Africa’. The Eight Africa Higher Education Week and RUFORUM Annual General Meeting Conference will be held 12th-16th December 2022 in Harare, Zimbabwe, under the theme “Sustainable Africa Industrialisation Through Innovative Agricultural Research, Training And Outreach In The Post COVID-19 Era”.RUFORUM, in partnership with the African Crop Science Society and the Zimbabwean RUFORUM member universities, will convene a three-day scientific conference where scientists, academicians and students will present their work orally focusing on the application of biological, ecological and social knowledge for the development of resilient climate-smart agri-food systems including sustainable livestock production and environmental and natural resources management for food and nutritional security and economic and social stability. Digital innovations, data management, intellectual property rights, economics, policy analysis, andeducation and research institutions-community engagement experiences will be highlighted.Objective of the Scientific ConferenceThe Scientific Conference aims to bring together leading academicians, scientists, researchers and research scholars especially from the continent to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of Agriculture and agricultural related sciences, and emerging development concerns with a focus on climate-smart innovations. It also provides an interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder platform for policy makers, researchers, practitioners, educators and students to present and discuss the most recent scientificknowledge, technological innovations, emerging trends, and concerns as well as practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted to strengthening agri-food systems. As in previous RUFORUM Conferences, special provision will be made for graduate students to share their research findings and profile their research. Themes for the scientific sessions will cover eight thematic areas (see Thematic Areas in Annex).CO-ORGANISERS:Date and VenueThe Scientific Conference will be held 12th-14th December 2022 at the Harare International Conference Centre, Zimbabwe. It is foreseen that this conference will be a blended session (face to face and virtuallyregistration link: (will be provided). The Conference will feature live-streamed webinars and will include both invited speakers and contributed speakers. The webinars will contain a Q&A session for live online audiences. In addition, there will be Posters and Exhibition Sessions (Links will be provided). ParticipantsThe Scientific Conference is targeting, graduate students, academics, researchers, policy makers, and development practitioners. Organisation of sessions and Expected OutcomeThe conference is conceived as a dynamic multi-stakeholder and multidisciplinary (in the agricultural field) forum aimed at understanding and harnessing the socio-economic potential of innovation, its key drivers and processes, and impact pathways through exchange of knowledge, information and practices, review of enabling policies and platforms, and development of potential partnerships and action plans.The expected outcome Strengthened networking among members of the scientific community working in agriculture and related fields; Focus given to innovation in agri-food and nutrition systems, climate-smart agriculture and climate change adaptation and mitigation  Improved presentation and communication skills for especially the graduate students Increased visibility of research and development outputs from Africa  Improved methods for increasing the uptake of research results by other stakeholders (dissemination strategies)The Conference will have one official opening session, then break into different sessions where participants will split into small focused groups to discuss advances in science in the selected areas and make recommendations for follow up actions. The outcome of the breakout sessions will be shared during the AGM Closing Session and also online after the conference. Submission and Publication of Conference PapersPapers for both oral and poster presentations should be submitted by 31 August 2022 and should follow the format in the RUFORUM Working Document Series (see Link). Following review, selected papers may be published in the African Journal of Rural Development.Please submit your papers for the Scientific Conference to ruforumpapers@ruforum.org CO-ORGANISERS:Organisers and ContactsThis scientific conference is organised by RUFORUM Secretariat in collaboration with African Crop Science Society and Zimbabwean Universities. Contacts: Zimbabwe Organising Committee: Dr. Sebastian Chakeredza: chakeredzas@africau.edu RUFORUM: Prof. Majaliwa Mwanjalolo: m.majaliwa@ruforum.org ; secretariat@ruforum.org African Crop Science Society: Prof. J.S. Tenywa: acss@mak.ac.ug; acsj@mak.ac.ug  Read more