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CULTURE AND SOCIETY
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Technology and Material Culture in African History: Challenges and Potentials for Research
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
By:
Raquel Acosta
CULTURE AND SOCIETY
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Call for Papers Comics and Graphic Novels in the World History Classroom
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.
By:
Raquel Acosta
EDUCATION
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Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program (CADFP)
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
By:
Raquel Acosta
AGRI-FOOD SYSTEMS
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Submissions Joint Scientific Session convening with the African Crop Science Society
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
By:
Raquel Acosta
CULTURE AND SOCIETY
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Africana Annual: A Journal of African and African Diaspora Studies
The Department of African & African American Studies at the University of Kansas is proud to announce the establishment of Africana Annual and to invite the submission of full-length original articles and review essays. Africana Annual is a broadly conceived annual interdisciplinary peer-reviewed journal that provides an avenue for critical dialogues and analysis of the African, African American, and African Diasporic experiences.
Aims and Scope
Africana Annual is an interdisciplinary journal encompassing history, politics, sociology, performance arts, economics, literature, cultural studies, anthropology, Africana studies, gender studies, ethnic studies, religious studies, the fine arts, digital humanities, and other allied disciplines, Africana Annual embraces a variety of humanistic and social scientific methodologies for understanding the social, political, and cultural meanings and functions of the varied experiences of Africana.
Submissions to Africana Annual must reflect the intellectual and political connections between Africa and the African Diaspora and to serve as a critical space for scholarly explorations of their shared historical and contemporary realities. We invite authors to submit work that examines key issues deepen inter-disciplinary and global conversations on topics about African America, Africa (north and south of the Sahara), and the Diaspora.
Submission Policies
Submissions to Africana Annual must be original, unpublished work not submitted for publication elsewhere while under review by Africana Annual editors. The journal encourages authors to submit unsolicited articles and comprehensive review essays. All academic articles should be between 20 and 30 pages. Comprehensive review essays should be about 10 to 15 pages in length.
Please include an abstract of 150–200 words that clearly states the main arguments of your article. The abstract should contain 3-5 keywords, along with a biographical statement of 50–75 words with full contact information and e-mail address. to accompany your submission.
Authors should submit their manuscripts using the journal system. Please contact the editors at africana@ku.edu if there are any questions. All manuscripts must follow the current edition of the Chicago Manual of Style and should use endnotes. All submissions must be in 12 point Times New Roman, double spaced, with 1″margins. Again, please note that we only accept manuscripts in Word format. All manuscripts accepted are subject to editorial modification.
Peer Review
All research articles in Africana Annual undergo rigorous peer review. After an initial editor screening, submissions will be based on anonymous double-blind refereeing by two referees.
The deadline for submission for the inaugural issue is August 31, 2022
Peter Ukpokodu & Shawn Leigh Alexander, Editors-in-Chief
James Yékú, Managing Editor
By:
Raquel Acosta
OTHER
Perceptions of online self- and peer-assessment: accounting students in a large undergraduate cohort
Purpose
Self-assessment (SA) and peer-assessment (PA) are considered useful tools in the development of lifelong learning and reflective skills. The authors implemented a teaching intervention using SA and PA amongst a large cohort of final year undergraduate students. The purpose of this study was to investigate students' perceptions of online SA and PA in order to understand the differences between these perceptions and to allow instructors to adopt differentiated instruction in developing a diverse student group's professional skills.
Design/methodology/approach
The research design adopted a mixed methods approach through the use of surveys that were administered before and after the SA and peer-assessment intervention in a taxation module taught at a large public South African university. Through the use of a series of open and closed questions students' perceptions on SA and peer-assessment were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively.
Findings
The findings show that student perceptions of SA and peer-assessment differed significantly, where perceptions of SA were more positive than those towards PA. The findings indicate that SA and peer-assessment still present a challenge in an online context for large student cohorts, despite improved tracking, faster feedback and anonymity.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the literature by analysing students' perceptions about SA and peer-assessment in an accounting education context and in an online setting in South Africa.
By:
Teresa Pidduck
OTHER
Sobering up in South Africa: The Sin Tax Consequences of a Pandemic
In this article, the authors describe how the South African government has responded to the COVID‑19 crisis through fiscal measures, with a particular focus on the alcohol and tobacco prohibitions. Two severe and fairly unique measures implemented by the government were the prohibition of tobacco and the prohibition of alcohol (and related products). These two measures had an impact on the sin taxes received by the fiscus for the duration of the prohibitions but also had less obvious other short‑ and long‑term fiscal impacts, as well as various social, political and legal implications. This article reviews the tobacco and alcohol prohibitions, the responses by commentators and the short‑ and long‑term effects of these prohibitions on the fiscus and the economy, citing a particular need for a renewed focus on the excise duties on these two products.
By:
Teresa Pidduck
OTHER
'Semantic Gyrations' - When are Naartjies oranges? Beneath the surface of ABSA Bank Limited v CSARS
This case note sets out the facts, issues, judgment — including submissions — and comments and analysis of the Absa case. The analysis of the case unearths a disjointedness between the legislature’s intention and the wording of certain administrative provisions, and criticises the ability of the administrative provisions contained in various tax Acts to work in concert with one another. A review of these administrative provisions by the legislature may be warranted in the light of this case. Furthermore, the judgment could also impact the interpretation and application of similar terms used in the reportable arrangement section of the TAA.The analysis also exposes some causes for concern regarding the interpretation of the GAAR that may undermine its ability to combat tax avoidance and suppress the mischief of taxpayers. Consequently, until possible appeal, this judgment may have far-reaching effects on the GAAR if the precedent set here is followed in other courts.
By:
Teresa Pidduck
OTHER
AAP Public Dialogue “Peace and its Reflection in African Art”
AAP will be hosting our next Public Dialogue “Peace and its Reflection in African Art”, Wednesday, April 27th at 8:00am- 9:30am EDT. This dialogue session will be co-hosted by AAP consortium member -Université des Lettres et des Sciences Humaines de Bamako. Art is a reflection, a mental representation of an object, an idea, or a concept whether it be abstract or concrete. Therefore, when we pass any judgment on a work of art based on the image or the idea that we have of this object and outside of its historical, geographical, social, or ethnic context, it is likely that this will be a subjective judgment and often based on prejudices. Unfortunately, contemporary artistic production on the African continent is often focused on and reflects fixed concepts and structures "imposed" by the West. It no longer responds to the aesthetic concerns of the populations who, in principle, should generate it. This panel will bring together specialists focused on art and peace within Africa. This subject is especially timely given the current context of global upheaval.
To register please visit: https://msu.zoom.us/webinar/register/7716492601543/WN_FyyKDq_zT6ug4vxHi_ApEw?fbclid=IwAR0sa0-aPf6sGkp5GbY8ScMZsEJZwIhPAz6K1QEOWqURxqhngLA_tYc9mRc
By:
Raquel Acosta
OTHER
Is Liberia Ready for Monetary Union? Exploring the Convergence Criteria for Eco Adoption
This is a policy brief document that I wrote along with my colleagues while working at the Liberian Ministry of Finance and Development and published in an online repository journal.
By:
Joe Greaves
OTHER
Modeling with ARIMA-ARCH/GARCH Techniques to Estimate Weekly Exchange Rate of Liberia
This empirical research focused on a weekly exchange rate volatility modeling, where I studied the distribution of the series and recommended to Central Bank authority the behavior pattern of the financial variable.
By:
Joe Greaves
OTHER
Investigating Saving and Investment Relationship: Evidence from an ARDL Bounds Testing Approach
This is an empirical economics research article that was published.
By:
Joe Greaves
