Raquel Acosta
(Michigan State University)
Raquel
AAP
Education
EDUCATION
Open access eBooks and translations on global smartphone use (including in Uganda and Cameroon)
We would like to draw your attention to the publication and Arabic, French and Portuguese translations of ‘The Global Smartphone: Beyond a youth technology’, an open access eBook which presents a series of original perspectives deriving from the Anthropology of Smartphones and Smart Ageing (ASSA) project. A multisited research project at UCL Anthropology with two fieldsites in Yaoundé, Cameroon and Kampala, Uganda.
The book is based on simultaneous 16-months of research in 11 countries around the world. The research highlights the impact of the smartphone on the experience of mid-life (people who do not consider themselves either young or elderly) around the world and considers the implications of the use of smartphones in the field of mHealth.
They are available as a free download from UCL Press. We believe it is very important, where we can, to ensure the availability of our research findings to people whose first language is not English and we would be grateful if you can spread news of these publications to any networks you are aware of. For example, those who might find this useful for teaching purposes.
Two key ethnographies in the book were conducted in Yaoundé, Cameroon and Kampala, Uganda. Patrick Awondo, a Cameroonian anthropologist, conducted his research in a middle-class district within Yaoundé. Most of the people in this area are senior civil servants working in central administration or in other public affairs such as education and culture. Many residents of the district are also involved in private businesses or work for private companies. They come from all over the country and include some expatriates. Charlotte Hawkins, a British anthropologist, carried out her research primarily in Kampala. To understand the use of smartphones specifically, Charlotte drew on methods such as surveys, as well as open-ended interviews and participation in community activities such as women’s and savings groups.
English: The Global Smartphone: Beyond a youth technologyArabic: الهاتف الذكي العالمي: ما وراء تكنولوجيا الشبابFrench: Le Smartphone Global: Au-delà d’une culture jeunePortuguese: O Smartphone Global: Uma tecnologia para além dos jovensFor more translations and publications please visit here: https://www.uclpress.co.uk/collections/series-ageing-with-smartphones
Best wishes,Alex Clegg
By:
Raquel Acosta
No Preview Available
EDUCATION
Open access eBooks and translations on global smartphone use (including in Uganda and Cameroon)
We would like to draw your attention to the publication and Arabic, French and Portuguese translations of ‘The Global Smartphone: Beyond a youth technology’, an open access eBook which presents a series of original perspectives deriving from the Anthropology of Smartphones and Smart Ageing (ASSA) project. A multisited research project at UCL Anthropology with two fieldsites in Yaoundé, Cameroon and Kampala, Uganda.
The book is based on simultaneous 16-months of research in 11 countries around the world. The research highlights the impact of the smartphone on the experience of mid-life (people who do not consider themselves either young or elderly) around the world and considers the implications of the use of smartphones in the field of mHealth.
They are available as a free download from UCL Press. We believe it is very important, where we can, to ensure the availability of our research findings to people whose first language is not English and we would be grateful if you can spread news of these publications to any networks you are aware of. For example, those who might find this useful for teaching purposes.
Two key ethnographies in the book were conducted in Yaoundé, Cameroon and Kampala, Uganda. Patrick Awondo, a Cameroonian anthropologist, conducted his research in a middle-class district within Yaoundé. Most of the people in this area are senior civil servants working in central administration or in other public affairs such as education and culture. Many residents of the district are also involved in private businesses or work for private companies. They come from all over the country and include some expatriates. Charlotte Hawkins, a British anthropologist, carried out her research primarily in Kampala. To understand the use of smartphones specifically, Charlotte drew on methods such as surveys, as well as open-ended interviews and participation in community activities such as women’s and savings groups.
English: The Global Smartphone: Beyond a youth technologyArabic: الهاتف الذكي العالمي: ما وراء تكنولوجيا الشبابFrench: Le Smartphone Global: Au-delà d’une culture jeunePortuguese: O Smartphone Global: Uma tecnologia para além dos jovensFor more translations and publications please visit here: https://www.uclpress.co.uk/collections/series-ageing-with-smartphones
Best wishes,Alex Clegg
Read more
By:
Raquel Acosta
No Preview Available
CULTURE AND SOCIETY
New open access book: Rethinking Heritage for Sustainable Development (UCL Press)
UCL Press is delighted to announce the publication of a new open access book that may be of interest to list subscribers.
Rethinking Heritage for Sustainable Development, by Sophia Labadi.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN in 2015 have influenced the actions of international and intergovernmental organisations and governments around the world, and have dictated priorities for international aid spending. Culture, including heritage, is often presented as fundamental to addressing the SDGs: since 2010, the United Nations has adopted no fewer than five major policy recommendations that assert its importance as a driver and enabler of development. Yet, heritage is marginalized from the Sustainable Development Goals.
Rethinking Heritage for Sustainable Development constitutes a substantial and original assessment of whether and how heritage has contributed to three key dimensions of sustainable development (namely poverty reduction, gender equality and environmental sustainability) within the context of its marginalisation from the Sustainable Development Goals and from previous international development agendas.
Sophia Labadi adopts a novel, inclusive, large-scale and systematic approach, providing the first comprehensive history of the international approaches on culture (including heritage) for development, from 1970 to the present day. This book is also the first to assess the negative and positive impacts of all the international projects implemented in sub-Saharan Africa by a consortium of UN organisations that aimed to provide evidence for the contribution of heritage for development in time for the negotiation of the SDGs. The book’s conclusions provide recommendations for rethinking heritage for development, while reflecting on the major shortcomings of the selected projects.
Free download: https://bit.ly/3m10NRK
By:
Raquel Acosta
No Preview Available
CULTURE AND SOCIETY
New open access book: Rethinking Heritage for Sustainable Development (UCL Press)
UCL Press is delighted to announce the publication of a new open access book that may be of interest to list subscribers.
Rethinking Heritage for Sustainable Development, by Sophia Labadi.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN in 2015 have influenced the actions of international and intergovernmental organisations and governments around the world, and have dictated priorities for international aid spending. Culture, including heritage, is often presented as fundamental to addressing the SDGs: since 2010, the United Nations has adopted no fewer than five major policy recommendations that assert its importance as a driver and enabler of development. Yet, heritage is marginalized from the Sustainable Development Goals.
Rethinking Heritage for Sustainable Development constitutes a substantial and original assessment of whether and how heritage has contributed to three key dimensions of sustainable development (namely poverty reduction, gender equality and environmental sustainability) within the context of its marginalisation from the Sustainable Development Goals and from previous international development agendas.
Sophia Labadi adopts a novel, inclusive, large-scale and systematic approach, providing the first comprehensive history of the international approaches on culture (including heritage) for development, from 1970 to the present day. This book is also the first to assess the negative and positive impacts of all the international projects implemented in sub-Saharan Africa by a consortium of UN organisations that aimed to provide evidence for the contribution of heritage for development in time for the negotiation of the SDGs. The book’s conclusions provide recommendations for rethinking heritage for development, while reflecting on the major shortcomings of the selected projects.
Free download: https://bit.ly/3m10NRK
Read more
By:
Raquel Acosta
No Preview Available
EDUCATION
MSU Scholar gives fresh insights on redesigning agricultural hand tools to Egerton University
The Faculty of Agriculture was honored to host Dr Susan Wyche from Michigan State University (MSU) for a one-week visit to Egerton University that ran from 1 to 8 March 2022. Dr. Susan held a public lecture for staff and held a 3-day training workshop on “Considering Human-Centered Design (HCD) in Development Research” to students from diverse backgrounds including in Computer science, Agronomy and Engineering disciplines at CMRT building, Njoro Main Campus. The students developed and designed 6 project prototypes which include: Innovative and Efficient Water harvesting and treatment for communities, Utilization of solar energy in drying and preservation of indigenous vegetables, Development of a drone for scaring Quelea qualea birds in rice irrigation schemes in Kenya, Queen bee rearing technology for increasing colonization of hives in drylands, Innovative technology for waste management in peri-urban areas to improve human health among others. Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs Prof Bernard Aduda commented the students for excellent ideas which can be deployed to solve farmers and societal problems in Kenya and promised to support. He also thanked the organizers of the training, Prof Susan for supporting student projects with USD 1400 as seed money for the projects and MSU for strong collaboration with Egerton University in all areas including joint projects, staff exchange and postgraduate supervision and value chain and policy analysis with Tegemeo Institute of Egerton University.
Dr Wyche’s main objective through the public lecture and workshop was to give insights on solving real community problems using the human centered design (HCD) approach. She gave an example of her project ‘redesigning agricultural hand tools for small holder farmers in Western Kenya. Lecturers and scientists from Egerton also shared opportunities they can collaborate with MSU in agronomy, breeding and crop protection, agricultural mechanization, clean energy, agribusiness and ICT and computer applications and community development .
Before her workshop on 1 March, Dr Wyche paid a courtesy call to the Vice-Chancellor Prof Isaac Kibwage. She was accompanied by Prof. Patience Mshenga, Dean Faculty of Agriculture Prof. Paul Kimurto Director, Marketing and Resource Mobilization and Dr Miriam Charimbu, a researcher from the Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils. Dr Charimbu doing her postdoctoral research at MSU within the Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) and is mentored by Dr Wyche and Prof. Kimurto. Prof. Alexander Kahi who is the focal person for AAP at Egerton University also hosted the team at CoELIB Centre.
Egerton University is part of the Alliance for African Partnership, a consortium of MSU, ten leading African universities, and a distinguished network for African research institutes. The AAP Consortium is currently composed of ten member institutions: Michigan State University and eleven African institutions. Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) (Malawi), Makerere University (Uganda); L’université des Lettres et des Sciences Humaines de Bamako (ULSHB) (Mali), United States International University (USIU) (Kenya); University of Botswana, University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania); University of Pretoria, l’Université Cheikh Anta DIOP de Dakar (UCAD) (Senegal) and University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Nigeria).
The vice chancellor and university management board wishes to than Prof Susan Wyche and MSU community for strong collaboration and supporting Egerton University staff and students in various engagements.
To read more: Michigan State University Visiting Scholar gives fresh insights on redesigning agricultural hand tools to Egerton University
By:
Raquel Acosta
No Preview Available
EDUCATION
MSU Scholar gives fresh insights on redesigning agricultural hand tools to Egerton University
The Faculty of Agriculture was honored to host Dr Susan Wyche from Michigan State University (MSU) for a one-week visit to Egerton University that ran from 1 to 8 March 2022. Dr. Susan held a public lecture for staff and held a 3-day training workshop on “Considering Human-Centered Design (HCD) in Development Research” to students from diverse backgrounds including in Computer science, Agronomy and Engineering disciplines at CMRT building, Njoro Main Campus. The students developed and designed 6 project prototypes which include: Innovative and Efficient Water harvesting and treatment for communities, Utilization of solar energy in drying and preservation of indigenous vegetables, Development of a drone for scaring Quelea qualea birds in rice irrigation schemes in Kenya, Queen bee rearing technology for increasing colonization of hives in drylands, Innovative technology for waste management in peri-urban areas to improve human health among others. Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs Prof Bernard Aduda commented the students for excellent ideas which can be deployed to solve farmers and societal problems in Kenya and promised to support. He also thanked the organizers of the training, Prof Susan for supporting student projects with USD 1400 as seed money for the projects and MSU for strong collaboration with Egerton University in all areas including joint projects, staff exchange and postgraduate supervision and value chain and policy analysis with Tegemeo Institute of Egerton University.
Dr Wyche’s main objective through the public lecture and workshop was to give insights on solving real community problems using the human centered design (HCD) approach. She gave an example of her project ‘redesigning agricultural hand tools for small holder farmers in Western Kenya. Lecturers and scientists from Egerton also shared opportunities they can collaborate with MSU in agronomy, breeding and crop protection, agricultural mechanization, clean energy, agribusiness and ICT and computer applications and community development .
Before her workshop on 1 March, Dr Wyche paid a courtesy call to the Vice-Chancellor Prof Isaac Kibwage. She was accompanied by Prof. Patience Mshenga, Dean Faculty of Agriculture Prof. Paul Kimurto Director, Marketing and Resource Mobilization and Dr Miriam Charimbu, a researcher from the Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils. Dr Charimbu doing her postdoctoral research at MSU within the Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) and is mentored by Dr Wyche and Prof. Kimurto. Prof. Alexander Kahi who is the focal person for AAP at Egerton University also hosted the team at CoELIB Centre.
Egerton University is part of the Alliance for African Partnership, a consortium of MSU, ten leading African universities, and a distinguished network for African research institutes. The AAP Consortium is currently composed of ten member institutions: Michigan State University and eleven African institutions. Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) (Malawi), Makerere University (Uganda); L’université des Lettres et des Sciences Humaines de Bamako (ULSHB) (Mali), United States International University (USIU) (Kenya); University of Botswana, University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania); University of Pretoria, l’Université Cheikh Anta DIOP de Dakar (UCAD) (Senegal) and University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Nigeria).
The vice chancellor and university management board wishes to than Prof Susan Wyche and MSU community for strong collaboration and supporting Egerton University staff and students in various engagements.
To read more: Michigan State University Visiting Scholar gives fresh insights on redesigning agricultural hand tools to Egerton University
Read more
By:
Raquel Acosta
No Preview Available
CULTURE AND SOCIETY
+1
Feminist Africa, Volume 2, Issue 2 (2021): Gender and Sexuality in African Futurism
The newest issue of Feminist Africa is now available! The theme of the issue is "Gender and Sexuality in African Futurism." You can access the full issue at Current Issue - Feminist Africa. Learn more about Feminist Africa here.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Editorial: Gender and Sexuality in African Futurism
· by Jacqueline-Bethel Tchouta Mougoué
Feature Articles
“How to Save the World from Aliens, Yet Keep Their Infrastructure”: Repurposing the “Master’s House” in The Wormwood Trilogy
· by Jenna N. Hanchey and Godfried Asante
When the Lagoons Remember: An Afroqueer Futurist Reading of “Blue Ecologies of Agitation”
· by Kwame Edwin Otu
“One Foot on the Other Side”: An Africanfuturist Reading of Irenosen Okojie’s Butterfly Fish (2015) and Akwaeke Emezi’s Freshwater (2018)
· by Kelsey Ann McFaul
Haunted Airports and Sexual Anxieties in Nana Nyarko Boateng’s “Swallowing Ice”
· by Delali Kumavie
Africanfuturism and the Reframing of Gender in the Fiction of Nnedi Okorafor
· by Arit Oku
Standpoint
The Liquid Space where African Feminism and African Futurism Meet
· by Minna Salami
Fiction
Land of My Dreams
· by Juliana Makuchi Nfah-Abbenyi
Exhibition
The Afrofuturist Village
· by Masiyaleti Mbewe
Reviews
“Liberation is Necessarily an Act of Culture”: A Review of Spirit Desire
· by Luam Kidane
Methodologies in Caribbean Research on Gender and Sexuality
· by Sylvia Tamale
Fashioning Postfeminism: Spectacular Femininity and Transnational Culture
· by Rosemary Oyinlola Popoola
By:
Raquel Acosta
No Preview Available
CULTURE AND SOCIETY
+1
Feminist Africa, Volume 2, Issue 2 (2021): Gender and Sexuality in African Futurism
The newest issue of Feminist Africa is now available! The theme of the issue is "Gender and Sexuality in African Futurism." You can access the full issue at Current Issue - Feminist Africa. Learn more about Feminist Africa here.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Editorial: Gender and Sexuality in African Futurism
· by Jacqueline-Bethel Tchouta Mougoué
Feature Articles
“How to Save the World from Aliens, Yet Keep Their Infrastructure”: Repurposing the “Master’s House” in The Wormwood Trilogy
· by Jenna N. Hanchey and Godfried Asante
When the Lagoons Remember: An Afroqueer Futurist Reading of “Blue Ecologies of Agitation”
· by Kwame Edwin Otu
“One Foot on the Other Side”: An Africanfuturist Reading of Irenosen Okojie’s Butterfly Fish (2015) and Akwaeke Emezi’s Freshwater (2018)
· by Kelsey Ann McFaul
Haunted Airports and Sexual Anxieties in Nana Nyarko Boateng’s “Swallowing Ice”
· by Delali Kumavie
Africanfuturism and the Reframing of Gender in the Fiction of Nnedi Okorafor
· by Arit Oku
Standpoint
The Liquid Space where African Feminism and African Futurism Meet
· by Minna Salami
Fiction
Land of My Dreams
· by Juliana Makuchi Nfah-Abbenyi
Exhibition
The Afrofuturist Village
· by Masiyaleti Mbewe
Reviews
“Liberation is Necessarily an Act of Culture”: A Review of Spirit Desire
· by Luam Kidane
Methodologies in Caribbean Research on Gender and Sexuality
· by Sylvia Tamale
Fashioning Postfeminism: Spectacular Femininity and Transnational Culture
· by Rosemary Oyinlola Popoola
Read more
By:
Raquel Acosta
No Preview Available
EDUCATION
AAP Post Dialogue Debrief - Dr. Pinkie Mekgwe
Our conversation with Dr. Pinkie Mekgwe that dives even further into some of the pressing topics discussed in our September dialogue on “The Engaged University: Working with Policy Makers, Private Sectors, and Communities”.
By:
Raquel Acosta
EDUCATION
AAP Post Dialogue Debrief - Dr. Pinkie Mekgwe
Our conversation with Dr. Pinkie Mekgwe that dives even further into some of the pressing topics discussed in our September dialogue on “The Engaged University: Working with Policy Makers, Private Sectors, and Communities”.
Read more
By:
Raquel Acosta
CULTURE AND SOCIETY
+1
AAP Members engage SADC Chief
Four members of the Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) – the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), University of Pretoria (UP), University of Botswana (UB) and University of Dar re Salaam (UDSM) – have engaged the SADC secretariat for partnership in a number of areas of development for the region.
The delegation, which included LUANAR Vice Chancellor Prof. Emmanuel Kaunda, engaged the recently elected SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi to discuss collaboration.
SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi
The leaders sought the attention of SADC, in partnering with universities on research in seven areas including youth empowerment which is also the focus of SADC Chairperson, Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera.
In his remarks, Professor Kaunda said LUANAR is a Center of Excellence in a number of areas including aquaculture and fisheries which is recognised by the World Bank and yet has no significant recognition from the regional bloc.
“We have seen a little bit of disjoin there on how these centers can support the regional SADC agenda. Already we are offering PhDs and Master to students from 19 countries,” he emphasised.
This was echoed by Professor Swanepoel who represented UP, touching on the importance of collaboration as being key to regional integration.
Further, the universities want to work with SADC in areas of Human Capital Development, Centers of Excellence and Specialization, Policy dialogues, Gender, Science and Technology, Trade and Regional Integration and Engagement and empowerment of civil society organizations and other non-state actors,
According to Prof. Mkandawire, AAP Africa Director, who hosted the meeting, this is the first time a group of VCs has dated SADC and hoped that “this move will improve the way SADC works with universities.”
“Universities are key in human capital development for Africa through education and training. In addition, universities play a key role in the generation of knowledge through research, policy analysis and other types of analytical work,” he said.
Accordingly, said Mkandawire, VCs from SADC universities have joined efforts to deepen conversations with a focus on how institutions of higher learning can better contribute towards the advancement of SADC’s development frameworks.
In his immediate response, SADC ES, Magosi, said the meeting and the VCs' asks are “a very encouraging starting point” between the universities and SADC secretariat.
He noted the importance of Centers of Excellence as an important aspect to advance collaboration at a regional level suggesting a need to identify the available to build on and start others to close available gaps with focus on specific specialisation.
Among other calls, the VCs pointed out the need to define mechanisms of engagement between SADC secretariat and institutions of Higher learning, Centers of Excellence, and research Institutes in the implementation of SADC’s Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP).
Further, VCs propose to engage with SADC on how expertise within the universities, Think Tanks and Centers of Excellence can be utilized to shed light on the impact of processes related to regional integration and the Africa Free Trade Agreement.
The leaders also want to work with SADC on a region wide program to develop the capacity of early career female researchers to initiate and manage research projects as well as communicate research to policy makers and broader audiences.
By:
Raquel Acosta
CULTURE AND SOCIETY
+1
AAP Members engage SADC Chief
Four members of the Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) – the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), University of Pretoria (UP), University of Botswana (UB) and University of Dar re Salaam (UDSM) – have engaged the SADC secretariat for partnership in a number of areas of development for the region.
The delegation, which included LUANAR Vice Chancellor Prof. Emmanuel Kaunda, engaged the recently elected SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi to discuss collaboration.
SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi
The leaders sought the attention of SADC, in partnering with universities on research in seven areas including youth empowerment which is also the focus of SADC Chairperson, Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera.
In his remarks, Professor Kaunda said LUANAR is a Center of Excellence in a number of areas including aquaculture and fisheries which is recognised by the World Bank and yet has no significant recognition from the regional bloc.
“We have seen a little bit of disjoin there on how these centers can support the regional SADC agenda. Already we are offering PhDs and Master to students from 19 countries,” he emphasised.
This was echoed by Professor Swanepoel who represented UP, touching on the importance of collaboration as being key to regional integration.
Further, the universities want to work with SADC in areas of Human Capital Development, Centers of Excellence and Specialization, Policy dialogues, Gender, Science and Technology, Trade and Regional Integration and Engagement and empowerment of civil society organizations and other non-state actors,
According to Prof. Mkandawire, AAP Africa Director, who hosted the meeting, this is the first time a group of VCs has dated SADC and hoped that “this move will improve the way SADC works with universities.”
“Universities are key in human capital development for Africa through education and training. In addition, universities play a key role in the generation of knowledge through research, policy analysis and other types of analytical work,” he said.
Accordingly, said Mkandawire, VCs from SADC universities have joined efforts to deepen conversations with a focus on how institutions of higher learning can better contribute towards the advancement of SADC’s development frameworks.
In his immediate response, SADC ES, Magosi, said the meeting and the VCs' asks are “a very encouraging starting point” between the universities and SADC secretariat.
He noted the importance of Centers of Excellence as an important aspect to advance collaboration at a regional level suggesting a need to identify the available to build on and start others to close available gaps with focus on specific specialisation.
Among other calls, the VCs pointed out the need to define mechanisms of engagement between SADC secretariat and institutions of Higher learning, Centers of Excellence, and research Institutes in the implementation of SADC’s Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP).
Further, VCs propose to engage with SADC on how expertise within the universities, Think Tanks and Centers of Excellence can be utilized to shed light on the impact of processes related to regional integration and the Africa Free Trade Agreement.
The leaders also want to work with SADC on a region wide program to develop the capacity of early career female researchers to initiate and manage research projects as well as communicate research to policy makers and broader audiences.
Read more
By:
Raquel Acosta
No Preview Available
