34th AFSAAP conference

"Africa 2011"

Flinders University, City Campus, Adelaide
November 30 - December 2 2011

Call for papers
 

From the African continent to the African diaspora in Australasia, understanding Africa is of increasing significance. "Africa 2011” is the theme of the 34th Annual Conference of the African Studies Association of Australasia and the Pacific, with the conference to provide a forum in which to bring together academics, scholars, the African Community and service providers working with the African community, NGOs, government agencies, foreign embassies and high commissions, to debate and discuss where Africa is situated politically, economically, socially, environmentally and historically. 2011 has seen dramatic protests in North Africa and will see the formation of Africa’s newest state – “South Sudan”, suggesting that our knowledge of Africa must encompass those countries North of the Sahara – more often included in Middle Eastern area studies. Australia is currently expanding its interests in Africa – in trade, aid and defence. A new Australian embassy in Addis Ababa highlights the importance of diplomacy with the African Union, and comes at a time when domestic budgetary pressures have sparked debate about increasing aid to Africa. 2011 will also see the introduction of scholarships under the Australia Awards for Africa Program, and the report from the Parliamentary Inquiry into “Australia’s Relations with the Countries of Africa” will be presented. The United Nations has proclaimed 2011 as the International Year for People of African descent, “with a view to strengthening national actions and regional and international cooperation for the benefit of people of African descent in relation to their full enjoyment of economic, cultural, social, civil and political rights, their participation and integration in all political, economic, social and cultural aspects of society, and the promotion of a greater knowledge of and respect for their diverse heritage and culture”. It is from this theme that the “Africa 2011”conference will draw inspiration.

You are invited to submit an abstract of 200 words by the deadline of August 12011 for either a paper presentation or a proposal for a panel forum. Paper presentations will be for 20 minutes, with question time to follow. All abstracts and papers will be peer reviewed by AFSAAP and, if accepted, published in the Conference Proceedings.

The Postgraduate Workshop will be held on November 30. A prize of $3,500 for the best postgraduate paper(s) delivered at the conference has been kindly donated by Monash University and the University of South Australia. Click here for further details.

The contact person for the Conference is David Jolley. Please email africa2011@afsaap.org.au with your abstracts before August 1 2011, and with any other queries.

The Conference Convener is Dr. Tanya Lyons – tanya.lyons@flinders.edu.au
 

Go to the conference site

---

Other AFSAAP news

• The AFSAAP President announces the participation of AFSAAP in the delivery and management of the Australia Awards for Africa Program in conjunction with GRM International. The President's announcement is here.
• The Proceedings of the 33rd Annual AFSAAP conference hosted by Victoria University and held on December 2 - 4 2010 are now available at the conference site.
• The African Studies Association of India have become an organisational member of AFSAAP.
• Congratulations to Samantha Balaton-Chrimes, whose conference paper "The Nubians of Kenya and the emancipatory potential of collective recognition" has been awarded the 2010 AFSAAP Postgraduate Prize. AFSAAP appreciates the generosity of Monash University in sponsoring the award.
• Membership fees for AFSAAP are now payable online via credit card. For more details please go to the Join AFSAAP page.