| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER |
In This Issue........1
Language News........2
Student Programs.....3
Faculty & Scholars...4-5
Overseas Programs....6
Local Events.........7
Computer News........7
CENTER ANNOUNCES FUNDING, ACTIVITIES
U.S. Dept. of Ed. Renews
Funding for 3-year Cycle
The Department of Education will fund the Joint Center with a Title VI grant for the upcoming three years. This funding provides for all of the center's programming expenses, as well as for special African language classes, outreach to schools, research focus groups, and much more. With this grant proposal, the Joint Center moved up in Department of Education ranking for Title VI centers. Three years ago we were the number 10 ranked African Studies National Resource Center; now we have moved to number six.
Mudimbe, Mudimbe-Boyi Accept Stanford Humanities Appointments
Valentin Mudimbe and Elisabeth Mudimbe-Boyi have accepted permanent positions in the departments of French and Italian and Comparative Literature. These two major appointments were the result of a new initiative on the part of the School of Humanities and Sciences to strengthen the African humanities. Both are world-renowned scholars noted for the depth and wide range of their research and teaching interests. Both will teach a full range of graduate and undergraduate courses and pursue important new research projects in the African humanities.
Stanford's South African Faculty Initiatives Fellowship
Stanford and the University of the Western Cape are in the process of finalizing plans to send a third teaching fellow, who will spend the academic year 1994-95 at UWC. The exchange relationship between the two universities has just entered its third year. The first Stanford teaching fellow, Victor Provenzano, has extended his stay at UWC in order to complete teaching an honors seminar.
The second teaching fellow, Rod Alence, has plunged actively into his teaching duties in the Political Science department. The initial funding for this exchange program will expire with the third teaching fellow. However, since the program has been so successful and has filled such a need at UWC as well as providing opportunities for advanced doctoral candidates, we are optimistic that additional support will be forthcoming.
Professor Vincent Maphai, chair of the UWC Department of Political Science, has been awarded a fellowship at the Stanford Center for International Security and Arms Control (CISAC) for the 1995 calendar year.
For more information on the SAFI program, contact the South African Faculty Initiatives Committee, Center for African Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5013.
Joint Center in South African Elections
Several members of the Joint Center were present at South Africa's first all-race elections. Pearl-Alice Marsh, Center Coordinator for the last 10 years, helped with the campaign, electoral education, and voter registration. Robert Price, Co-Director and professor of Political Science at Berkeley, was an official observer with the United Nations and was posted in Port Elizabeth. Also participating from Berkeley were two graduate students in the Department of Political Science, Jason Myers and Michael Metelits.
Angolan Elections
"Media Coverage of the Angolan Elections," an article by Stanford visiting scholar Elaine Windrich, appears in Issue (African Studies Association, Atlanta), Volume 22/1, Winter/Spring 1994, pp. 19-23.
STANFORD GRANTS FLAS AWARDS
The Foreign Language Area Studies fellows for academic year 1994-1995 have been selected. Thomas McClendon, a Ph.D. candidate in History, was awarded the FLAS for Dissertation Research. His dissertation, "Genders and Generations Apart: Labor Tenants, Law, and Domestic Struggle in Natal 1918-44," combines the areas of rural social history and the study of law in the colonial setting. Thom was also the Bing T.A. Mentor during 1993-94, helping to guide undergraduates in the completion of requirements for the undergraduate Certificate in African Studies.
Emily Osborn, an entering graduate student in History, graduated from UC Berkeley. She lived in Senegal during her junior year, studying at the Universite Cheikh Anta Diop. Her FLAS fellowship will provide her with Wolof lessons.
Ahmed Datoo, an entering master's degree student in international development at the Food Research Institute, will continue his Kiswahili studies with his FLAS award. Born in Tanzania, Datoo frequently visits there, and he hopes to return permanently to work for the Tanzanian government.
JoDean Nicolette, a medical student, received the FLAS award to study Shona. Her principal interest lies in clinical work and the field of women's public health. Her goal is to practice medicine and implement public health programs in Zimbabwe, where she spent last winter researching the acceptability of female condoms to Shona women.
Summer 1994 FLAS Awards
In the spring, three summer FLAS recipients were selected. Nicole Saulsberry, a first-year graduate student in History, is using her fellowship to study Tigranya at the University of Asmara in Eritrea. She hopes to write her dissertation on the role of women in the Eritrean revolution.
Walter Hawthorne, a doctoral student in History, is conducting intensive study of Balanta in Guinea-Bissau with his FLAS fellowship this summer. Spending his second summer in Guinea-Bissau, Walter plans to use Balanta to study the social history of slavery.
Thom McClendon was also awarded a summer FLAS fellowship for intensive study of Zulu at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzberg, in South Africa. He plans to review interview tapes and documentary materials in Zulu gathered in his 1991-92 field research.
The next round of FLAS Fellowship competitions will be opened in September. For more information and applications, please contact Suzanne Orcutt, FLAS Coordinator at Stanford. (415) 723-2178.
AFRICAN LANGUAGE OPPORTUNITIES AND NEWS
Voice of America is recruiting a Chief of its eight-member Swahili Service. Contact the Office of Personnel, Bureau of Broadcasting,330 Independent Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20540 Attn: Ms. Oanh Tranh.
AT&T LanguageLine Services in Monterey, CA is recruiting a freelance Oromo interpreter. Contact Bernice Moore at the LanguageLine (408) 648-5842 for more information.
Will Leben (Stanford, Linguistics) and Richard Randell (Stanford, Art) have received a Dept. of Ed. grant to produce a series of Hausa classes in VHS format. The work, based on the text Hausa Yau da Kullum, will take them to Nigeria this summer. Post-production will take place at Stanford.
If you are interested in studying an African language, contact the Special Languages Program at Stanford Department of Linguistics (415) 723-3636.
STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES
Programs for African Students
Rockefeller Foundation Re-Entry Grants for African Scholars assist in the professional re-establishment of African scholars who are returning to Africa from doctoral or post-doctoral studies abroad. The grants are designed for those who wish to pursue research related to the revitalization and development of education in sub-Saharan Africa. Proposed projects must include a substantial focus on female school participation as part of the set of issues to be examined. There are no deadlines for submissions. For more informationand and an application packet, contact: Scholars on Education Re-Entry Program, Rockefeller Foundation, 1133 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036.
The International Organization for Migration offers placement assistance for southern Africans through its "Return of Talent" program. The IOM places individuals with significant academic and practical experience in their respective fields. For further information and an application, write to IOM, 1750 K Street, NW Suite 1110, Washington, D.C. 20006. (202) 862-1826.
Scholarships and Fellowships
The Amy Biehl Scholarship Fund has been established at Stanford by the Biehl family in memory of their daughter. The Amy Biehl Summer Fellowships provide awards for students conducting South African related projects. Priority is given first to students traveling to South Africa and second to those who will be working in the U.S. or in other countries. For more iformation on applying to the program or on contributing to the fund, please contact the Dean of Students Michael L. Jackson at 323 Old Union Stanford, CA 94305 (415) 723-2733.
Stanford Undergraduate Research Opportunities (URO): Each year the URO program at Stanford awards at least 60 major grants (up to $2,500) and 200 or more small grants (up to $500) to Stanford undergraduates to support expenses involved with independent academic research and artistic creation. For more information, contact Laura Selznick, Director, Undergraduate Research Opportunities, 122 Sweet Hall, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-3088. Telephone: (415) 723-3828. Email: laura.s@forsythe.stanford.edu.
Stanford Undergraduate Certificate in African Studies: The Center for African Studies at Stanford has offered the Undergraduate Certificate to students since 1991. Students who complete the necessary language and research requirements will be awarded the certificate upon graduation. For an application or more information, please contact the Stanford Center for African Studies at Littlefield Center, Stanford, CA 94305-5013 or (415) 723-0295.
The Library of4202 East Fowler Avenue, HMS 413 Tampa, FL 33620-8350 or call (813) 974-0985.
Fellowships and Opportunities
University of Illinois Center for African Studies, Specialist in Education: The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign seeks a half-time specialist in Education who will coordinate the Center for African Studies Outreach Program. Candidates should have an advanced degree in a humanities or social science discipline, with concentration in African Studies. Preference will be given to candidates with a Ph.D. degree and an interest in Francophone Africa. For more information and an application, contact Ibulaimu Kakoma, Center for African Studies, University of Illinois, 910 S. Fifth Street, Room 210, Champaign, IL 61820. (217 333-6335 no later than July 15, 1994.
The National Humanities Center awards approximately 35-40 residential fellowships each year for the advanced study of the arts and other fields in the liberal arts. Social scientists, natural scientists, or professionals whose work has a humanistic dimension are encouraged to apply. Applicants must hold a Ph.D. or the equivalent degree. For more information and an application packet, contact National Humanities Center, Box 12256, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.
Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey invites twelve to fifteen Visiting Memberships to the School of Social Science. Post-doctorates are encouraged to apply. For more information and an application, contact Administrative Officer, School of Social Science, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ 08540. Deadline: Dec. 1, 1994.
Papers from the Joint Center Spring Conference will be deposited in the Hoover Library at Stanford and the Rosberg Library at UCB in the fall.
FACULTY NEWS & FEATURES
Stanford & the University of Zimbabwe: Partners in AIDS Prevention Project
The Zimbabwe AIDS Prevention Project (ZAPP), a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, is a collaboration between Stanford's Center for AIDS Research and the Department of Community Medicine at the University of Zimbabwe. The long-term aim of the study is to prepare for the evaluation of an AIDS vaccine, should a suitable candidate vaccine become available.
To study the incidence of HIV infection in Zimbabwe, the project has enrolled over 2,000 volunteers from 40 factories in Harare, the capital city. This year, peer counseling is being introduced in half of the sites in order to demonstrate whether peer counseling programs can reduce the spread of AIDS.
At Stanford, the principal investigator for the project, Dr. David Katzenstein, is the associate medical director of the AIDS Clinical Trials Unit (ACTU) and the Center for AIDS Research (CFAR). Dr. Katzenstein is also on the Joint Center Committee on African Studies. The AIDS training program at the Fogarty International Center at UC Berkeley has also been an important collaborator. Medical and undergraduate students have participated in research in Zimbabwe with the project and worked with faculty from the University of Zimbabwe.
As AIDS and HIV infections continue to present new, challenging questions, ZAPP has diversified and expanded its approach through collaborations with experts in Zimbabwe and the U.S. As ZAPP enters its second year, the team hopes to expand the research opportunities for students and staff at both universities. Information about the incidence of HIV in Zimbabwe will hopefully be useful in the design of effective public health and vaccine. The project welcomes scholars and students from every discipline who may be able to offer training and expertise in developing new AIDS prevention strategies.
OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA
WorldTeach places volunteers in South Africa and Namibia to teach English, math, and science at primary and secondary schools. Volunteers are provided with housing and a stipend to cover food and local transportation costs. In addition to teaching, some volunteers also run workshops, provide partnership teaching, and assist and support teachers in putting ideas learned in training courses into practice in the classroom. There is also involvement in community development projects such as adult literacy or study skills. Contact WorldTeach at International Development, One Eliot Street, Cambridge, MA 02138-5705. Telephone: (617) 495-5527. Fax: (617) 495-1239.
Robert B. Bailey III Minority Students Scholarships for Study Abroad, Work Abroad, and International Volunteer programs: U.S. citizens of African, Arabic, Asian, Latin American, or Native American descent.
The Community Law Center in Durban, South Africa offers international internship opportunities for law students and undergraduates from outside South Africa. Affiliated with the University of Natal, CLC places emphasis on assisting the rural areas of South Africa. CLC publishes a quarterly newsletter, Izindaba. For more information, contact: The Community Law Center, Berea Center, 7th floor, 247 Berea Road, Durban 4001, South Africa.
BAY AREA & CAMPUS NEWS
West African Journal and Radio Program: Joe Kappia, a journalist from Liberia, publishes a journal and co-hosts a radio program in the Bay Area that features West African news and music. The West African Journal covers news on Liberia and Sierra Leone as well as local news on the Liberian and Sierra Leone communities. Stanford's Hoover Library subscribes to this journal, which is also available for $36/year (PO Box 110311 Campbell, CA 95011). Kappia and Sahid Hassan host a radio program entitled "Music Afrique" on KKUP 91.5 Mondays 3-6pm.
South Africa's First Democratic Elections Collection: Hoover Archives has received South Africa's First Democratic Elections: 27-28 April 1994 Images of the Elections in the Eastern Cape Province, a collection of photographs and text by Jan K. Coetzee and Geoffrey T. Wood of Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa. It contains over 290 photographs, including images of voters, election monitors, posters, street banners, voters in East London, Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth, Aberdeen, King William's Town, etc. Contact or visit the Hoover Library.
Oriki Theater is a non-profit community based theater dedicated to the education and preservation of African culture and heritage. For further information on designing a workshop, contact Orki Theater 1954 Old Middlefield Way Suite A16, Mountain View, CA 94043. (408) 236-3383.
COMPUTER NEWS
Information Bank on African Development Studies (IBADS) is an electronicomic mailing service provided by the Africa Technical Department at the World Bank. Its objective is to disseminate information about development studies on sub-Saharan Africa. IBADS consists of an index and a list of abstracts of studies undertaken by the World Bank's Africa Technical Department. To subscribe, write an email message to: listserv@tome.worldbank.org and include Subscribe IBADS (first name - space - last name). It is necessary to include your specialty, organization, address, and subject of interest. Questions can be directed to Mehdi Ali at MALI2@worldbank.org.
Joint Center Information via Email: If you would like to receive this newsletter or schedules of upcoming events on-line, please send a request to asc@uclink.berkeley.edu and specify what you would like to receive. We also welcome suggested items for this publication. Thanks for saving a tree!
African-related electronic bulletin boards: If you have a university email account, you may be able to access thousands of bulletin boards for discussions on a wide variety of topics. From a unix account, use the "rn" (read news) command to read such newsgroups as bit.tech.african,clari.world.africa, clari.world.africa.south-africa, rec.music.afro-latin, and soc.culture.african. Your data center or system administrator may be able to offer more information.
The African Studies community grew by one on May 11, 1994 when Miles Whelan Saavedra Tann was born to Center Coordinator Martha Saavedra and John Tann. Warmest wishes to the new parents!
Locations and languages of the 1994-95 and Summer 1994 Foreign Language Area Studies Awards (Map). See story on page one.
Senegal (Wolof)
Eritrea
(Tigranya)
Guinea-Bissau (Balanta)
Tanzania (Kiswahili)
Natal, South Africa (Zulu)
Zimbabwe (Shona)
Joint Center for African Studies
University of California, Berkeley
356 Stephens Hall #2314
Berkeley, CA 94720-2314
asc@uclink.berkeley.edu
Stanford University
Littlefield Center Rm. 22
Stanford, CA 94305-5013
(415) 723-0295
Marianne Villanueva, Co-Editor
Jane Bomberger, Co-Editor
Brett Bowman, Graphicist To: ASC@UCLINK.BERKELEY.EDU
cc: MARTHA@UCLINK.BERKELEY.EDU
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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