Institute of African Studies (IAS), Columbia University

THE COLUMBIA MILIEU

IAS is one of Columbia's eight regional institutes housed in the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). The institutes and SIPA provide a unique environment by bringing together students, scholars, diplomats and other specialists. Through its weekly lecture series, seminars, conferences and cultural events, IAS both draws on and contributes to this environment. At the same time, it integrates members of other Columbia institutions (Columbia College, Barnard College, the Graduate Schools of Arts and Sciences, Business, Law, Social Work and Public Health, Teachers College and Union Theological Seminary) as well as other institutions and individuals in the New York community with strong interests in Africa. As the home of the United Nations as well as the international center of finance and communication, New York City offers almost limitless resources for the exchange of ideas and information on Africa. IAS provides a forum for this multitude of voices and concerns.

SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES

IAS sponsors many public events which offer a variety of perspectives on issues relating to sub- Saharan Africa. Our weekly brown-bag lecture series features presentations from academicians, policy-makers, diplomats, development practitioners and activists. The University Seminar on Africa meets monthly, bringing together scholars from the greater metropolitan area of New York. Distinguished Africanists are invited to present their recent research in all areas of the social sciences and humanities. IAS also organizes special events and hosts panel discussions on important themes -- most recently on "Africa's Marginalization" (sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations).

In addition, IAS sponsors conferences which host specialists from various parts of the United States, Europe and Africa. Recent topics have included "Identity, Rationality and the Postcolonial Subject," "AIDS in Africa", and "Issues Surrounding Violence in Africa". Every spring, students affiliated with IAS organize a conference on themes of their own choosing. This offers students an incredible opportunity to work together to select speakers and design panels and topics for discussion.

UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS AND GRADUATE CERTIFICATES

While IAS does not grant degrees, it does work closely with students to devise appropriate programs of study to best fit their specific interests. IAS actively encourages interdisciplinary studies which tie together student interests and career goals. For undergraduates, IAS helps to design a course-plan leading to a major or minor in African studies. For graduate students, the IAS awards a Certificate in African Studies which can be earned in conjunction with an advanced degree within one of Columbia's various schools and departments. Students in the School of International and Public Affairs may also pursue a regional specialization in Africa with the guidance and approval of IAS.

FELLOWSHIPS AND SUMMER SUPPORT

In terms of student support, IAS offers graduate students full year fellowships as well as summer research travel grants. The competition for Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships is open to students who are interested in training in an African language relevant to their research and professional goals; applications are considered each spring for fellowships commencing the following academic year. Currently, FLAS fellowships are available in Swahili and Hausa. Summer FLAS fellowships, which support students in intensive African language summer programs at universities throughout the U.S. and Africa, are also available. In addition, IAS conducts an annual competition for summer research grants for graduate students. These grants subsidize the costs for students to travel to Africa, typically in preparation for dissertation research.

FACULTY AND COURSE OFFERINGS

IAS is fortunate in being able to draw its core faculty from a wide range of Columbia's renown schools and departments. Anthropology, Applied Linguistics, Art History, English and Comparative Literature, French, History, Political Science, Public Health and Sociology all house professors with research and teaching interests in Africa. The core faculty of IAS have interests which encompass Southern, Central, East and West Africa. They teach a diverse array of courses, including the African Civilizations sequence at Columbia College. In addition, Barnard College has recently started its own Pan-African studies program.

Regarding African languages, Columbia offers three years of study in Swahili (Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced) and two years of instruction in Hausa and Wolof: In addition, students with Africa- related interests may take advantage of Columbia's French and Arabic departments as well as course offerings in Portuguese and other languages relevant to African studies. Columbia and Barnard's French departments also provide cultural studies courses related to Africa.

In addition, Columbia's Law School and its Center for the Study of Human Rights provide a vigorous environment for training in international law, constitution-making and human rights pertaining to Africa. SIPA, through its program in Economic and Political Development, encourages interdisciplinary and practical training and offers comparative courses which include a wealth of case material from Africa.

CULTURAL RESOURCES IN NEW YORK CITY

Aside from the many opportunities and resources within the University, Columbia University is centrally located on the west side of Manhattan. The University borders on Harlem, a vibrant black cultural center which is home to many African immigrants. IAS participates in, and takes advantage of New York City.

New York City offers a wide array of resources and cultural institutions. Human rights groups with specific interests in Africa such as Africa Watch are located in New York as well as numerous foundations which focus on Africa: The African- American Institute, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, among many others. Various United Nations departments such as the UNDP and UNICEF which do a great deal of work in sub- Saharan Africa are headquartered in New York, and African missions to the UN are also all located within Manhattan. Aside from the larger museums and libraries in New York City with African collections, institutions such as the Museum for African Art and the Schomburg Library concentrate specifically on African art and publications.

For more information, please contact:

The Institute of African Studies
Columbia University
1103 International Affairs Building
420 West 11 8th Street
New York, NY 10027

(212) 854-4633

THE INSTITUTE OF AFRICAN STUDIES

George C. Bond
Professor of Anthropology and Education (Teachers College)
Director, Institute of African Studies

Ronald Kassimir
Assistant Director

Marlyse Rand
Administrative Assistant

Joe Caruso
African Studies Librarian

CORE FACULTY

Eliezer Kwegly Chiduo
Preceptor, Swahili

Kandioura Drame
Associate Professor of French
Director, Pan African Studies (Barnard College)

Priscilla Ferguson
Professor of French and Sociology

Sally Evans Findley
Associate Professor of Clinical Public Health

Fallou Gueye
Preceptor, Wolof

Clifford Alden Hill
Arthur 1. Gates Professor of Languages and Education
Coordinator, West African Languages and Cultures

Hollis R. Lynch
Professor of History

Anthony Marx
Assistant Professor of Political Science

Mohamed Mbodj
Associate Professor of History

Anne McClintock
Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature

Robert D. Nixon
Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature

Lesley Sharp
Assistant Professor of Anthropology (Barnard College)

Elliot P. Skinner
Franz Boas Professor of Anthropology

Zena Stein
Professor of Public Health

Joan Vincent
Professor Emeritus of Anthropology (Barnard College)

Marcia Wright
Professor of History

AFFILIATED FACULTY

Andrea Bartoli
Research Coordinator, Italian Academy for Advanced Studies

Randle Edwards
Walter Gellhorn Professor of Law

Michael Gavin
Associate Professor of Economics

Serge Gavronsky
Professor of French (Barnard College)

Michael Gelobter
Director, Environmental Policy Studies

Jack Greenberg
Professor of Law

Manning Marable
Professor of History
Director, Institute for Research in African-American Studies

Paul Martin
Executive Director, Center for the Study of Human Rights

Zita Nunes
Assistant Professor of English and Comparative Literature

Jeanne Allen Smith
Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine

Glenn Davis Stone
Assistant Professor of Anthropology

Robert Taylor
Associate Professor of Computing and Education (Teachers College)

Judith Weisenfeld
Assistant Professor of Religion (Barnard College)

Herbert Weiss
Research Affiliate

Sharifa Zawawi
Research Affiliate
Coordinator, East African Languages and Cultures