UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
MSU Tuesday Bulletin, 02/06/01

MSU Tuesday Bulletin, 02/06/01

THE TUESDAY BULLETIN Issue No. 5, Spring 2001 February 6, 2001 Weekly News from the AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY 100 INTERNATIONAL CENTER
EAST LANSING MI 48824-1035 For back issues, see archive <http://www.isp.msu.edu/AfricanStudies>

BULLETIN CONTENTS

MSU ANNOUNCEMENTS OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS CONFERENCES

EVENTS

February 8, Thursday

"'Spoiled Brats:' Misinforming the Public About Student Protests in Tanzania," African Studies Center Brown Bag with Deogratias (Deo) Ngonyani, Faculty (Dept. of Linguistics and Languages, MSU), 12:00 noon, Room 201, International Center.

February 15, Thursday

"Problems of Coexistence among Mauritanians," African Studies Center Brown Bag with Athie Aboubakrine, Mauritanian Resident (Lansing, Michigan), 12:00 noon, Room 201, International Center.

MSU ANNOUNCEMENTS

FLAS Fellowships 2001-2002 Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS)

Fellowships for students interested in pursuing graduate degrees in African languages and area studies at MSU are available from the U.S. Department of Education, under Title VI of the Higher Education Act. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. FLAS fellowships are awarded to graduate students enrolled in programs which combine the study of modern foreign language with advanced training and research in area studies and/or international development. In general, fellows may be enrolled in any discipline, however some restrictions may apply. Awards cover the cost of core college tuition and fees at MSU, plus a stipend of $11,000 for the academic year. FLAS fellowships at MSU are awarded by three of the University's Title VI National Resource Centers. Each center is authorized to fund the study of particular languages. A smaller number of summer grants cover tuition and fees for a six-week intensive study of an African language (see below).

A) Intensive Shona Summer 2001 Program will be held from June 21 to July 27, 2001 by the African Studies Center and the Department of Linguistics and Germanic, Slavic, Asian and African Languages at Michigan State University. This six-week Intensive Summer Program in Shona will be preceded by a three- day gratis workshop on Zimbabwe, June 18-20. Three courses will be offered during the Institute: Elementary Shona (AFR 151 & 152) and Intermediate Shona (AFR 251 & 252), both 8 credits each, for 25 hours per week for six weeks; and Advanced Shona (AFR 450), 6 credits, for 20 hours per week for six weeks.

A three-day seminar on Zimbabwe for students, faculty, and members of the public with a special interest in Zimbabwe will be offered June 18-20, 2001. Lecturers will be drawn from across the nation and from Zimbabwe as well as from the more than 50 MSU faculty who have taught, worked, and conducted research in Zimbabwe. Shona Intensive Summer Program participants are expected to participate in this gratis workshop.

The Summer Shona Institute will be directed by Professor Albert Natsa, faculty member of the Dept. of Curriculum and Arts Education, University of Zimbabwe.

For further information, contact Dr. Yacob Fisseha, Assistant Director, African Studies Center, 100 Center for International Programs, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1035; Phone: (517) 353-1700; Fax: (517) 432-1209; or E-mail: fisseha@msu.edu. Application deadline is February 16, 2001.

B) MSU-Ford Minority Fellowship: Zimbabwe Michigan State University (MSU) with the support of the Ford Foundation announces the creation of three competitive full fellowships for beginning graduate students in African studies interested in completing an M.A. and Ph.D. in an academic department at MSU. Deadline to apply is February 16, 2001. Students will be admitted for a 15-month program beginning June 2001 for a program for the study of Zimbabwe, consisting of: six-weeks of intensive Shona language study at MSU in summer 2001 under the instruction of Prof. Albert Natsa, University of Zimbabwe; one semester at MSU in fall 2001 for a full load in Shona and African studies, enrolled in a graduate department of one's choice; and eight-months of immersion in Zimbabwe studies at University of Zimbabwe January- August 2002. Those completing the 15-month program will be expected to enroll for continuing graduate study in an MSU academic department in the following academic year 2002-2003. To apply, one must complete forms seeking admission both to this special program and to graduate degree study in an MSU academic department. Graduate degree admission forms should be obtained from the relevant department of interest to the student - and the Center can assist with that communication. Criteria for selection shall include: academic excellence and achievement; commitment to the study of Africa through advanced graduate programs; commitment to completing an M.A. and Ph.D. program in an academic department; and commitment to learning the language and culture of the African nation. For further information see: http://isp.msu.edu/AfricanStudies/Ford_Fellow.htm or contact Professor Yacob Fisseha, Assistant Director, African Studies Center, MSU. Tel: (517) 353-1700. Fax: (517) 432-1209. E-mail: fisseha@msu.edu

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Safundi: The Journal of South African and American Comparative Studies

Volume 3, Issue 1 of Safundi is now available at the Safundi web site at http://www.safundi.com. Included in this issue are the following papers: "Health System Performance in South Africa vs. France: World Health Report 2000," by Joseph Coyne and Peter Hilsenrath. Coyne and Hilsenrath examine the efficiency and overall performance of the French and South African (and American) health systems with a particular focus on how these countries ranked in the 2000 World Health Report.

"Getting Equality to Work: The South African Employment Equity Act," by Eric CÈÈdiey. Employment demographics in South Africa still show deep racial inequalities inherited from apartheid. The Employment Equity Act of 1998 aims at correcting such a situation, via the legal prohibition of unfair discriminatory practices and the monitoring of affirmative action measures in organizations. Some of the points negotiated during the making of the law may epitomize the compromises punctuating the South African political economic "transformation."

"Freedom in Madness: J.M. Coetzee and the Politics of Madness," by Brad Tabas. Tabas writes on the complexities in Coetzee's writing with regards to "freedom" and "madness." Within this context, Tabas also references the dualities in reading Coetzee's work. "Berry's Boesman & Lena: Rewarding and Punishing," a film review by Andrew Offenburger. Boesman & Lena demonstrates both the rewards and the punishments of adapting the stage to the screen.

For more information, contact Andrew Offenburger,offenburger@safundi.com, Editor-in-Chief, Safundi: The Journal of South African & American Comparative Studies, www.safundi.com.

CONFERENCES

Call for Papers

"Africa and the African Diaspora: Past Present, Future" is the theme of the 44th Annual Meeting of the ASA scheduled for November 15-18, 2001, in Houston, Texas. Edward A. Alpers of UCLA is the National Program Chair. The panels and roundtables for this year's program will be grouped into thematic sections or sub-themes. A member of the National Program Committee is organizing each section. The sections and section chairs are listed below:

A. Africa and the diaspora reconsidered: Keletso Atkins
(University of Minnesota-Twin Cities) B. African Literatures: Aliko Songolo (University of
Wisconsin-Madison) C. The Arts in Africa: Alisa LaGamma (Metropolitan
Museum of Art, NYC) D. Cinema and video: Ntongela Masilela (Pomona College) E. Community studies: Jonathan Barker (University of
Toronto) F. Democratization in Africa: C.R.D. Halisi (California State
University, Los Angeles) G. Education and training: Joel Samoff (Stanford University) H. Feeding the people: agriculture in Africa: Thomas Bassett
(University of Illinois, Urbana- Champaign) I. Gender studies in the African world: Stephan Miescher
(UC, Santa Barbara) J. Language and linguistics: Geneva Smitherman (Michigan
State University) K. New directions in the study of the African past:
Emmanuel Akyeampong (Harvard University) L. Pan-Africanism, old and new: Sidney J. Lemelle (Pomona
College) M. Understanding Religion and philosophy: Jacob Olupona
(UC, Davis) N. Science and technology: Joseph Jones (Texas Southern
University) O. State, civil society and conflict: Sandra Joireman (St.
Bonaventure University) P. Environmental issues in Africa and the Diaspora: Ben
Wisner (Oberlin College) Q. The global economy and African development: Julius
Nyang''oro (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill) R. The health and welfare of African peoples: Ezekiel
Kalipeni (University of Illinois, Urbana- Champaign) S. The impact of the colonial experience: Atieno Odhiambo
(Rice University) T. The media regard Africa and Africans: Gregory Alonso
Pirio, Voice of America and Institute for Media Development U. The "New" African Diaspora: Abdi Kusow (Wayne State
University) V. The worlds of African music: Cynthia Schmidt
(University of Washington) W. Theory and method in comparative scholarship: Allen
Roberts (UCLA) X. Digging up the past: Susan Macintosh (Rice University) Y. Information and Communication Technology in Africa
and the African Diaspora: Practices, Promises and Pitfalls: Simon Akindes (University of Wisconsin, Parkside) Z. If none of the sections is appropriate for the proposed
paper or panel, or if you are unclear as to right section, designate Section Z.

The proposals are due March 15, 2001. Membership dues and pre-registration fees must accompany proposals. For more information, contact the ASA Annual Meeting Coordinator at: michpete@rci.rutgers.edu; or visit the ASA website at: http://www.africanstudies.org/.

African Studies Association Award Deadlines

Distinguished Africanist Award nomination packets are due on February 15, 2001. Nomination packets include the CV of the nominee; a detailed letter of nomination justifying the candidature in terms of the criteria for the award; and 3 similar letters from ASA members supporting the nomination (at least two must be affiliated with institutions other than that of the nominee). Detailed information about other ASA awards and deadlines is available at http://www.africanstudies.org/awards.html.

Call for Papers

Contesting African Cities: Authority, Social Movements, Cultural Expressions is the title for this conference sponsored by The Center for African Studies at Rutgers University, March 29-31, 2001. The conference focuses on the dialectics of power and culture in historical and contemporary African cities. Papers should explore the following in the past and the present: a) ways in which the state and others with institutional authority have sought to control social movements and the cultural actions and utterances of individuals and groups; b) ways in which residents have used music, popular art, performance, clothing, and street manifestations to assert their voices, identify social movements, and define spheres of life; c) means by which people have shaped cities in the abscence of hierarchical authority or during civil wars; d) actions and discourses that have revealed the blurred boundaries between public and private spheres or the inappropriateness of distinguishing between such spheres; and e) tensions that have been generated by the simultaneous existence of regularized and illegal settlements or of licensed and informal uses of urban space.

Submissions from all disciplines are welcome. Please send paper proposals to Allen Howard, Chair, Urban African Committee, Center for African Studies, 204 Beck Hall, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854; tel: (732) 445-6638 or email: ahoward@rci.rutgers.edu. Deadline is February 15, 2001.

International Conference on Eritrea

During this summer's 10th anniversary of Eritrea's independence there will be an international conference entitled "Independent Eritrea: Lessons and Prospects." Thematic topics include economics, history, politics, regional relations, socio-cultural issues, and science and technology. Details of the conference can be found in the Eritrean Studies Association web site, www.eritreanstudies.org. The conference will be hosted July 22 through July 26, 2001, at the Intercontinental Hotel, Asmara, Eritrea. The deadline for completed papers is April 15, 2001; interested individuals should contact the respective thematic and sub-thematic chairs shown on the web site or send mail to ESA, P.O. Box 4034, East Lansing, MI 48826, U.S.A. or ESA, P.O. Box 5849, Asmara, Eritrea.

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Message-Id: <4.3.1.2.20010205110355.00ab2a70@pilot.msu.edu> Date: Mon, 05 Feb 2001 11:04:22 -0500 From: MSU African Studies Center <beckum@pilot.msu.edu> Subject: Tuesday Bulletin No. 5

Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar

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