UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER

MSU Tuesday Bulletin, 01/10/06


THE TUESDAY BULLETIN
Issue No. 1 Spring 2006
January 10, 2006

Weekly News from the AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY 100 INTERNATIONAL CENTER
EAST LANSING MI 48824-1035

For back issues, see archive <http://africa.msu.edu>

BULLETIN CONTENTS

EVENTS
MSU ANNOUNCEMENTS
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONFERENCES
JOBS

EVENTS

January 11, Wednesday

"Hausa Table," every Wednesday brown bag luncheon with Dr. Ibro Chekaraou. Hausa-phones in the Lansing/East Lansing area meet to practice their Hausa in order to maintain or improve their oral skills in the language, 12:00 noon, Room 201 International Center.


January 11, Wednesday

"Why Jihad went Global," lecture by Fawaz A. Gerges, Professor of International Affairs and Middle Eastern Studies (Sarah Lawrence College), 7:30 p.m., Kellogg Center Auditorium. The lecture is sponsored by the Muslim Studies Program and James Madison College at MSU. It is free and open to the public.


January 12, Thursday

"The University of Nigeria at Nsukka in 2006: A History and Plans for the Future," African Studies Center Brown Bag with Professor Chinedu Nebo, Vice Chancellor, University of Nsukka: 12:00 noon, 201 International Center.


January 12, Thursday

"Reflections on Environmental Geography behind Human History," talk by Harm de Blij, Distinguished Professor of Geography (MSU), 3:00 - 5:00 p.m., MSU Radiology Auditorium.


January 13, Friday

Deadline for nominations for the annual International Awards Ceremony to be held March 29, 2006, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m., Third floor, International Center. Nominations are for the Gill-Chin Lim Award; Homer Higbee International Education Award; Joon S. Moon distinguished International Alumni Award; Ralph H. Smuckler Award; Glen Taggart Award for Community Contribution to International Understanding; Walker Hill International Award; and the MSU Award for Outstanding Service to Study Abroad. For information, contact Kathy at (517) 355-2350; or visit: http://www.isp.msu.edu/iac.


January 17, Tuesday

"MLK's Impact: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow," ISP Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration program with keynote speaker: David Hollister, director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth and former Lansing mayor. Music performance by the MSU jazz studies students and free lunch. 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., 3rd Floor International Center. All are Welcome.


MSU ANNOUNCEMENTS

African Studies Center Application for Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) 2006-07

The African Studies Center at MSU is now accepting on-line applications for FLAS fellowships for academic year 2006-07 and for the 2006 Summer Cooperative African Language Institute (SCALI). The FLAS fellowship is funded by the U.S. Department of Education Title VI program for the study of African languages and non-language courses on Africa.

Up to date information and on-line application forms are available at: http://africa.msu.edu/FLAS/FLAS.htm. Candidates must have completed application procedures by February 17, 2006. Related application materials are to be mailed to the Assistant Director of the African Studies Center, 100 International Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1035; Phone: (517) 353-1700; Fax: (517) 432-1209; e-mail: fisseha@msu.edu. In accordance with the Title VI centers' agreement of rotating summer course offerings under SCALI, African languages study in summer 2006 will be hosted by Indiana University-Bloomington. For info, visit: http://www.indiana.edu/afrist/scali1.html.

MSU and U of M to host Atlantic History Workshop

On April 28-30, 2006, Michigan State University and the University of Michigan will host "'Recapricorning' the Atlantic: Luso-Brazilian and Luso-African Perspectives on the Atlantic World". The workshop will be a forum for discussing chapters from dissertations or books in progress that reflect on how new research on the Lusophone South Atlantic modifies, challenges, or confirms the expanding body of Atlantic History. Applicants should submit a C.V., a draft version of the chapter they wish to present, and a brief description of the work from which it is drawn, by January 15, 2006. Materials and all inquires should be sent electronically to: atlantic@msu.edu or contact Lindsey Gish, Department of History, 301 Morrill Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824.

Faculty Publication

Ayalew Kanno, African Studies Center Associate Faculty member, has translated the book: The Oromo: An Ancient People Great African Nation, as recounted by Martial De Salviac. The book has been translated from the original French edition. For other information or to purchase a book, please contact Ayalew Kanno at kannoa@msu.edu.

Honorary Degree

Ahmed Kathrada, a long-time partner of MSU, received an honorary degree from Michigan State University during fall commencement ceremonies on Saturday, December 10, 2005, in recognition of his outstanding achievements in science and the humanities. Kathrada, a resident of Cape Town, South Africa, was a leader in South Africa's struggle for freedom for more than 60 years.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Unite for Sight: Available Volunteer Programs in Ghana and Sierra Leone

Unite For Sight implements outreach programs to prescribe eyeglasses, implement eye health education, and screen for cataracts, pterygium, and other eye diseases. All patients with eye disease are referred to the closest quality eye clinic for diagnosis, treatment, and surgery. This new form of delivery enables sustainable programs while simultaneously reducing all of the barriers to health care, including financial, transportation, and education hindrances. Unite For Sight's model also reduces costs and expands the ability of all people to "Unite For Sight" and help in the fight against blindness.

Details for Tamale, Ghana: Flexible Dates for 4 weeks or more between July 15, 2005 - July 15, 2007. The Volunteer Team will work with Dr. Seth Wanye, MD, at the Eye Clinic of Tamale Teaching Hospital. The team will screen for eye disease and operable cataracts. Dr. Wanye is the regional ophthalmologist, and he takes responsibility for all eye care services in the region. The Tamale region is in very desperate need of screening outreach and eye health education services. Lodging will cost $7-$9 per day, and food costs are approximately $5/day.

Details for Serabu, Sierra Leone: Program Options: March 1 - April 1; April 1 - May 1; May 15 - June 30; July 1 - August 15; August 16 - November 1; November 1, 2006 - January 1, 2007 (volunteers may participate in more than 1 session). The Volunteer Team will work with Southern Eye Clinic to implement screening outreach and eye health education programs. Southern Eye is a new eye clinic founded by Dr. Cathy Schanzer, an ophthalmologist in Tennessee, and her husband Tom Lewis. The clinic is the only one in the region and one of only 4 clinics in the country. Accommodation and meals will cost approximately $10/day. For more information please visit: http://www.uniteforsight.org/. Accommodation Support for ALTA Conference The National African Language Resource Center (NALRC) will be sponsoring accommodation of graduate students at the upcoming 2006 African Language Teachers Association Annual Conference. Awards will be granted for ACCOMMODATION ONLY to eligible students. Interested students should send a letter of application and a letter of support from their language coordinators or language directors. Applications must be received by January 16, 2006. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Eligibility requirements are that students are Graduate students who plan to present their research at the 2006 ALTA conference. Priority will be given to those who have never received an award from the NALRC.

University of Georgia 2006 Group Projects Abroad

The Intensive Advanced Swahili Group Project Abroad (Swahili GPA) for the summer of 2006 will be held in Tanzania from June 14 to August 6, 2006. Participants must be US citizens, or permanent residents and be junior/senior/graduate students in an institution of higher education and must have completed at least 3 semesters or the equivalent of Kiswahili. This year, the in-country (Tanzania) director is Dr. Deogratias Ngonyani, Michigan State University. However, the University of Georgia, African Studies Institute, will remain the institution of record for the 2006 GPA program. All communication and questions should be directed to Dr. Lioba Moshi at gpa@uga.edu. Application forms can be obtained from the African Studies Institute office at UGA, 319 Holmes/Hunter Bldg., Athens, GA 30602 or its website http://www.uga.edu/afrstu (on-line submission is encouraged: go to the site, select study abroad, then Tanzania, then GPA). Students should apply not later than January 31, 2006.

CONFERENCES

Graduate Student Conference-Boston University

The Political Science Graduate Student Conference will be held Saturday, February 25, 2006. A call for papers on the theme: "Defining the Terms of Good Governance for the 21st Century: Questioning the Conceptualization and Policy Implications of Good Governance." Abstracts of 400 words or less may be sent to: plsgrad@bu.edu. Deadline is January 6, 2006. For further details, please visit the website at: http://people.bu.edu/plsgrad.

Herman C. Hudson Symposium 2006-Indiana Univ.

The Indiana University, Bloomington African American and African Diaspora Studies Graduate Society extends an invitation and call for papers on the theme, "The African Diaspora: The Quest for Human Rights."

The conferences will be March 24-25, 2006. The committee is interested in topics that explore questions pertaining to the cultural, intellectual, historical, social, and political experiences of African descent and African origin people in the U.S. and the broader African Diaspora in relation to the theme. Interested presenters should submit a one-page abstract and a one-page CV. Panel proposals should include a description of the panel's theme, a one-page abstract of each paper, the name of the panel chair, and a one page CV for each participant. A minimal fee will be charged per participant. All materials and inquiries should be sent to Giva A. Wilkerson and Amina McIntyre at hchs@indiana.edu and postmarked, faxed, or e-mailed no later than, Friday, January 20, 2006. For further details, visit: http://www.indiana.edu/afroamer/.

JOBS

African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) Executive Director, Nairobi, Kenya

The African Women's Development and Communications Network (FEMNET) is a pan-African network working towards African women's development, equality, and other human rights. FEMNET works on advocacy at the regional and international levels, training on gender analysis, and mainstreaming and communications.

The Executive Director is responsible for all programmes and projects of the African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), including their conceptualization, implementation according to FEMNET's contractual obligations and internal policies, and reporting on them. The Executive Director is responsible to the Board of Trustees and Executive Board and manages the human and financial resources at FEMNET's Regional Secretariat in Nairobi, Kenya. Qualifications include demonstrated interest and experience in gender and development and/or women's human rights organizing in Africa; organizing through communications and information; organizing in the context of regional and international intergovern- mental organizations (IGOs) as well as other regional and international processes; organizing at the national level in at least three of Africa's five sub-regions; a degree in a relevant social science; demonstrated training and/or experience in programme/project management, experience in human resource and financial management; knowledge of grant-making around gender and development and/or women's human rights in Africa as a whole; ability to fundraise for gender and development and/or women's human rights in Africa; demonstrated capacity to communicate and work in both English and French. To apply, please submit, by January 15, 2006, a letter of application, together with a CV, copies of relevant supporting documents, and at least three references to: The African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), P.O. Box 54562, Nairobi 00200 Kenya; Fax: (254) 20.3742927; e-mail: admin@femnet.or.ke.

UCLA Professor-in-Residence: African Languages

The UCLA African Studies Center and the Department of Linguistics, through a joint appointment, invite applications for a position in the Professor in Residence Series to teach and coordinate African Languages. The appointment is effective Fall 2006.

A Ph.D. is required. Fields include, but are not restricted to, African Languages, Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, African Literature, and allied disciplines. Candidates should have experience in teaching African languages at the university level, evidence of effective teaching and scholarly productivity, native or near-native proficiency in Swahili, and a commitment to the development of African language teaching materials. Fluency in a second African language is desirable. Experience in using digital and other current and developing technologies in teaching and in developing teaching materials is desired.

Responsibilities include: Teaching a minimum of 6 classes of intermediate and advanced Swahili on an annual basis; program coordination including the recruiting, training, and supervising of instructional assistants for elementary and intermediate language courses; development of teaching materials for the African languages taught at UCLA; participation in African Studies Center activities and committees; and involvement in regional and national initiatives in the field of African language pedagogy. Application packets, should include: a current CV; the names of three referees; and a letter describing scholarly productivity and goals, teaching orientation and philosophy. Please mail, fax or e-mail to: Ms. Azeb Tadesse, Assistant Director, UCLA African Studies Center, 10244 Bunche Hall, UCLA box 951310, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1310; Fax:Ê (310) 206-2250; e-mail: atadesse@international.ucla. edu. Review of applications will begin after January 30, 2006. UCLA is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Women and minority applicants are encouraged to apply.

-------------------

Date: Mon, 09 Jan 2006 08:36:45 -0500
From: MSU African Studies Center <fruge@mail.msu.edu>
Subject: Tuesday Bulletin, Spring 2006, No. 1


Page Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar, Ph.D.

Previous Menu Home Page What's New Search Country Specific