Tuesday Bulletin for March 17th, 2009

The African Studies Center at MSU

Tuesday Bulletin for March 17th, 2009

Topics covered in this issue: Events | Announcements | Other Announcements | Conferences | Jobs
Events
Tuesday, March 17, 2009

"Violence, Alcohol and Drugs in East Africa: Gendered Responses to Development and Urbanization in the Time of AIDS," Department of History talk by Dr. Sheryl McCurdy, School of Public Health (Univ. of Texas-Houston), 12:00 - 1:30 p.m., Room 310 Bessey Hall. Please direct inquiries to Professor Laura Fair at fairl@msu.edu. Thursday, March 19, 2009

"Livelihood and Urban Poverty Reduction in Ethiopia: Perspectives from Small and Big Towns," African Studies Center Brown Bag talk with Tegegne Gebre-Egziabher, Faculty (Geography, Addis Ababa University), 12:00 noon, Room 201 International Center. Thursday, March 19, 2009

"An Alternative Approach to Mental Health Assessment Validation in Non-Western Contexts," INPEP lecture by Judith Bass, Faculty (Dept. of Mental Health at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health), 12:00 noon, Patenge Room, C102 East Fee Hall. Thursday, March 26, 2009

"Natural Climate Changes in Africa: What Causes Them and Why Should We Care?" African Studies Center Brown Bag talk with Curt Stager, Faculty (Paleoecologist, Paul Smith's College, NY), 12:00 noon, Room 201 International Center. Announcements
Teacher in-service MSU Musuem, March 26, 2009

Teaching an Integrated Study of Africa: Professional Development for Teachers will be held at the Michigan State University Museum, March 26, 2009, 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m.

This teacher in-service is presented by the African Studies Center, Center for Advanced Studies of International Development and the MSU Museum in conjunction with the exhibit, "Threads of Change: The Transformation of West African Textiles." Integrating West African Arts into the Elementary, Middle School and High School Curriculum is designed for Art Teachers, Language Arts Teachers, and Social Studies Teachers. The sessions will include a tour of the exhibit and a session on the Exploring Africa website (see below).

Classroom activities and other resources will be available. The in-service is free. Half-day substitute fees will be covered for participating teachers ($50). Lunch is provided and parking passes will also be available. Please call John Metzler, Outreach Coordinator, at (517) 353-1700 to register by March 24, 2009. Space is limited.

Exploring Africa is an educational Web-based curriculum and resource site for middle and high school teachers and educators, developed by the MSU African Studies Center in collaboration with MATRIX, Center for Humane Arts, Letters and Social Sciences Online. Materials developed for Exploring Africa fulfill social studies and humanities national and state standards and benchmarks for Eastern Hemispheric Studies and World History and Geography, in addition to language arts and the humanities. Further details at: http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu. Fulbright Fellowship Opportunities - 2010-2011

The MSU Office of International Studies and Programs cordially invites faculty, graduate students and seniors graduating in 2010 to attend the Fulbright Scholarship Program Informational Workshops.

The Fulbright Program funds students, faculty, and other professionals to undertake graduate study, advanced research, and teaching at all levels: elementary, secondary, and university in more than 140 countries. Most grantees plan their own programs. Projects may include university coursework, independent library or field research, classes in a music conservatory or art school, special projects in the social or life sciences, or some combination. Workshop dates are as follow:

GRADUATING SENIORS - Thur., April 2, 2009, Rooms 303 International Ctr., 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

GRADUATE STUDENTS - Tues., April 7, 2009, Room 303 International Ctr., 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

FACULTY SCHOLARS - Mon., April 6, 2009, Room 303 International Ctr., 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Register by contacting Kathy Riel at 355-2350 or e-mail riel@msu.edu. Please RSVP by March 31, 2009. To learn more about the Fulbright Program, contact Professor Frank M. D'Itri, MSU Fulbright Program Advisor, at ditri@msu.edu. Participants will be informed about the objectives, requirements, and deadlines for each program as well as how to: 1) develop a competitive application, 2) select a host country, and 3) make useful contacts abroad, and 4) solicit winning letters of recommendation.

Fulbright Fellowships provide outstanding opportunities for international scholarly experiences in 140 countries. They can enhance a recipient's career and enrich her/his life. The grants pay for air travel, a monthly living stipend, health and accident insurance, and in some cases, tuition waivers and research allowances. Africa Past & Present Podcast

"Africa Past and Present" is a Podcast about history, culture, and politics in Africa hosted by Michigan State University historians Peter Alegi and Peter Limb. It is produced by MATRIX - The Center for Humane Arts, Letters, and Social Sciences Online at MSU (http://www.matrix.msu.edu). Listen and subscribe to the biweekly Podcast at: http://afripod.aodl.org/. Other Announcements
Grant Writing Proposal Workshop - Ann Arbor, MI

The Institute for Strategic Funding Development (ISFD) is sponsoring a Strategic Grant Writing Proposal Workshop to be held at Concordia University in Ann Arbor, Michigan from March 25-27, 2009, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Participants completing the ISFD grant writing workshop will receive a Certificate of Completion accredited by CFRE, grant funding CD, bonus fundraising CD, expert grant training instruction from grant industry leaders and much more. Educators, non-profit professionals, graduate students, administrators & researchers in the sciences and social sciences should register as soon as possible. Spaces fill up quickly, which means registration is on a first-come-first serve basis.

The Institute for Strategic Funding Development's grant writing workshop is designed to teach the basics of grant writing for industry professionals. It provides a comprehensive overview of effective grant development techniques, including: finding best fit funding sources, creating innovative programs, and planning for funding Sustainability. The workshop is great for government, academic, research, health and non-profit professionals new to the grant writing world as well for professionals looking to expand their grant writing knowledge. The workshop will provide an intensive and interactive grant proposal development experience where participants will learn the proposal writing process in its entirety. As an added bonus, participants will be able to develop a draft proposal or have an instructor review one of their existing grant proposals. The Strategic Grant Writing Proposal Workshop will be presented in three sessions:

Strategic Proposal Writing Strategic Program Planning* Strategic Grant Research

For more details, tuition, and registration, please visit the ISFD website at http://www.isfdonline.com or call (877) 414-8991. Interested send an e-mail to info@isfdonline.com with your basic contact information and a seat will be reserved. African Journal of History & Culture (AJHC)

The African Journal of History and Culture (AJHC) publishes high-quality solicited and unsolicited articles, in all areas of the subject. All articles published in (AJHC) will be peer-reviewed. The following types of papers are considered for publication:

* Original articles in basic and applied research.

* Critical reviews, surveys, opinions, commentaries and essays.

The objective is to inform authors of the decision on their manuscript(s) within four weeks of submission. Instruction for authors and other details are available at: www.academicjournals.org/AJHC. Prospective authors should send their manuscript(s) to jetr@acadjourn.org. Conferences
American Political Science Association Africa Workshop

The American Political Science Association (APSA) and the Institute for African Studies at the University of Ghana, Legon is pleased to announce a call for applications from individuals who would like to participate in a June 21-July 10, 2009 workshop on Elections and Democracy: Exchanging African and Comparative Perspectives. The workshop will be held at the Institute for African Studies in Accra, Ghana. The organizers, with a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, will cover all the costs of participation (travel, lodging, meals, daily stipends, materials) for up to 23 qualified applicants (20 African, 3 U.S.). The working language of the workshop is English. Professional fluency in English is absolutely required.

The workshop leaders are Dr. Daniel A. Smith (Department of Political Science, University of Florida, USA), Dr. Kevin S. Fridy (Department of Political Science, University of Tampa, USA), Dr. Beatrix Allah-Mensah (Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, Ghana), and Dr. Ukoha Ukiwo (Department of Political and Administrative Studies, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria).

Program announcements, application form, and more information about the workshop can be found online at the APSA Africa Workshops project website, http://www.apsanet.org/africaworkshops. The application deadline is March 27, 2009.

This workshop is targeted principally at university and college faculties in the social sciences residing in Africa, who have completed their Ph.D. and are in the early stages of their academic career. Up to three U.S. advanced Ph.D. students will also be accepted. African Studies Association Mtg. -New Orleans, LA

The African Studies Association's 52nd Annual Meeting will be held November 19-22, 2009 at the New Orleans Marriott Hotel, New Orleans, LA. This year's Annual Meeting theme is "Africa at a Crossroads." The Program Chair is Aili Tripp, University of Wisconsin-Madison. To submit proposals, log onto your MyASA account at www.africanstudies.org. Membership dues and the pre-registration fee or the nonmember pre-registration fee must be paid before a participant will be able to submit a proposal. The call for proposals extended the deadline to March 31, 2009. 2009 Annual Meeting Pre-Registration Rates Members with Income $35,000 and Above = $160Members with Income below $35,000 = $100Member Students with Valid ID = $100Non-Members with Income $35000 and Above = $200Non-Members with Income below $35,000 = $120Non-Member Students with Valid ID = $120For assistance with pre-registration payments contact the ASA Secretariat at members@africanstudies.org or call (732) 932-8173, x11. For assistance with submitting a proposal, please contact the Secretariat at Kimme.carlos@africanstudies.org; call (732) 932-8173, x15, or contact the proposal submission support system (Abstract Central Support) at (434) 964-4100 or (888-503-1050 – US Only). This support service has been created specifically to answer proposal submission questions. Jobs
Research & Dissemination Coord. - University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

The Migrant and Refugee Rights Monitoring Project is dedicated to documenting rights abuses and producing research for use by advocates, service providers, the media, and government. Based at the Forced Migration Studies Programme, the coordinator will oversee teams of researchers working across South Africa. In addition, the incumbent will be responsible for disseminating information to relevant stakeholders and expanding the program's scope and influence within and out of South Africa.

The position may also involve limited postgraduate teaching and supervision. The position will be offered as a one-year renewable contract beginning as soon as possible. The application deadline is 22 March 2009.

Successful applicants will have experience in one or more of the following areas: human rights advocacy, development, humanitarian assistance, and public policy. PhD in a relevant Social Science discipline, plus two to five years of relevant experience in South or Southern Africa is preferred. Applicants with a Masters degree and five or more years of research and advocacy experience may also be considered. Direct inquiries to Professor Loren Landau, Director, Forced Migration Studies Programme, Tel: 011-717-4038; e-mail: Loren.Landau@wits.ac.za.

To apply, submit a cover letter, a detailed CV with the names addresses and contact information of three referees ( e-mail addresses), at least three examples of your journal publications, and certified copies of your degrees and diplomas to: Mrs Pumla Ngcobo, Humanities Human Resources Office, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Private Bag X 3, Wits 2050. (Tel: 011-717-1411; email: pumla.ngcobo@wits.ac.za. One Laptop per Child – Africa Internship Program

Students have played a pivotal role in every revolution, except learning. That will change in 2009. Through One Laptop per Child (OLPC), student teams from around the world will each deploy 100 XO-laptops throughout Africa this summer. Undergraduate or graduate students with an interest in education, technology or capacity building, will be provided with unprecedented hands-on experience through this internship program.

Student Teams will:

- travel to one of the 53 African countries of their choosing for 9-10 weeks;

- participate in a 10-day orientation in Kigali, Rwanda at OLPC's office;

- receive a $10,000 (USD) team stipend;

- deploy 100 XO laptops, including hardware and support;

- collaborate with other teams as part of a life long global network, empowering a generation;

- send one representative to MIT/OLPC's all-expense-paid summit from October 10-12, 2009

Interns will be active members of OLPC's innovative one to one laptop-learning project and hold key roles as leaders in the grassroots movement. OLPC summer internships, which are full-time commitments, begin June 8, 2009.

For more information on OLPCorps Africa and specific application requirements, please visit: www.laptop.org/en/participate/get-involved/OLPCorps.shtml. Proposals must be received by March 27, 2009.

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