Tuesday Bulletin, 06/09/09

Tuesday Bulletin for June 9th, 2009

Topics covered in this issue: Events | Announcements | Other Announcements | Fellowships | Conferences | Jobs
Events
Monday, June 15 - Friday, Aug 7, 2009

2009 Summer Cooperative African Language Institute. Held a Michigan State University. For information, contact the African Studies Center at (517) 353-1700. Announcements
MSU Peace Corps Recruiter Position

The MSU Peace Corps Office is seeking applicants for two ¼-time Recruiter Positions for the 2009-2010 academic year, with possible extension for summer 2010 and beyond. Recruiters must be current MSU graduate students and Return Peace Corps Volunteers who left Peace Corps service in good standing. Duties include: recruitment, support, and interview of applicants, event planning, maintenance of MSU Peace Corps website and contacts, presentations to student groups and career fairs, weekly office hours (flexible), creation of monthly reports and yearly recruitment plan, and liaison with Chicago Regional Peace Corps Office. Successful candidates must have outstanding organizational, communication, and presentation skills. To apply for this position submit resume and cover letter by June 19, 2009 to: Dr. Robert Glew, Center for Advanced Study of International Development, 202 International Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. 48824; or, via e-mail to: glew@msu.edu. New Major in Arabic Offered at MSU - Fall 2009

With strategic importance placed on certain languages by the U.S. government, Michigan State University will offer a new major and minor in Arabic starting this fall.

The new major and minor have been created in response to the success of the Arabic Language Instruction Flagship (ALIF), which was started in 2007 with federal funding for Arabic language and culture study. ALIF is a unique language-learning opportunity for students who are interested in Arabic in addition to their primary area of interest. Students at all different proficiency levels will follow personalized study plans of traditional language courses complemented by co-curricular activities, personalized tutoring and study. For more information on requirements of the Arabic language, majors and minors or the ALIF program, visit http://www.arabicflagship.msu.edu/ or contact the Department of Linguistics, Germanic, Slavic, African and Asian Languages at (517) 432-3941. Fulbright Awards Spring 2009

Eight Michigan State University students will have the opportunity to conduct international research in the country of their choice, thanks to the Fulbright office at MSU, four of which are Africanists. The Fulbright office, coordinated by Frank D'Itri, is housed in the International Center at MSU and serves American students who are looking for support to conduct international research.

The new Africanist fellows are:

Yvette Efevbera, international relations senior, will research girl support groups in Uganda;

Marcy Hessling, doctoral student in anthropology, will research the effects of education and migration on girls in Benin;

Allison Loconto, doctoral student in sociology, will research sustainability and tea production in Tanzania;!

Matthew Murray, a history senior, will research irrigation and the environment in the colonial history of Tunisia. See http://news.msu.edu/story/6328/ for full story. Faculty Announcements

Ibro Chekaraou, Hausa professor at MSU and Coordinator of African Languages published the following textbook: Mú Zânt Dá Harshén Hausa (A Multidimensional Approach to the Teaching and Learning of Hausa As a Foreign Language) 2008, NALRC Press, Madison, WI, ISBN 978-1-59703-016-8.

The purpose of this textbook is to develop the Linguistic and communicative skills of learners of Hausa. This will help them to have a balanced, functional knowledge of linguistic structures and a sound vocabulary, as well as the ability to use their skills appropriately in real-life situations. The book also encourages students to be systematically involved in activities requiring the communicative use of all four language skills: speaking, listening, writing, and reading. Culture and language are integrated in the book in a way that enables students to achieve both linguistic competence and cultural awareness.

For order information, contact the National African Language Resource Center at (608) 265-7905; or e-mail: nalrc@mailplus.wisc.edu.

Peter Alegi, professor in the Department of History, has been appointed a visiting Fulbright Scholar at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Pietermaritzburg, in South Africa for the calendar year 2010. Dr. Alegi's project is to explore "Sport and Leisure: Colonial and Postcolonial Transformations." As part of his project," Alegi will teach two newly developed history courses: "Global Soccerscapes: Business, Power, and Culture" and "Sport in South Africa, Past and Present: Race, Class, Gender, and Nation." These courses illustrate how African men and women cannot be written out of history.

Alegi's courses are aimed at undergraduates and graduate students seeking to inform themselves ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa. As a Fulbright scholar, Alegi will assist with the internationalization of the curriculum at UKZN and develop new ways for local students to interact with online media, as well as integrate digital resources into their own projects. During his year in South Africa (January-December), Alegi intends to work on joint projects with local faculty and strengthen MSU's strategic partnership with UKZN. 2009 Fall GenCen Internships, Graduate & Undergraduate

The Center for Gender in Global Context (GenCen) offers internship coordination for undergraduate and graduate students interested in issues of gender, social justice, community development, health, domestic violence, and/or environmental change. Students are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to gain hands-on experience interning with organizations working on these issues, while receiving MSU credit. Fall 2009 applications are now being accepted. The early admission deadline is May 1, and the final deadline is July 15, 2009.

An application form can be downloaded at http://www.gjec.msu.edu/internship.htm. Electronic submissions are encouraged. Students interested in international internships should contact the GenCen Internship Coordinator, Marisa Rinkus, at gencenic@msu.edu as soon as possible to discuss programs and specific deadlines. 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 (h! ttp://ww w.matrix.msu.edu). Listen and subscribe to the biweekly Podcast at: http://afripod.aodl.org/. Other Announcements
MyCOE / SERVIR Biodiversity Initiative in Africa

A new initiative which will focus on local capacity to use geography and geographic technologies for biodiversity initiatives in Africa has been announced. A MyCOE/SERVIR Biodiversity Youth Cadre will be formed from participants in the following eligible countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania ! and Zamb ia. Other eligible countries are Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, DRC, Eritrea, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe. US-based students and scholars may be eligible to participate in other ways.The partnership of My Community Our Earth Partnership (MyCOE) was established in 2001 in the run up for the World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa. The main program objectives are to involve youth in sustainable development projects in their own communities, provide capacity building in the use of geographic tools and technologies, and disseminate the results of the program globally in order to highlight the contributions of geography towards sustainable development.

For details about the program and how to apply, visit: http://www.aag.org/sustainable/Africa.cfm or send an e-mail to: Dr. Patricia Solis, AAG (psolis@aag.org) by June 26, 2009. Please write "MyCOE / SERVIRBiodiversity Initiative in Africa Application" in the subject line. Fellowships
Fellowship Opportunity- African Graduate Students

The application process for the 2009-2010 African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) Charlotte Conservation Fellowship is open through 31 July 2009. Under the Charlotte Conservation Fellowship Program (AWF), scholarships are being offered for full MSc or partial Ph.D. programs with field research components that produce knowledge or insight into specific conservation challenges in the African Heartlands or Conservation in general. Citizens of Democratic Republic of Congo, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Niger, Benin and Burkina Faso are eligible to apply. Qualified women candidates working in conservation in Southern Sudan are especially encouraged to apply.

For details and information on how to apply, visit: www.awf.org/section/peopl! e/educat ion/charlotte/2009application. All forms and documents must be filled out completely and submitted by close of business 31 July 2009. For more information, please contact: charlottefellowship@awfke.org. Postdoctoral Fellowships - Hampshire College

Hampshire College is pleased to announce an Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship with a focus on African Expressive and Material Arts. Scholars in any field of the arts or social sciences whose work concerns popular expressive and/or material arts in East Africa, with a particular interest in youth as cultural producers, are encouraged to apply. Candidates for the position should demonstrate a proficiency in Swahili and whose work is in expressive/material forms.

The successful candidate should be aware of cultural movements and developments in East Africa, and how they have played a role in the world's cultural, artistic, and political landscapes. Candidates may explore new material and expressive forms in East Africa by combining a deep practical understanding of the techniques and concepts deployed in the production of a popular expressive/material form, as well as clear consideration of the socio-political contexts and discourses the form and its practitioners invoke and reshape through performance and or/production.

Candidates work may include, but is not limited to, popular sign-painting, comics, sculpture, music, poetry, theatre, film and dance; and popular material culture includes fashion, locally made goods and tools that respond to changing environmental conditions, home decor and design, and the use of hybrid/international/global products in the management and development of contemporary identities and social movements.

For more information and the application process, please visit: http://www.hampshire.edu/dof/fellowships.htm. Conferences
Egypt in it's African Context - Call for Papers

The forthcoming Egypt in its African Context symposium will be held at The Manchester Museum, University of Manchester, UK on 3-4 October 2009.

The African elements of the ancient Egyptian culture, and indeed its physical location in Africa, have frequently been ignored, and there exists a level of prejudice against suggestions that Egyptian culture can be situated within an African cultural context. The contextualising of ancient Egypt culturally and geographically within Africa, the concept of ancient Egypt as part of Black History, and the discussion of how the material is perceived and interpreted in the West have only recently begun to receive attention, and the discussion is still regarded as peripheral and often irrelevant.

Papers are requested that address the following themes:

- the African aspects of ancient Egyptian culture;

-historical and contemporary African perceptions of ancient Egypt;

- the contested nature of ancient Egypt;

-the biases inherent in presentation of Egypt in the West, and ways of addressing this – in museums, media and popular and scholarly publication.

The conference is organised in association with The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge and with the support of The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology. Go to: http://www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/collection/ancientegypt/conference/ for complete details. The closing date for abstracts is 31st July 2009. Jobs
Interim Executive Director - Grand Rapids, MI

The Grand Rapids based Michigan African Community Center, a leading non-profit organization serving the Greater Grand Rapids area, has been a beacon of hope, determination, support and success for hundreds of area residents since 2001. They are seeking a resourceful, creative Interim Executive Director to lead their team in serving the social, educational, and cultural needs of the African community. This part-time position seeks a self-motivated in! dividual to manage basic operations and provide leadership to the management and staff of the refugee and immigrant population. This is a part-time, flexible position that may become full-time, based on the person's ability to lead and manage the organization.

To apply, please visit www.hfainc.org. Fax resume and cover letter to (616) 222-0206 or e-mail: humanity.africa@sbcglobal.net. Attention: Kojo Quartey, Board President.

from MSU African Studies Center <africa@msu.edu>

date Mon, Jun 8, 2009 at 11:01 AM
subject Tuesday Bulletin for June 9th, 2009

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