Tuesday Bulletin, Fall No. 4

THE TUESDAY BULLETIN

Issue No. 4 Fall 2004
September 21, 2004

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
FELLOWSHIPS
JOBS

EVENTS

September 23, Thursday

"Foreign Aid and the African Farmer: New Evidence," African Studies Center Brown Bag with Carl Eicher, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus (Agricultural Economics, MSU), 12:00 noon, Room 201, International Center.

September 30, Thursday

"The Americas as Methodological Aid for the Interrogation of Africa's History: Reflections on Santiago de Cuba," African Studies Center Brown Bag with Harry Nii Koney Odamtten, Graduate Student (African and African American Studies, MSU), 12:00 noon, Room 201, International Center.

MSU ANNOUNCEMENTS

Afrobarometer Project Receives Joint Award

The American Political Science Association Award Committee agreed unanimously that the Comparative Politics Dataset award should go jointly to Michael Bratton (Michigan State University), E. Gyimah-Boadi (Center for Democratic Development, Ghana) and Robert Mattes (The Institute for Democracy in South Africa), for their pioneering work on the Afrobarometer.

"We think that this innovative new data set project meets the goals of the award in every way. We were particularly impressed at the development of networks of national partner survey researchers in many countries that have never had previous social scientific surveys of political and social attitudes. The substantive contents of the surveys are of great interest, not only to scholars, but to NGOs, policy advocates, donor agencies, and all concerned with African democracy. Although the first round of surveys in twelve countries was only completed in 2001, many scholarly papers, as well as a book by the Principal Investigators, have already been generated. A second round of surveys is just finished.

Moreover, this project is a model of transparency in releasing full information on the work in progress, detailing the procedures, including transparency about funding and associated researchers, as well as with timely deposit of data through archives as well as their own website. For all these reasons we think that the Data Set Award's recognition of the scholars responsible for the Afrobarometer is well deserved."

Committee

G. Bingham Powell, Chair (University of Rochester), Pippa Norris (Harvard University), and Chris Way (Cornell University)

Reprint from American Political Science Association, CP Vol 15, No. 2

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

The University of Michigan International Institute

The International Institute will host a reception for Mark Tessler, Samuel J. Eldersveld Collegiate Professor, Dept. of Political Science, Vice Provost for International Affairs, Director of the International Institute.

The reception will be Thursday, September 30, 2004, from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m., International Institute Gallery, First Floor, School of Social Work Building, 1080 S. University, Ann Arbor, Michigan. It will precede Dr. Tessler's lecture: "What We Know and What We Need to Know About the Pursuit of Democracy in the Arab World," scheduled to begin at 7:00p.m. No R.S.V.P. required.

FELLOWSHIPS

Democracy Fellowship

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) invites applications to its Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program. Established in 2001 to enable activists, scholars, and journalists from around the world to deepen their understanding of democracy and enhance their ability to promote democratic change, the fellowship program is based at NED's International Forum for Democratic Studies, in Washington, D.C.

The program offers two tracks: a practitioner track (typically three to five months) to improve strategies and techniques for building democracy abroad and to exchange ideas and experiences with counterparts in the United States; and a scholarly track (typically five to ten months) to conduct original research for publication. Projects may focus on the political, social, economic, legal, and cultural aspects of democratic development and include a range of methodologies and approaches.

The Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program is intended primarily to support practitioners and scholars from new and aspiring democracies. Distinguished scholars from the United States and other established democracies are also eligible to apply. Practitioners are expected to have substantial experience working to promote democracy. Scholars are expected to have a doctorate, or academic equivalent, at the time of application. The program is not designed to support students working toward a degree. A working knowledge of English is an important prerequisite for participation in the program.

All fellows receive a monthly stipend, health insurance, travel assistance, and research support through the Forum's Democracy Resource Center and Internship Program. For further details and instructions on how to apply, please download the "Information and Application Forms" booklet available online at www.ned.org/forum/R-FApplication.pdf or visit http://www.ned.org/ and follow the link to Fellowship Programs.

Please note that all application materials must be type- written and in English. Applications for fellowships in 2005-2006 must be received no later than November 1, 2004. For questions, please contact: Program Assistant, Fellowship Programs, National Endowment for Democracy, 1101 15th Street, N.W., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005; Tel.: (202) 293-0300; Fax: (202) 293-0258; E-mail: fellowships@ned.org

JOBS

Asst. Professor - Int'l Studies and Women's Studies

Denison University invites applications for a joint tenure-track appointment at the assistant professor level in International Studies and Women's Studies.

The International Studies Program is an interdisciplinary academic program that focuses on global processes associated with political economy and cultural analysis, broadly conceived. The program offers courses toward an interdisciplinary major in International Studies. The Women's Studies Program is an interdisciplinary academic program examining gender as it is mediated by ethnicity, race, class, and sexual identity. The program offers a major and a minor. The appointment is in both programs, so tenure will also be in both programs. The two programs will create a committee, in cooperation with the University Provost, to mentor the person and oversee the review and tenure decisions.

The successful candidate will teach equally in the two programs. Both discipline and area of specialization are open, although candidates should demonstrate interdisciplinary expertise in both research and teaching. The University is particularly interested in candidates whose work addresses the cultural dimensions of gender and global processes.

PhD by summer of 2005 is required. Please send a curriculum vita, a letter of application outlining research and teaching interests and experience, a transcript, and three letters of recommendation to: The International Studies/Women's Studies Search Committee, Women's Studies Program, Denison University, Granville, OH 43023. Review of applications will begin on October 15, 2004 and close on November 15, 2004.

Religious Studies - Indiana University

The Department of Religious Studies at Indiana University is running another search for a Professor of African religions. Specifically, they want someone who has worked in a largely Muslim society. This is the second search for this position.

Indiana University, Bloomington, Department of Religious Studies, invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor in African Religions. Applicants should conduct research on Islam, explore its intersection with indigenous religious expressions, and engage anthropological understandings of religion in their research and/or teaching.

Preference will be given to applicants who specialize in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially in regions with substantial Muslim populations. Ph.D. or equivalent required. Course load: 2 courses/semester. The successful applicant must maintain ongoing research, a record of creative and effective teaching, and an active professional profile. Teaching obligations will extend from introductory courses to upper level undergraduate seminars to graduate training at the Master's and doctoral levels.

Deadline for applications is October 20, 2004. Applicants should send a cover letter, c.v., and a dossier with at least three letters of recommendation to: Professor Robert Campany, Chair, African Religions Search, Department of Religious Studies, Sycamore Hall 230, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405. Women and minority candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Indiana University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

Global Cultural Studies

The Department of English at McMaster University invites applications for a tenure-track appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor in the area of Global Cultural Studies with an emphasis on the Visual (film, television, photography, etc.) in non-Western Cultures).

The successful candidate will have a PhD in a relevant subject and demonstrated excellence in teaching and research. Duties will include teaching and supervision in undergraduate and graduate (MA and PhD) programs in English and in an undergraduate program in Cultural Studies and Critical Theory. The Department has a proposal for an MA in Cultural Studies and Critical Theory under consideration at present. McMaster is also home to the Institute on Globalization and the Human Condition, a research institute with strong links to the Department.
The starting date for the appointment is July 1, 2005. Applications, including curriculum vitae, transcripts, a writing sample (25 pages maximum), and letters from three academic referees should be addressed to: Dr. Mary O'Connor, Chair, Department of English, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L9. The due date for applications is November 1, 2004. For information on the Department of English, see
www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/english.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and Permanent Residents will be given priority. McMaster University is strongly committed to employment equity within its community, and to recruiting a diverse faculty and staff. The University encourages applications from all qualified candidates, including women, members of visible minorities, Aboriginal persons, members of sexual minorities, and persons with disabilities.

Diasporic Literatures and Cultures

The Department of English at McMaster University invites applications for a tenure-track appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor in the area of Diasporic Literatures and Cultures with a focus on the Black Atlantic (including African, Caribbean, African North American, and Black British). The successful candidate will have a PhD and demonstrated excellence in teaching and research.

Duties will include teaching and supervision in undergraduate and graduate (MA and PhD) programs in English and in an undergraduate program in Cultural Studies and Critical Theory. The Department also has a proposal for an MA in Cultural Studies and Critical Theory under consideration at present.

The starting date for the appointment is July 1, 2005. Applications, including curriculum vitae, transcripts, a writing sample (25 pages maximum), and letters from three academic referees should be addressed to: Dr. Mary O'Connor, Chair, Department of English, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L9. The due date for applications is November 1, 2004.

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