MSU Tuesday Bulletin, 04/08/03

Issue No. 10 Spring 2003
April 8, 2003 Weekly News from the AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY 100 INTERNATIONAL CENTER
EAST LANSING MI 48824-1035

BULLETIN CONTENTS

MSU ANNOUNCEMENTS GRANTS JOBS

EVENTS

April 8, Tuesday "Does Marriage Influence Individual Behavior in Urban Africa: Evidence from a High HIV Area in Kenya," Frontier Research on Poverty, Inequality and Institutions in Developing Countries speaker series talk with Kaivan Munshi, Department of Economics (University of Pennsylvania), 3:30 p.m., Koo Room (4F), Marshall Hall.

April 10, Thursday "Land Tenure Reform and Changing Livelihoods in Semi_Arid Tharaka, Kenya," African Studies Center Brown Bag with Thomas Smucker, Graduate Student (ABD, Dept. of Geography, MSU), 12:00 noon, 201 International Center.

April 17, Thursday "Mandela Redeemed," African Studies Center Brown Bag with Jabulani Buthelezi, Former MSU Student (College of Education), 12:00 noon, 201 International Center.

April 23, Wednesday "Political Systems in an African State: A Case of the Ciskei Homeland in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa," Special Presentation by Professor C.H.T. Lalendle, Educational Administrator in the Eastern Cape government (retired Professor of Education, South Africa), 3:30 p.m. _ 4:30 p.m., Room 204, International Center.

April 24, Thursday "A Day in the Life of Africa," African Studies Center Brown Bag Video presentation documenting over 50 Journalists' work, 12:00 noon, Room 201 International Center.

MSU ANNOUNCEMENTS

Nigerian Quilt on Exhibit at the MSU Museum Yoruba artist Adesola Kilani Falade says of the "Midnight Sky" quilt, "Looking at the sky in December 1997, I noticed how beautiful the sky was and I took my pencil and think [sic] about making a quilt like it."

The quilt is made of a type of fabric known as adire. The Yoruba people of Nigeria create adire by using resist dye techniques to create dramatic blue on blue patterns. To create the designs, cloth is folded, tied, and stitched with raffia prior to dying. The manipulation of cloth allows some areas to not receive dye, and to remain white. The effect can also be created by painting dye resistant starch onto fabric prior to the dye process.

The Nike Center for Arts and Culture was established in 1988 in Osogbo, Nigeria by Nike Olaniyi Davies_ Okundaye. Shortly after the center opened, Georgina Beier, a European, taught members how to make quilts out of their cloth and found that the men were more enthusiastic than the women. "Midnight Sky" was made by one of the Center's artists.

For more information, contact Lora Helou, Information & Museum Services, Michigan State University Museum; Phone: (517)_432_3357; e_mail: helou@msu.edu; web site: www.museum.msu.edu

2004_2005 Fulbright U.S. Student Related Grants for Graduate Study and Research Abroad The Institute of International Education (IIE) announce the 2004_2005 Fulbright U.S. Student Program competition. The program is designed to give recent B.S./B.A. graduates, master's and doctoral candidates, and young professionals and artists opportunities for personal development and international experience. The program promotes cross_cultural interaction and mutual understanding on a person_to_person basis in an atmosphere of openness, academic integrity, and intellectual freedom.

Complete program and application information will be available from the Dean's office after May 1, 2003. For further information and copies of the application forms, contact: Francoise St. Onge, 209 International Center; phone: 355_2350; e_mail: stongef@msu.edu; or Murari Suvedi Assistant Dean, ISP; e_mail: suvedi@msu.edu. The MSU deadline for the receipt of applications is Tuesday, September 30, 2003. Applications will be reviewed on campus prior to being forwarded to IIE for the IIE October 21, 2003 deadline.

Explore Africa Explore Africa at MSU, 2003, is a program designed for academically_talented high school students who would like to become immersed in learning about the tremendous diversity found within the continent of Africa. This program is a cooperative venture by
the African Studies Center and the Office of Gifted and Talented Education, at MSU.

Much of the news that is read or heard about Africa in the press is largely negative. Explore Africa at MSU challenges these stereotypical representations by presenting Africa in all of its rich cultural, social, economic and political diversity. Program cost is $600.00. Limited financial aid, up to $550.00 is available, based on documented need.

Students should meet the following requirements:
entering grade 10 or 11 in 2003/04 with a high GPA in strong academic subjects have a desire to work in an academically challenging environment are enthusiastic, creative learners

In order to be eligible students must have the following:
an educator recommendation a student essay
and ONE or more of the following:

a transcript showing a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or above a MEAP score report showing that the student meets or exceeds state standards in either language arts or social studies OR documentation of strong standardized test scores (PLAN, PSAT, ACT or SAT).

These must be sent along with:
the completed and signed application a deposit check for $50 made out to Michigan State University The application and other application materials are to be sent to: Michigan State University, Office of Gifted and Talented Programs, A Division of the Honors College, 186 Bessey Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824_1033. Applications must be postmarked by April 30, 2003.

For application forms and other details about this program, please call Jenny McCampbell, Director of the Office of Gifted and Talented Education (517) 432_ 2129. Questions about the curriculum for the program may be directed to John Metzler, Outreach Coordinator for the African Studies Center (517) 353_1700, or visit the website: www.msu.edu/user/gifted.

The University of Nigeria Book Donation Project An expanded book drive under the auspices of the MSU African Studies Center has been scheduled for March through May 2003. The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria _ originally established by MSU _ is the beneficiary of this project.

Books and other learning materials are requested in the specified subject areas listed: 1) Medicine _ all areas, including human medicine, psychiatry/psychology, life sciences, medical technology, nursing, dentistry, osteopathy, pharmaceutical sciences and veterinary medicine; 2) Science and Technology _ all areas, including engineering, physical and chemical sciences, environmental science, and agriculture; 3) Business _ finance, economics, marketing, textile/clothing, and business administration; 4) Information Technology _ library/information science and computer science; 5) Law _ all aspects of law; 6) Mathematics and Statistics _ all areas; and 7) Others _ urban studies, tourism.

Books and journals desired are those published within the last five years. Collection points include: African Studies Center, Life Sciences Building, Room 211 and MSU Law School (Student Affairs Office), contact person: Chloe Berwind_Dart. Please direct inquiries regarding this book drive to: Ike Iyioke, Coordinator, College of Human Medicine, B211 Life Sciences Bldg, 355_2404.

GRANTS

Fulbright_Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Program _ US Dept. of Education This program provides grants to colleges and universities to fund individual doctoral students to conduct research in other countries in modern foreign languages and area studies for periods of 6 to 12 months. Proposals focusing on Western Europe are not eligible. For complete details, visit: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/HEP/iegps/ddrap.html The new deadline is October 25, 2003.

Faculty Fulbright Awards Faculty Fulbright Awards have just been announced available for Sub_Saharan and North Africa for 2004_05. Awards are available for lecturing and research in Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Below are the deadlines for all faculty awards:

Application Deadlines May 1, 2003 Fulbright Distinguished Chairs Program August 1, 2003 Fulbright traditional lecturing, lecturing/research and research awards worldwide January 1, 2004 NATO Advanced Research Fellowships and Institutional Grants

See details of awards, countries, and application forms for the 800 annual faculty awards at: http://www.cies.org/cies/us_scholars/

Five College African Scholars Residency Program The Five College African Scholars Program (USA) announces four and one_half month residency fellowships from January to May 2004 and August to December 2004. Junior and mid_level scholars, who are citizens of an African nation and who teach in African universities, are eligible to apply.

Proposals are invited for projects, based on the applicant's current research, which can be completed and prepared for publication during the residency. Projects may be in any discipline or interdisciplinary. They should be relevant to the study of Africa in the social sciences or the humanities and demonstrate a benefit to the scholar's home university. Because the program does not provide laboratory facilities, scientific proposals will be considered only if they are at the stage of reviewing data andscholarly literature in order to publish results.

Each fellow will be hosted by a faculty member at one of the Five College institutions _ Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College or University of Massachusetts Amherst. Six fellowships will be awarded in 2004.

Provisions include a $3,000 stipend for each month in residence, airfare, laptop computer, housing, health insurance, access to libraries, office, and a modest research allowance. Information about the revised eligibility and selection criteria and the application form are in English or French at the website: http://www.fivecolleges.edu/asp If you would like materials sent by mail or e_mail, please e_mail asp@fivecolleges.edu. Applications must be received by the deadline: May 15, 2003. The program is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Smith College, and Five Colleges, Inc. and its member institutions.

JOBS

African Language Director _ Harvard University The Harvard University Department of Afro_American Studies invites applications for appointment as Professor of the Practice or Senior Preceptor to direct the new African languages program at Harvard. The appointment is anticipated to begin July 1, 2003, though a later date is possible, and is for a 5_year renewable term. Ph.D. strongly preferred. Duties include the design and direction of a program of instruction in African languages and the teaching of two African languages. Requirements include demonstrated excellence in teaching, experience in directing a language program, a strong record of publication in a relevant field such as language pedagogy, African linguistics, applied linguistics, or African literature, and a demonstrated commitment to the pedagogy of African language education.

Applications from women and members of minority groups are strongly encouraged. Candidates should send a cover letter, curriculum vitae, names of references, samples of written material, teaching evaluation materials, and a brief summary of research interests to: Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Department of Afro_American Studies, Harvard University, 12 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. Application deadline is April 30, 2003. Harvard University is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer.

Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar

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