MSU Tuesday Bulletin, 03/30/10

Tuesday Bulletin for March 30th, 2010

Topics covered in this issue: Events | Announcements | Other Announcements | Conferences Events
Thursday, April 1, 2010

"Developing School-based Health Care Services For Primary School Children in Rural South Africa," African Studies Center Brown Bag talk with Patricia Peek, Faculty (College of Nursing, MSU), 12:00 noon, Room 201 International Center. Friday, April 2, 2010

"Gender and Perceptions of Risk Associated with Human-Wildlife Conflict in Namibia," CASID/GenCen Friday Forum with Dr. Meredith Gore, Faculty (Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife, MSU), 12:00 noon, Room 201 International Center. Friday, April 2, 2010

"The Challenge of Freedom: In Search of Justice in Post-Reconciliation South Africa," Peace and Justice Studies Lecture with Yazier Henry, Faculty (Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and the Center for African and Afroamerican Studies, Univ. of Michigan affiliate professor), 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Room 303 International Center. Reception to follow. Thursday, April 8, 2010

TBA
Thursday, April 15, 2010

"The Evolution of Food Security Policy in Mali," African Studies Center Brown Bag talk with Mme. Lansry Nana Haidara, Food Security Commissioner and top food advisor to the President of Mali, 12:00 noon, Room 201 International Center. Friday, April 16, 2010

"The `Africanization' of the Amboseli Baboon Project," GenCen Colloquia series with Georgina Montgomery, Faculty (Lyman Briggs College and Dept. of History, MSU), 1:30 - 3:00 p.m., Room 302 International Center. Announcements
Faculty Announcements

Peter Limb, Norman Etherington and Peter Midgley (editors). Grappling with the Beast: Indigenous Southern African Responses to Colonialism, 1840-1930 (Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2010). This volume contributes rich, new material to provide insights into indigenous responses to the colonial empires of Great Britain (South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana, Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) and Germany (Namibia) and explore the complex intellectual, cultural, literary, and political borders and identities that emerged across these spaces. Contributors include distinguished global scholars in the field as well as exciting young scholars. The essays link global-national-local forces in history by analysing how indigenous elites not only interacted with colonial empires to absorb, adapt and re-cast new ideas, forms of discourse, and social formations, but also networked with "ordinary" people to forge new social, ethnic, and political identities and viable social forces. Translated and other primary texts in appendices add to the insights.

Faculty Emeritus

The book, Tsodilo Hills: Copper Bracelet of the Kalahari was edited by Alec Campbell (who founded the National Museum of Botswana), Larry Robbins (Professor Emeritus, MSU Anthropology Dept.) and Michael Taylor (A social anthropologist who works for the International Land Coalition in Rome). It was co-published by MSU Press and the Botswana Society in 2010.

Tsodilo Hills is the first World Heritage Site in Botswana and this is the first book that is about this remarkable jewel of the Kalahari Desert. There are numerous vivid color pictures of the hills and the famous prehistoric rock paintings. The book describes the local people and their history, the archaeological discoveries such as evidence of fishing in the Kalahari, ancient mining, the advent of domestic livestock and metal working and involvement in long distance trade. There are also chapters on the rock paintings and other subjects. A book launch will be held at the National Museum of Botswana with the Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism presiding. Africa Past and 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
African Studies Association - Deadlines Approaching

The African Studies Association (ASA) is currently accepting submissions for the 2010 Call for Proposals. The African Studies Association's 53rd Annual Meeting will be held November 18-21, 2010 at The Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, CA. This year's Annual Meeting theme is "African Diaspora and Diasporas in Africa" and this year's Program Chair is Mamadou Diouf, Columbia University. For more information on the CFP, please download the ASA CFP Guidelines and 2010 Theme Statement.

To submit your proposal, you may log on at http://www.africanstudies.org/. Note: membership dues and pre-registration fee or non-member pre-registration fee must be paid prior to submitting a proposal. Payments may be made via secure third-party credit card processing, check, or money order. For more information on pre-registration and membership rates, visit www.africanstudies.org.

For questions, please contact Kimme Carlos, Program Manager, Annual Meeting Services, at 732-932-8173, x15 or at kimme.carlos@africanstudies.org.

If you wish to nominate a fellow Africanist for an award or want more info about proposals, visit:

March 31, 2010 -53rd Annual Meeting Call for Proposals Deadline: http://www.africanstudies.org/p/cm/ld/fid=48

April 1, 2010 -Distinguished Africanist Nomination Deadline: http://www.africanstudies.org/p/cm/ld/fid=16

May 1, 2010 -Herskovits Award Nomination Deadline: http://www.africanstudies.org/p/cm/ld/fid=18

July 1, 2010 -Deadline for Advertisements for September ASR and for History in Africa: http://www.africanstudies.org/p/cm/ld/fid=30 2010 Summer Institute for Ph.D. Students-June 9-12

The National Council for Black Studies and the Ford Foundation are pleased to announce a two and a half day Institute for students currently pursuing a Ph.D. in African Studies or related disciplines (Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education).

The Institute is open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, and ten (10) students will be selected to participate. The Institute, with the help of renowned scholars, will bolster participants' knowledge about the foundations trajectory of Africana Studies and provide them with mentoring and other support useful for completion of the degree. Georgia State University will host the Institute and participants will be housed on campus. Travel expenses will be covered for participants up to a maximum of $500. Lodging and meals will also be provided at no charge to participants.

Applications must be post-marked no later than April 23, 2010. For application forms and more information, please go to the National Council for Black Studies website: http://www.ncbsonline.org/summer_institute. Conferences
David Robinson and the Writing of African History

David Robinson is a pioneer in the writing of the history of Muslim communities in Africa. In the 1960s and 1970s, when African history was emerging as a new area of study, historians of Africa were mainly concerned with reconstructing the history of the pre-colonial states and telling the story of the Atlantic Slave trade. They left the study of religion to the social scientists. Going against the grain, Robinson made an important contribution by both focusing on the history of the Muslim communities that form the majority of the population of Western Sudan and demonstrating the critical importance of local written and oral sources for a credible reconstruct! ion of the African past. Because of his original and masterful scholarship, Robinson is celebrated as one of the most influential historians of West Africa. His remarkable contribution to the field of African history is also recognized through the diverse group of graduate students he has trained, many of whom have emerged as leading scholars in their respective fields.

Robinson's students have come together to organize a conference to honor their mentor and pay tribute to his influential scholarship. This event will bring together his former students, colleagues, and friends on the campus of Michigan State University. The conference will be devoted to examining key dimensions of Robinson's seminal contributions to African studies and historical methodology.

The MSU History department is hosting this conference in honor of Dr. David Robinson's work in the field of African History. The conference will convene at Michigan State University on April 30-May 1, 2010. Please visit the following website for conference program at: http://drconference.wordpress.com. Please direct inquiries to: history.courses@matrix.msu.edu. Medical Anthropology in Global Africa Forum- CFP

The Kansas African Studies Center invites you to present your research as part of the conference, Medical Anthropology in Global Africa: Current Trends in Scholarship and Practice to be held at the University of Kansas, September 16-18, 2010. This conference aims to bring together Africanist anthropologist and scholars in related disciplines whose research concerns the intersections among cultural anthropology and medicine, public health, psychology, history, population and development, and science and technology studies.

Professor Carolyn Sargent of the Department of Anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis will give the conference's keynote address. Panel chairs will include: Daniel Smith (Brown Univ.); Claire Wendland (Univ. of Wisconsin); Kristin Peterson (Univ. of California, Irvine); and Ama de Graft-Aikins (Univ. of Ghana). Papers that are presented at the conference will be compiled into an edited volume. Those who are interested in presenting a paper are asked to submit an abstract of 250 words by April 30, 2010. Abstracts should be e-mailed to Professor Kathryn Rhine, Department of Anthropology, University of Kansas: kasc.maba2010@gmail.com. More information can be found on the conference website: http://www.kasc.ku.edu/HC.shtml. Cultural Diplomacy in Africa: A Forum for Young Leaders (Berlin, June 11-18, 2010)

Cultural Diplomacy in Africa (CDA) is an active network of individuals from across the world who have an active interest in the African continent. Members can join the forum by taking part in a CDA week-long seminar. The forthcoming CDA week-long seminar will be held in Berlin from 11th – 18th June 2010 and will focus on the following theme "The Development Game: Challenges and Opportunities Facing Africa and the Importance of Bridging Sport, Culture and Politics."

The Forum is aimed at young professionals and students, economists, diplomatic and political representatives, and civil society practitioners. The seminar will consist of lectures, seminars, workshops and panel discussions by leading figures from the fields of politics, diplomacy, civil society, academia, and the private sector, which will offer a range of perspectives on the issues at stake, the challenges ahead, and the new strategies and approaches being taken to address these challenges. The program will be complemented by cultural and social activities that will provide an opportunity to experience the diversity of the respective cultures and provide networking opportunities between the participants themselves, as well as between the participants and speakers. The seminar will focus on a variety of issues. Information about the program can be found at: http://www.culturaldiplomacy.org/cda. To apply, visit: http://www.culturaldiplomacy.org/experienceafrica/index.php?en_cda_application-form. Midwest Popular Culture African Studies Area -CFP

The African Studies area of the Midwest Popular Culture Association seeks panel and paper proposals for the annual Midwest Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association conference, this year to be held at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel in Minneapolis, MN from Friday, 1 October to Sunday 3 October. The area seeks papers whose topics address any aspect of popular culture on the African continent. Topics might address, but are not in any way limited to: Literature; Film or media; Theatre and performance; Music; Visual art; Gaming; Pedagogy and education; and Advertising.

250 word abstracts m! ay be submitted before 30 APRIL 2010 via email. Please include your name and affiliation, e-mail address, postal address, phone number, and A/V requirements* (if any). Abstracts may be sent as attachments or in the body of the email. *Please note, A/V is limited to a TV/DVD.

Please direct inquiries and proposals to the area chair, Jessica Brown-Velez, Department of Theatre and Drama, University of Wisconsin-Madison at brownvelez@wisc.edu. More information on the conference may be found at http://www.mpcaaca.org.

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