AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

MSU Tuesday Bulletin, 10/28/03

Issue No. 10 Fall 2003 October 28, 2003

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

MSU ANNOUNCEMENTS

GRANTS
JOBS

MSU ANNOUNCEMENTS

October 28, Tuesday

"The Reality of E-commerce with Developing Countries," lecture with Robin Mansell, Distinguished Professor of the London School of Economics and Political Science at MSU, 6:00 p.m., Kellogg Center Auditorium. Co-sponsored by the Quello Center for Telecommunication Management and Law, the Ford Foundation, the Center for Canadian Studies, the Center for European and Russian Studies, the Center for Advanced Studies in International Development, and the Center for International Business, Education and Research. For more information contact Bella Mody at mody@msu.edu.

October 29, Wednesday

"The World Summit on the Information Society: Can Critical Voices Be Heard?" lecture with Robin Mansell, Distinguished Professor of the London School of Economics and Political Science at MSU, Room 151 Communication Arts Bldg., 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon. Co-sponsored by the Quello Center for Telecommunication Management and Law, the Ford Foundation, the Center for Canadian Studies, the Center for European and Russian Studies, the Center for Advanced Studies in International Development, and the Center for International Business, Education and Research. For more information, contact Professor Bella Mody at mody@msu.edu.

October 30, Thursday

No Brown Bag - African Studies Association Annual Meeting - Boston

October 30, Thursday

"Origins and Evolution: In Search of How We Became Human," seminar with Louise Leakey, Paleoanthropologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-residence, 7:30 p.m., Wharton Center, Pasant Theater. Leakey will visit MSU as a McPherson Professorship visitor. The Professorship which is an initiative for the Public Understanding of Science, explores the impact of scientific research and discovery across all aspects of society.

MSU ANNOUNCEMENTS

MMMF Grants for Academic Year 2004/05

The Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund (MMMF) was established in 1981 to honor the late Margaret McNamara and her commitment to the well being of women and children in developing countries. The purpose of the grant is to support the education of women from developing countries who are committed to improving the lives of women and children in their home countries. Previous grant recipients were studying agriculture, architecture and urban planning, civil engineering, education, forestry, journalism, nursing, nutrition, pediatrics, public administration, public health, social sciences, and social work.

Applicants must be women who are already living in the United States and enrolled in the program for which they will use the grant. The MMMF does not provide pre- enrollment funding, even if the candidate has received notification of acceptance. The MMMF awards up to six grants of about $11,000 each year; they are not renewable. Application forms are currently available, through February 9, 2004. The deadline for completed applications is February 10, 2004. Recipients are notified by April 30.

Eligibility: A women applying for an MMMF grant must meet ALL the following criteria:

She must have a record of service to women and/or children in her country.
She must reside in the U.S. or Canada at the time she submits the application.
She must already be enrolled in the accredited U.S. or Canadian educational institution by September 2003 and remain enrolled during the entire year of the grant.
She must use the grant to continue to study for her degree.
She must be a national of a developing country that is currently eligible to borrow from the World Bank and cannot be a U.S. Green Card holder or Canadian resident (see Country Eligibility List).
She must intend to return to a developing country in about two years.
She must demonstrate financial need.
She must be at least 25 years old by December 31, 2003.
She must not be related to any World Bank Group staff member or his or her spouse.

To complete the application on line visit www.worldbank.org/yournet and click on MMMF Grants for Women from Developing Countries or write

to: The Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund, The
World Bank Group Volunteer Services, 1818 H Street,
NW, MSN H2-204, Washington, DC 20433, Phone:
(202) 473-8751; Fax: (202) 522-3142; E-mail: mmmf@worldbank.org

Application packets are also available in the MSU WID Office, 206 International Center.

Rita S. Gallin Award

The Women and International Development (WID) Program invites students to submit a paper for its annual graduate student paper competition. The paper should have been written within the past year, should be approximately 20 double-spaced pages in length, and should focus on issues related to women, gender, international development, and globalization.

The papers will be reviewed by a faculty committee, and the award will be made at WID's Annual Open House in January. The winning paper will be published in the WID Working Paper Series and its author will receive $200.00. Papers should be submitted by December 5, 2003, via e-mail attachment or by mail to the WID office. Please indicate that you are submitting the paper for the Rita S. Gallin competition and include a contact phone number and e-mail address. For more information visit http://www.isp.msu.edu/wid; e-mail: wid@msu.edu; or call 353-5040.

Gill-Chin Lim Doctoral Dissertation Award

Michigan State University will recognize and award one graduate student each year for her/his outstanding doctoral dissertation, completed the preceding year, focusing on global studies. This first annual award is named after Dr. Gill-Chin Lim, MSU Professor Geography and Urban Planning, and former Dean of International Studies and Programs. The award carries a cash stipend of approximately $1,500 and a framed certificate. Announcement of the award recipient will take place at the annual ISP International Awards Ceremony set for Wednesday, April 14, 2004, in Room 303 International Center.

For more information, and nomination forms contact Murari Suvedi, Assistant Dean, International Studies and Programs, 209 International Center; phone: 355- 2350 or e-mail: suvedi@msu.edu. Nominations, including supporting documents, must be submitted by February 2, 2004.

GRANTS

MMMF Grants for Academic Year 2004/05

IDRC Gender Unit Annual Research Competition: 2003-2004: Decentralization and Women's Rights in Sub-Saharan Africa

Increasingly in Sub-Saharan Africa, the context within which women's human rights are to be protected and realized is one of decentralized or decentralizing states. Contemporary decentralization is changing the relationship between citizens and the state, and is having an impact on the entitlement of citizens to certain rights: in this case, on women's entitlement, as citizens, to the protection and realization of their rights, as set out in international and national legislation. The Gender Unit is launching a competitive call for proposals for research investigating whether and how contemporary decentralization reforms, in practice, contribute to or, on the contrary, hinder the realization and protection of women's and girls' civil, political, social, economic, and/or cultural rights.

All principal researchers and co-researchers must be citizens of developing countries. Up to five (5) grants will be awarded, each with a value of up to $100,000 CAD (Canadian dollars), for projects of 18 months to 2 years. The deadline for submission of applications is December 5, 2003. For more information and to download a complete application kit, please visit www.idrc.ca/gender.

JOBS

LCTL Lab Director/Outreach Coordinator - Univ. of Iowa

The University of Iowa seeks a Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTL) Lab Director/Outreach Coordinator for its Title VI-funded National Resource Center in International Studies. This is a full-time, three-year term position. Responsibilities include: develop, manage and coordinate outreach efforts for a new LCTL lab, serving students, faculty and staff; supervise student "cultural consultants"; develop, plan and manage the curriculum for a new Arabic Language Summer Institute for high school students; acquire materials in support of Swahili, Kannada and Arabic instruction, as well as other LCTLs.

Requirements include: an M.A. degree in a relevant field (Ph.D. strongly preferred); 1 to 2 years relevant work experience; excellent communication skills. Proficiency in at least one LCTL, teaching experience, and research and/or work experience in the field of Computer- Assisted Language Learning (CALL) desirable.

Send cover letter, resume/curriculum vitae, and list of three professional references to: Ms. Sheri Sojka, 226 International Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242; e-mail: sheri-sojka@uiowa.edu; http://www.uiowa.edu/intl/. Review of applications will begin on October 31, 2003 and continue until the position is filled. The University of Iowa is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Assistant Professor - Indiana University

Indiana University announces a fourth search for an assistant professor with African Studies expertise - in African religions - to add to the searches in African politics, francophone African literature, and southern African history.

Indiana University, Bloomington, Department of Religious Studies, invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor in African Religions. Applicants must conduct research on African religions, engage anthropological understandings of religion, and explore the intersection of indigenous and Islamic religious expressions in their research and/or teaching. Preference will be given to applicants who specialize in Sub- Saharan Africa, especially in those regions with substantial Muslim populations. 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.

The Search Committee will begin reading applications on November 7, 2003, but will accept them until the end of November. Applicants should send a cover letter, c.v., and a dossier with at least three letters of recommendation to: Professor David Haberman, Chair, Department of Religious Studies, Sycamore Hall 230, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405; Phone: (812-855-8284; fax: (812) 855-6734. Applicants might anticipate the possibility of a preliminary interview at the American Academy of Religion meeting in Atlanta. Women and minority candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Indiana University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

Assistant Professor - Trinity University

Trinity University's Department of History invites applications for an entry-level, tenure-track appointment. The successful candidate will teach African and/or African American history in a variety of formats, from introductory surveys to more advanced courses, including seminars. A Ph.D. in History is preferred. Specialization in African/African American history is open. Please send letter of application, curriculum vitae and/or dossier, three letters of reference, and teaching evaluations (if available) by November 15, 2003 to: Char Miller, Chair, Dept. of History, Trinity University, One Trinity Place, San Antonio, TX 78212-7200.

Assistant Professor - Univ. of Georgia

The University of Georgia's Comparative Literature Department seeks a tenure-track Assistant Professor to teach courses in Yoruba language and culture and in African culture. Candidates should have expertise in language pedagogy and demonstrate experience with new instructional technology. Applicants should submit a letter of application and CV either by mail to: Search Committee, Comparative Literature Department, Joseph E. Brown Hall, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, or by e-mail to: Nell@uga.edu (Subject: Search Committee).

Applications received by December 1, 2003 will be given full consideration. Applications from minorities and women are encouraged.

Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar