MSU Tuesday Bulletin, 11/28/06

THE TUESDAY BULLETIN

Issue No. 13 Fall 2006
November 28, 2006

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 <http://africa.msu.edu/>;>

BULLETIN CONTENTS

EVENTS

MSU ANNOUNCEMENTS
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONFERENCES

EVENTS

November 30, Thursday

"Xhosa-English Bilinguals: Grammatical Steps in Language Shift," African Studies Center Brown Bag talk with Carol Myers-Scotton, Adjunct Faculty (Linguistics and Languages), 12:00 noon, Room 201 International Center.

December 1, Friday

World AIDS Day Symposium - "No Place To Hide" 2:00 p.m., 3rd Floor International Center; featuring several works of scholarship and field projects that address the plight of children orphaned and made vulnerable by the HIV-AIDS pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa. The 2006 theme is: Time to Act.

December 8, Friday

"Human Rights and Social Conditions in Senegal: The Problems of Talibe and of Clandestine Emigration," CASID/WID forum with Kenneth Harrow, Faculty (English Dept., MSU), 12:00 noon, Room 201 International Center.

MSU ANNOUNCEMENTS

Visit to MSU by the Honorable Abdoulaye Diop

The Honorable Abdoulaye Diop, Ambassador for the Embassy of the Republic of Mali visited MSU on November 3, 2006. He spoke with the Director of African Studies and others about collaboration with Mali and the U.S..

Ladysmith Black Mambazo at the Wharton Center

Ladysmith Black Mambazo will perform at the Wharton Center on February 18, 2007.

The African Studies Center has decided to acquire tickets for the event. We will collect the money first (CASH only), then we will purchase the tickets from the Wharton Center. Tickets will cost $17.00 (includes a $2.00 restoration fee charged by the Wharton center). All monies must be in by December 15, 2006 in order to get prime seating. Please see Lisa in the African Studies Center, Room 100 International Center. If questions, call 353-1700.

Spring Course Announcements

RD876, International Rural Development (on web)

3 credit graduate course on the MSU ANGEL program. This course is available every semester. It simulates a small group of students sitting around a table with the professor, who has years of hands-on experience actually designing and implementing many development programs and projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. For more information about this graduate seminar, see the preview at: https://angel.msu.edu <https://angel.msu.edu/> or e- mail Professor George Axinn at: axinn@msu.edu. NUR402, International Health (on web); 3 credits. This course will provide a general understanding of factors/dynamics that affect the health of human populations and efforts to improve it. The course will address: 1) the cultural context of health and illness; 2) international health and population status, and 3) the role of international agencies in policy setting and program development. The course is open to graduate and undergraduate students, and nursing and non- nursing majors. For additional information, please contact the instructor: Professor Connie Currier, (517) 432-1162; e-mail: currier3@msu.edu.

IAH 251A- Topics in Area Studies and Multicultural

Civilizations

Focus on Southern Africa. This two- credit course will meet twice a week during the first half of spring semester; 2007: January 8-February 28, 2007. Mon. 6:30 p.m. - 7:20 p.m., Wed. 6:30 p.m. - 8:50 p.m., Room 110 Berkey Hall. The course will count toward the second IAH requirement. Students who have already completed the second IAH requirement can register for the course as an elective. This course investigates contemporary issues in the southern Africa region through the media of film, literature and lecture. It will make use of MSU professors with Southern African expertise and visitors from Southern Africa. Please direct questions to instructors John Metzler or David Wiley at 353-1700.

PLS950, Political Islam in Comparative Politics

The seminar will begin by posing the question: Is there one political Islam or are there many? It will analyze in some details the historical background to the phenomenon now called political Islam. This will include discussions about the nature of the relationship between state and the religious classes during the classical period of Islam as well the use of Islam as an ideology of resistance against European colonial domination. It will analyze the writings of leading Islamist thinkers of the 19th and 20th century, such as al-Afghani, Mawdudi, al-Banna, Qutb, and Khomeini. Finally, it will explore manifestations of political Islam, both in terms of ideology and political action, in leading Muslim countries of the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Students will have the opportunity both to review the analytical and historical literature and to undertake research on the interaction of religion and politics in discrete countries in the Muslim world. Please direct questions to Professor Mohammed Ayoob at 353-3538 or 353-6750; e-mail: ayoob@msu.edu.

MSU Study Abroad Program in South Africa

Expressive Arts, Cultural Heritage, and Museum Studies in South Africa is the title of this program beginning May 28 - June 18, 2007. South Africa has a history of expressive culture dating from some of the world's first examples of rock art to today's art that reflects the complexities of a multi-cultural society undergoing tremendous transformations. Before the end of apartheid and the establishment of a new government in 1994, much of the nation's art, music, history, and culture were little known to the rest of the world. Through this program, participants will not only have an opportunity to be introduced directly to the historical forms of cultural heritage unique to this region, but also to critically assess the social, racial, religious, political, and cultural factors that have impacted both these expressions and the institutions charged with preserving and presenting culture. The program will run for four weeks in three primary locations in South Africa: Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg/Pretoria. More details about the program may be found at: http://studyabroad.msu.edu/programs/safricaculher.html. Questions may be directed to Marsha MacDowell at macdowel@msu.edu; tel: (517) 355-6511; or C. Kurt Dewhurst at dewhurs1@msu.edu; tel: (517) 355-2370. The application deadline is March 1, 2007.

MSU Lending Center - Household items requested

The Lending Center is available to newly-arrived international students and their families who may need household items upon arrival to MSU. Supplies of most items remain adequate, but currently there is a demand for floor lamps, cutting boards and shower curtains. Please consider donating the above listed items to the Lending Center if you have spare ones sitting around.

The Lending Center hours are 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, and 3:30-4:30 p.m. on Thursdays. It is located on the basement level of 802 Cherry Lane. Please call Erika at 351-4848 or e-mail
enwank@yahoo.com to find out where to drop off donations.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

"A Saint in the City: Sufi Arts of Urban Senegal"

The award-winning exhibition "A Saint in the City: Sufi Arts of Urban Senegal," curated by Allen F. Roberts and Mary (Polly) Nooter Roberts, is currently on display at the Krannert Art Museum at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. The exhibit will be showing through December 31, 2006.

There will be a symposium on December 6, 2006 from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m., with presenters, Mary Nooter Roberts, co-curator and co-author of the book A Saint in the City: Sufi Arts of Urban Senegal, Yelimane Fall, a featured artist in the exhibition, and Chiek Babou, a history professor and Mouride scholar from the University of Pennsylvania. Also attending will be members of Mouride communities from the Midwest and across the United States, and special representatives from Senegal. There will be an open dialogue/discussion between guests, friends, leaders, university students, and scholars, following the talks. Please direct questions to Nick Pelafas at pelafas@uiuc.edu or call (217) 244- 4173.

U. of Georgia Group Projects Abroad in Tanzania

The Intensive Advanced Swahili Group Project Abroad for the summer of 2007 will be held in Tanzania from June 15 to August 3, 2007. Participants must be US citizens, or permanent residents and be
junior/senior/graduate students in an institution of higher education and must have completed at least 4 semesters of Kiswahili or the equivalent.

This year, the in-country (Tanzania) director is Dr. Lioba Moshi, University of Georgia. All communication and questions about the program should be directed to Dr. Lioba Moshi at gpa@uga.edu; Tel: (706) 542-7916. Application forms can be obtained from the African Studies Institute office at UGA, 321 Holmes/Hunter Academic Bldg., Athens, GA 30602 or its website http://www.uga.edu/afrstu (on-line submission is encouraged: go to the site, select study abroad, then Tanzania, then GPA). Students should apply not later than January 31, 2007.

2007 Zulu Group Projects Abroad in South Africa

The University of Pennsylvania African Studies Center and African Language Teachers' Association (ALTA) announce the 9th Fulbright-Hays Intensive Intermediate- Advanced Zulu Group Project Abroad in Kwazulu- Natal, South Africa June 13-August 05, 2007.

The eight week Intensive Intermediate-Advanced Zulu GPA in South Africa will be directed by the University of Pennsylvania, in affiliation with the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Pietermaritzburg. The Zulu GPA is sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania with the support of the U.S. Department of Education Fulbright- Hays Group Project Abroad Program. To be eligible applicants must be: 1) U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the United States; 2) currently enrolled in graduate studies concentrating on Africa, or 3) undergraduates currently in their sophomore, junior or senior year and focusing on Africa.

The following will be the criteria for the selection of participants: 1) Overall previous academic performance; 2) Superior performance in at least two semesters of a university-level series of Zulu courses, or the equivalent; 3) Letters of recommendation that portray a strong candidate; 4) Applicant's statement of purpose, including professional and academic goals; 5) Satisfactory level of competency in spoken Zulu; and, 6) Academic/career commitment to Southern Africa or African Studies. For more information visit: http://www.africa.upenn.edu/afl/zulugpa.htm or e-mail: africa@sas.upenn.edu. The application deadline is February 15, 2007.

CONFERENCES

Performing Africa! Visualizing Africa!- Ohio Univ. April 18-21, 2007, Ohio University, Athens, OH

Conference Directors Dr. Paschal Yao Younge and Dr. Zelma Badu-Younge invite papers for the First Biannual International Conference on African Performing and Visual Arts to examine new perspectives in Traditional and Contemporary Art Traditions. The objective of the conference is to create a forum for musicians, composers, dancers, choreographers, dance therapists, actors, playwrights and directors, visual artists, educators, teachers, and scholars to discuss new perspectives in African Performing and Visual Arts from a variety of viewpoints. The goal is to stimulate interest in exploring various ways of theorizing, analyzing, performing, teaching, and researching African performing and visual arts.

The directors are interested in a range of new theories, teaching pedagogies, curricula development, interdisciplinary approaches, research methodologies and analytic techniques, and intersections with other disciplines. Presentations may include individual papers, panels, workshops, performances, lecture- demonstrations, and other original forms of presentation. More detailed information is available at: http://www.ohio.edu/africanarts/. The deadline for papers/proposals is December 1, 2006. Papers may also be faxed to: (740)-593-9476.

Int'l Conference on Ethiopian Development Studies August 3-5, 2007, Western Michigan University

The WMU Center for African Development Policy Research (CADPR) announces the 4th International Conference on Ethiopian Development Studies (ICEDS) on the theme: "The Challenges of Peace and Development in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa." The Horn is one of the most strategic areas of Africa and the global economy. It is a bridge between Africa and the Middle East, as well as the oil fields of the Persian Gulf. It is culturally and historically a rich region of the world with great natural resource potential. It is a region of diversity in culture, languages, and religions. In spite of these potentials, it is currently one of the poorest and unstable sub-regions of Africa. The region suffers from conflicts within and among the states caused by internal and external factors.

The objectives of the conference are to: 1. Raise awareness about and understand the critical issues that affect the sub-region, 2. Provide a forum for constructive and informed dialogue on key policy options for sustainable peaceful conflict resolution for future development and progress, 3. Exchange research papers by scholars and researchers on the various dimensions of the Horn of Africa, and 4. Build consensus on policy options that are crucial for future progress toward peaceful conflict resolution, development, peace and democratic governance both among states and within the states. The Symposium is intended for academics, policy makers, investors and donors, and others interested in contemporary issues in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Each contributor is invited to submit the participation form, found at: http://homepages.wmich.edu/asefa/ (click on the 4th ICEDS Conference Announcement) and a one-page typed double-spaced copy of the proposal. Abstracts that do not include a completed "Participation Form" will be regarded as incomplete and will not be accepted.

Proposals on the following broad range of issues and topics are invited: 1) Agriculture, Food Security, and Rural Development; 2) Education for Sustainable Development; 3) Regional Integration for Development; 4) Building Democratic Institutions of governance and civil society; 5) Health and HIV/AIDS Issues; 6) Private Sector, Entrepreneurship and Markets; 7) Science and Technology for Development; 8) US Policy on Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa; 9) Managing Ethnic, Clan, and Religious conflicts; 10) Peace building and Conflict Resolution; 11) Women and Development; 12) The Role of the Diaspora in Development; and 13) An open forum for political parties. Please send all abstracts or proposals by April 1, 2007 to: 4th International Conference on Ethiopian Development Studies (4th ICEDS), Attn: Professor Sisay Asefa, Center for African Development Policy Research (CADPR), Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49008, USA; Fax: (616) 387-0630 e-mail:
SISAY.ASEFA@WMICH.EDU.

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