Career Conversation with Dr. Matthew Kirwin, Division Chief at US State Department
This Thursday, March 21, 2024
The African Studies Center, in partnership with the Asian Studies Center and the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, will host a career conversation with Dr. Matthew F. Kirwin, Division Chief in the Office of Opinion Research at the US Department of State and Professorial Lecturer of International Affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University. Dr. Kirwin has over 20 years of work and research experience on politics, development, and security in Africa. He will give insights into his career path, highlighting the impact of Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships on language learning and cultural understanding and ways in which these skills prepare students for successful careers in various sectors. Register for the event at this link
Call for Proposals: Indiana University International Conference on Africa
March 22-23, 2024
"To brainstorm on the possibilities in the continent, we are pleased to extend an invitation to the 10th Indiana University International Conference on Africa, taking place in Bloomington, Indiana, United States on March 22-23, 2024. We invite individuals from various disciplines, including students, scholars and practitioners with an interest in Africa, to submit proposals that showcase the continent’s diversity and explore future prospects. For additional details about the conference, see the attached flier and click on the link provided below. We look forward to your submissions and participation, as we collectively contemplate Africa’s path towards a prosperous and impactful future." More information
Cultural Resistance on Robben Island Presentation
March 26, 2024
Please join the Department of History and the African Studies Center at MSU for a presentation by Dr. Neo Lekgotla Laga Ramoupi titled "Cultural Resistance on Robben Island: Songs of Struggle and Liberation in South Africa: Izingoma Zo Mzabalazo Esiqithini!". The event will take place on March 26th from 3:30-5:00pm EST in Room 255 Old Horticulture. See the flyer for more information
Book Premiere Event: Migration, Borders, and Borderlands
March 27, 2024
Join the African Studies Center on Wednesday, March 27th from 4:00-5:30pm EST in Room 303 of the International Center for an interview with Dr. John Aerni-Flessner to discuss Migration, Borders, and Borderlands: Making National Identity in Southern African Communities. There will be light refreshments and a discussion moderated by Dr. Karrin Hanshew. We hope to see you there!
From the book description: "Compiling various perspectives from borderlands across the SADC region, Migration, Borders, and Borderlands: Making National Identity in Southern African Communities, edited by Munyaradzi Mushonga, John Aerni-Flessner, Chitja Twala, and Grey Magaiza, provides a synthesis of the experiences of borderland residents in this economically and socially integrated region. This book reframes debates around nationalism and belonging in southern Africa as it uses the idea of a “borderscape” to argue that nations are made at the border and in the contestations that take place in the borderlands. Understanding borders and bordering in the SADC region is crucial to understanding how policies made in oft-distant national capitals have played out among borderlands residents over time. The contributors present why national citizens in SADC so often end up in countries distant from where they were born and reside, and why leaders need to be cognizant of this. Exploring gender, history, policy, and the ways that people have moved across borders despite a myriad of restrictions stretching from the early twentieth century to the present, this collection centers the voices and experiences of the most marginal to make the plea for a more humane border regime in Southern Africa and globally." More about the book can be found at this link
Taste of Africa
March 28, 2024
Come experience African culture through FOOD, MUSIC & LANGUAGE! You will learn to cook simple African dishes, learn to dance to African music and also learn about a variety of African language courses offered at MSU and funding opportunities to take a language course.Taste of Africa is open to ALL members of the MSU community: students, faculty, and staff. Family members are also welcome. See the flyer for more information
Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA)
Deadline March 29, 2024
"Students may request funding to support overseas research for a period of no less than six months and no more than 12 months. Funds support travel expenses to and from the residence of the fellow and the country or countries of research; maintenance and dependent allowances based on the location of research for the fellow and his or her dependent(s); an allowance for research-related expenses overseas; and health and accident insurance premiums. Projects may focus on one or more of the following geographic areas: Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, South Asia, the Near East, Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and the Western Hemisphere (excluding the United States and its territories)." More information can be found at this link
Symposium on Pan-Africanism, Africana Feminism and Orature: The Life and Work of Micere Mugo
April 9, 2024
9am-5pm EST
303 International Center
The Michigan State University African Studies Center, Department of African and African American Studies, and The Institute of Ubuntu Thought and Practice invite you to a one-day symposium exploring the rich intersections of Pan-Africanism, Africana feminism, and orature within the life and works of the esteemed Micere Mugo, a distinguished Pan-African feminist and storyteller.
The symposium celebrates Micere Mugo's bridging of Africana and African American Studies, recognizing her literary works and pioneering contributions. Through engaging panels led by esteemed scholars, it honors Mugo's legacy, emphasizing diverse forms of storytelling and interdisciplinary dialogue in preserving African oral histories. Please see the flyer for more information
InVision Africa Photography Contest
Deadline April 30th, 2024
InVision Africa is a photography project of the Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) and the African Studies Centre (ASC) at Michigan State University that seeks to showcase, inspire, and contribute to positive images of and stories about Africa in the context of research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The project will be open to student photographers and students with an interest in photography from 10 African universities that are part of the AAP consortium. Students may collaborate with researchers at their universities to develop a photography project that is aligned to AAP research priority areas; or they may work on it alone. Projects will highlight research trends, innovation, and key developments in science, entrepreneurship, and arts and culture. The goal is to inspire creative engagement between research/science and culture and art. More information about the project
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MSU Libraries Open Access Publisher Agreements
MSU researchers can now publish open access at no cost to them in thousands of journals. MSU Libraries have negotiated Read and Publish agreements that cover article processing charges (APCs) for MSU corresponding authors to publish open access (OA). Eligible corresponding authors from MSU include faculty members, staff, and students. Some of the agreements only cover research articles, not reviews or other kinds of articles. Questions can be directed to Susan Kendall (skendall@msu.edu), Head of Collection Strategies at the MSU Libraries. Please note that, if a publisher is not listed on this page, there is no agreement or library funding for APCs with that publisher currently.
Please refer to the following page for further details and FAQs: https://lib.msu.edu/collections/scholcomm/support#oajournals.
Please do not hesitate to contact the African Studies librarians: Erik Ponder (ponderer@msu.edu) and Chenjerai Mabhiza (mabhizac@msu.edu).
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Learn Swahili and Zulu!
Noncredit Summer 2024 African Language Program
May 13-June 27, 2024
Courses open to all including: MSU faculty, staff, and students (in or out-of-state OR international) Non-MSU affiliated persons from anywhere in the world. The African Studies Center is offering non-credit Swahili and Zulu language instruction this summer on Zoom. This is a non-intensive virtual course (about 8 hours per week) for a low-cost administrative fee of $50. Everyone who completes the course will obtain a certificate of
completion. These courses are perfect for ANYONE who wants to learn a new African language or to brush up on their African language skills. ( flyer)
Browse Africa-related courses here:
africa.isp.msu.edu/students/course-offerings
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Center Funding Opportunities
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Curriculum Development Grants ($3,000 summer stipends): to support faculty interested in developing a new course or seminar related to Africa or revising an extant course or seminar to include at least 25% of Africa content.
Curriculum Enhancement Grants ($1,000): for purchase of Africa related curricular materials, payment of guest speakers.
Conference Travel Grants ($1,000): to support Africanist Faculty for domestic conference expenses.
Special Programming Grants (amount varies): to bring a guest speaker; host a panel discussion or workshop; plan a social event etc.
To learn more and to apply visit:
African Studies Center: Applications for Faculty Programs (msu.edu)
Most applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis.
Global IDEAS: Global Innovations in Development, Engagement, and Scholarship curates external funding opportunities for international research from a comprehensive suite of sources, along with our knowledge of the donor landscape. These opportunities are compiled in one weekly email newsletter, available only to MSU faculty, staff and students.
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