Africa Special Interest Group at University of Essex

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🚨Funded Writing Workshop on International Politics in Africa: Via the International Politics in Africa network, we are organising a Writing Workshop for early career scholars based in Africa. This is generously funded by @britishacademy.bsky.social. Share widely!

sites.google.com/view/ipia/ca...

Really insightful workshop today on "The future of UK-Africa relations” @africaprog.bsky.social @chathamhouse.org bringing together academia and policy.

The Department of Goverment @uniessexgov.bsky.social is now on Bluesky!

The MA ELT at London Metropolitan University invites you to a free, online talk: The unique linguistic identities of Black African pupils in the UK by Denise Amankwah. Abstract: Previous research has shown that even in highly multilingual 'superdiverse' educational settings, African languages are placed at a hidden or almost 'invisible' level (Amankwah & Howard, 2024; Liggins, 2022). In this talk, I will share preliminary findings from my PhD research project which focuses on the heritage language maintenance (HLM) of Black African pupils in the UK. My talk will consider the perspectives of both parents and teachers in HLM as well as the key role that colonial language ideologies continue to play today for this specific group. Ultimately, I argue that teacher activism is needed to interrupt the cycle of colonial language ideologies being passed on. We will end with a discussion on how my findings may be applicable to your own context(s). Bio: Denise is completing her PhD in Applied Linguistics at University of Essex and holds an MA in Language and Literacy (see her thesis as a published paper: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/04250494.2024.2310660). She has worked as a Speech and Language Advisor–training Early Years professionals, supporting families and educators, and making training materials inclusive of multilingual pupils and families. Denise’s research interests are heritage language maintenance and how colonial language ideologies are upheld in schools. Wed 2 April 2025 1-2pm BST online: click to join (https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZmQ3N2NlMzQtNTBlZS00NzJmLThjYjUtZjkzYTNlMzA3MmJl%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%223d1cee9c-8bf0-4375-b5b9-5c0315d1187e%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22a9b4b0df-4ed7-4f52-9d2a-6699e4bb22d5%22%7d)

The MA #ELT at London Metropolitan University invites you to a free, online talk!

Denise Amankwah will explore the 'hidden,' 'invisible' reality of #African #languages in UK #education

Wed 2 Apr, 1-2pm, via link on the flyer

🗣💬 #LangSky @universityofessex.bsky.social @africasigessex.bsky.social

Almost full house at our panel on the crises in DRC and Sudan and their regional and international embeddedness. With superb panelists @pierre-englebert.bsky.social @nihadaboud.bsky.social @tashlindstaedt.bsky.social, Prabin Khadka and Hervé Ali Mwanyo, moderated by @floriangkern.bsky.social

Africa Special Interest Group | University of Essex

www.essex.ac.uk/departments/...

🚨Funding alert🚨: The British Institute in Eastern Africa - where I am part of the research committee - 2025 grant programme is now open for applications! There are opportunities for Writing Fellowships, Thematic Grants, Dissemination Grants, Workshop Grants, ...

biea.ac.uk/call-for-app...

🚨New book alert: ASIG co-lead Hannah Gibson has a new book out on "African Linguistics after #RhodesMustFall", together with Jacqueline Lück, Kristina Riedel and Savithry Namboodiripad. The best part: the book is free to download here: link.springer.com/book/10.1007...

Afrique: Revue de presse de l'Afrique Francophone du 19 février 2025 Stratégie pays du Sénégal 2021-2025 – La BAD définit ses priorités

Afrique: Revue de presse de l'Afrique Francophone du 19 février 2025

Race, power, and the politics of distraction As economic crises deepen, right-wing fearmongering and racial scapegoating thrive—masking the real struggle for economic justice.

As economic crises deepen, right-wing fearmongering and racial scapegoating thrive—masking the real struggle for economic justice. africasacountry.com/2025/02/race...

We try to meet regularly with monthly virtual seminar & plan to meet at workshops/conferences around the globe. Membership in IPIA is free (as free as a free lunch can be). If you are interested in joining IPIA, please fill out this very short survey.

essex.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

3/6

🚨New research network on Africa: Last year, we founded the "International Politics in Africa" (IPIA) network, w/ Mwita Chacha (Birmingham), Eniye Dubakeme (Baze University), Consolata Sulley (Dar es Salaam) & others, after ASAUK 2024. It's been fairly low key so far, but we want to expand: 1/6

Estimating new yearly measures of local GDP at the 1.00, 0.50, and 0.25 degree level using remote sensing data and a random forest model, from Esteban Rossi-Hansberg and Jialing Zhang https://www.nber.org/papers/w33458

In West Africa, which produces 70% of the world’s cacao, rising temperatures without increased rainfall will likely worsen droughts…and with it cacao supplies. Via @climatecentral.org

These African countries will be hit hardest by Trump’s USAID cuts www.semafor.com/article/02/1...

Our #Land study group is organising a talk on 19 February at t 3pm BST on « Vanguard of the Forests’ with our guest speaker Dr Aby L. Sene @daughterofsahel.bsky.social (Clemson University). Chair: Dr #MihikaChatterjee Register on Eventbrite:
www.eventbrite.com/e/1205687827...
@eadi.bsky.social

CFP ** Vatican II and Africa **
Conference in December 2025 in Praia, Cape Verde.
Proposal deadline: September 30th, 2024.
Proposals via email to: jairzinho.lpereira@gmail.com
Afrihistosky AfroLuso #Catholic #Africa #CapeVerde
chsc.uc.pt/en/eventos-c...

African International Conference 2025 - School of Social Sciences - University of Bradford Africa stands at a pivotal moment in its history, poised for unprecedented growth and transformation. Join us from 22-24 May 2025 at the African International Conference 2025.

www.bradford.ac.uk/social-scien...

Easing into the weekend.
@chrisvick3.bsky.social @capemanchris.bsky.social
@enghumbhini.bsky.social
@debbs-flo.bsky.social
@thamikantuli.bsky.social
@fatfreddysdrop.bsky.social
@bevfromcapetown.bsky.social
@julianrademeyer.bsky.social
@andrevlok.bsky.social
@charles257.bsky.social

And yet there are reasonable grounds for anxiety (quite different from those being critiqued here) about the direction that research assessment is taking - away from assessing the quality of research towards the assessment of often very rhetorical documents and dubious 'evidence' of 'good practice'.

All but two of Africa’s planned 2025 elections fall in the final third of the year, leading to a busy end of year election season. Here are the issues to watch in each.

africacenter.org/spo...

DRC case against Apple brings new hope in conflict minerals crisis As the DRC brings an unprecedented case against Apple, and the company offers assurances that it will no longer use conflict minerals from central Africa, experts are questioning whether real change…

Just one case making headlines for us working on African news...

In the #DRC with its conflict minerals crisis currently escalating...

Background here:

www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20...

Rwandan troops ‘dying in large numbers in DRC’, despite official denials of role Exclusive: Sources say thousands of RDF killed supporting M23 rebels in eastern Congo, intensifying pressure on Kigali

Rwandan troops ‘dying in large numbers in DRC’, despite official denials of role

www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

And the coffee is free.

Africa Special Interest Group coffee mornings

We hold our Africa Special Interest Group coffee mornings every Tuesday 9:30 to 10:00 - because we all need community right now! Not a research seminar, just like minded people discussing research on Africa, higher education globally, and how to remain engaged.

Hello! We are the Africa Special Interest Group, the hub for interdisciplinary studies focusing on Africa @universityofessex.bsky.social. The ASIG contributes to joint research activities, education, as well as student and cultural events on Africa. We will post here about our research & activities.