African Studies Centre Leiden

Platforming a New Politics of Remembrance | Student Repository This item can be found in the following collections:

“As an Art History Master’s student, I have benefited greatly from using the African Library's materials", says Tiyani Rikhotso, student at Leiden University.

Is there something in our collection for you? View our catalogue or visit us at the #AfricanLibrary: catalogue.leidenuniv.nl/discovery/se...

Research Programme | African Studies Centre Leiden African Trajectories: Past Dependencies and New Directions (2025–2029) The African Studies Centre Leiden’s new Research Programme 'African Trajectories: Past Dependencies and New Directions' builds…

🚀 The ASCL has just launched its new Research Programme for 2025-2029: 'African Trajectories: Past Dependencies and New Directions'. ➡️ Find out: ascleiden.nl/content/rese...
#research #AfricanStudies #conflictstudies #globalstudies #decolonisation #energytransition #environmentstudies

Does peace demand war? Reflections and hope from Rwanda | African Studies Centre Leiden In a new blog, Lidewyde Berckmoes reflects on Rwanda three decades after the genocide against the Tutsi. She explores the entanglements of peace and war in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of…

🧾New blog post by Lidewyde Berckmoes: 'Does peace demand war? Reflections and hope from Rwanda': ascleiden.nl/content/ascl...

📣 Thursday 9 October: Panel Discussion on 'Increasing media attention for wars in Africa. Focus: Sudan and DR Congo'. Register here: ascleiden.nl/news/increas...

Vacancy: Communications and events officer African Studies Centre Leiden, Leiden UniversityCommunications and events officer for 3 days a week (0,6 fte, 22,8 hours per week)The African Studies Centre Leiden (ASCL) is looking for an…

📣New vacancy at the ASCL for a Communications and Events Officer!

We are looking for a communications expert to organise events and help share our research, education, and publications with the world.

⌛Deadline: 26 October
More info and application 👇🏾
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/vacancies...

🎉Congratulations to Mayke Kaag! We celebrated her inaugural lecture as Professor of the Anthropology of Politics and Governance in Africa at Leiden University, titled 'Reflections on power, knowledge, and trust. Political dynamics in Africa and beyond'. www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2025...

Master's Online Open Day: Find out more about African Studies | African Studies Centre Leiden Are you looking for a master's programme to further specialise and prepare for a successful career? Find out more about African Studies at the Master's Online Open Day on Thursday 9 October…

📝 Are you considering doing a master's degree to further specialise and prepare for a successful career? Find out more about African Studies at the Master's Online Open Day.

🗓 9 October 2025
⏰14:15-15:00
📍Online

More information and registration here: ascleiden.nl/news/masters...

Check out the latest acquisition at the #AfricanLibrary - the British Online Archives’ Colonial Africa in Official Statistics!
catalogue.leidenuniv.nl/permalink/31...

Now available through the #AfricanLibrary to the entire Leiden University.

@Universitaire Bibliotheken Leiden
@Leiden University

📣 Join us in the next seminar on 'Communicating science - challenges and solutions for effective communication around antimicrobial resistance (AMR)'.

🗓 25 September 2025
⏰ 13:00-14:30
📍 Room 0.12, Herta Mohr Building
🎤 Marina Joubert

🔗 More info & registration here: ascleiden.nl/news/crg-sem...

With a.o.: Annegina Randewijk @nd.nl, Carlijne Vos @volkskrant.nl, Alphonse Muambi (independent author on DRC), Bastiaan van Blokland @rodekruis.bsky.social, Rahmane Idrissa (@ASCLeiden). Moderator: David Ehrhardt, @unileiden.bsky.social. #Sudan #DRC #Congo #war #conflict #humanitariancrisis #media

📢 Panel discussion 9 October: Increasing media attention for wars in Africa. Focus: Sudan and DR Congo. Join us for an urgent panel discussion about why these conflicts in Africa receive so little attention, and what the media, academia & NGOs can do. Registration: ascleiden.nl/news/increas...

We’ll explore two contrasting perspectives: colonialism as a series of historical events, versus colonialism a transformative process. We’ll move beyond the usual polarized debates on decolonisation and ask: how can we foster new ways of thinking about Africa’s intellectual agency?

ASCL Seminar: On Africa and colonial discourse: rethinking how colonialism is understood over time | African Studies Centre Leiden Discussions about Africa and its development often begin with colonial narratives, which have shaped the way Africa is perceived and talked about. These narratives reinforce stereotypes and limit the…

Join us on 2 October 2025 for the ASCL seminar “Africa and colonial discourse: rethinking how colonialism is understood over time”, featuring Prof. Muyiwa Falaiye (University of Lagos).

❓ How do we really understand colonialism, not just as historical episodes, but as processes that continue to shape how Africa is seen, , and how people across the continent think, know, and act in diverse ways?

A reflection from Research Master's student Christiana Banja.

With the start of the new academic year, the African Library is excited to launch the #ourlibrary #ourstories series, sharing the voices and experiences of our students and users.

@unileiden.bsky.social @ubleiden.bsky.social

"This library is not just full of books, it is full of care, knowledge, and comfort. It reminds me that even though I am far away, I still belong. I am truly thankful for this space and the people who make it so welcoming. The African Library doesn’t just support my studies, it supports my heart"

The Research Master African Studies at Leiden University (2006-2027): celebrating and mourning a unique scholarly legacy | African Studies Centre Leiden Following nationwide budget cuts in higher education, the Research Master African Studies (ResMAAS) at Leiden University will be discontinued in 2027; this September marks the start of the final…

As the editors write, the ResMAAS years were “some of the most formative of our lives,” and we know many of you feel the same.

We invite you to share your memories and reflections here. Your voices matter in marking the impact of this programme and what its closure means for African Studies.

A group of alumni and former chairs have just published "Remembering Research Realities: Celebrating the Research Master’s African Studies," a tribute to the unique legacy of this programme and the community it built. But this is also a moment of loss.

The Research Master African Studies at @unileiden.bsky.social (2006-2027) is coming to an end. Following national budget cuts, the programme will be discontinued after this year's final intake of ResMAAS students.

Join us on Thursday 11 September for the book launch and the ceremonial handover to the Deans of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Law.

💡On the same day, we’ll launch a “Remembering” blog, where you can post your memories.

#AfricanStudies #LeidenUniversity #ResearchMaster #HigherEducation

To honour its diversity and intellectual strength, a team of dedicated alumni have created a new book - Remembering Research Realities: Celebrating the Research Master’s African Studies, Leiden University.

Remembering Research Realities: Celebrating the Research Master’s African Studies, Leiden University – book launch event | African Studies Centre Leiden As many will know by now, nationwide budget cuts in higher education will lead to the termination of the two-year Research Master’s programme African Studies in 2027. This September marks the start…

💐Celebrating 20 years of Research Master’s African Studies - buff.ly/WQ7og5G

This September marks the start of the final cohort of the Research Master’s African Studies at @unileiden.bsky.social, as the programme will be discontinued in the coming years due to nationwide budget cuts.

As modern materials enter the region, this unique knowledge system faces the risk of being lost. Through her project, Carlien shines a light on the ingenuity of living on and with water, while safeguarding invaluable knowledge for future generations.

👏 Congratulations to Carlien and her team!

Carlien’s research documents the endangered craft of traditional stilt construction in the Nzulezo Community in Ghana, a remarkable practice of carpentry, joinery, and artisanry using raffia palm sticks and other natural materials from the Amanzule Wetlands.

🎉We are proud to share that Carlien Donkor, PhD candidate at the African Studies Centre Leiden, has been awarded a prestigious grant from the British Museum's Endangered Material Knowledge Programme for her project “A Stick in Time.”

buff.ly/Who5pNq

Malawi’s judiciary sparked hope by annulling flawed elections in 2020, yet entrenched corruption continues to challenge democracy. With new elections just days away (16 September), this seminar offers timely insights into governance, justice, and resilience in Africa.

#Malawi#Democracy#Corruption

📣 ASCL Seminar reminder - buff.ly/3XzB4gh

Join us on 11 September 2025 in Leiden or online for "Democracy and Corruption in Malawi – Between Resilience and Backsliding" with Dr Gerhard Anders (The University of Edinburgh).

⏰ The deadline for the Africa Thesis Award is approaching fast – submit your Africa-related thesis by 30 September!

More information ➡️ www.ascleiden.nl/content/afri...

From eclectic sources of inspiration, to the regional dimension of warfare, to the legacy of resistance movements, their research makes a strong case: strategic studies cannot claim to be universal without Africa.

In the Journal of Strategic Studies, ASCL alumnus Tycho van der Hoog and ASCL guest researcher John Burton Kegel show that Africa has a rich tradition of military thought that leads to a better understanding of African affairs, but also contributes to a greater diversity in approaches to strategy.