Conference of the African Studies Association in Germany (VAD)
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Conference Book Conference of the African Studies Association in Germany (VAD) 11 – 14 June 2014 Bayreuth, Germany Future Africa Contents Preface → 05 Word from the Organisers → 06 Conference Topic: Future Africa → 06 Young Scholars Award Round Table Discussions → 10 → 34 Conference Programme Cultural Programme →11 → 41 Keynote Panels in → 23 Numerical Order Young Scholars → 49 Conference Index Panel Members →27 → 57 Panel Overview → 85 Bayreuth Touristic Information → 279 Practical Information → 285 University of Bayreuth: Map → 293 City Map → 295 2 3 Welcoming by There is virtually no other university anywhere else in Germany or in Europe, for Professor Stefan Leible, that matter, that conducts research in the context of modern regional studies focu- president sing on Africa with the breadth and depth of Bayreuth University that we do here. Our scholars combine expertise from myriad disciplines; they are masters of linguistics; they engender knowledge of cultural studies and reflect Dear Colleagues, cultural practices in so many different Af- It is my pleasure to welcome the rican contexts. When it comes to experti- se on languages, literatures and culture(s), participants of the Bayreuth’s African Studies programme is African Studies Association’s among the best in the world of academia. conference “Future Africa” at our university taking this Yet perhaps even more important is the opportunity to talk to you about interdisciplinary nature of African Studies. Interdisciplinary studies are one of our uni- the special significance and versity’s foremost strategic pursuits. But relevance of African Studies far more meaningful is our commitment to in Bayreuth. live these ideals in research and educati- on every day. Currently 33 disciplines from Our university’s African focus is one of its all six faculties of the University of Bay- most unique characteristics, making it a reuth are involved in African Studies. This magnet of sorts. It draws people from all encompasses professors, scientific staff over the world to our university – not just members, young scientists and junior fel- scholars but also students and representa- lows who research and teach in the key tives from politics, the world of business, fields of perception and communication, religious organizations and associations forming and changing transformation pro- and citizens. The University of Bayreuth is cesses and internal and external perspec- still quite young – we will be celebrating tives on Africa. Alongside professorships, our 40th anniversary next year – but its the Iwalewahaus – our international centre founders laid the first stone that has since for contemporary African cultures – and become the foundation of all that we see the Ecological Botanical Gardens play an here today by establishing “Africanology” essential role in our successful intra-uni- as a key area of research and study. Now versity network, which links the different the interdisciplinary, interfaculty field of disciplines. Let me reiterate: In addition African Studies is recognized around the to the humanities and cultural and social globe. Considering the profound import- sciences, Bayreuth’s natural science, com- ance of the African continent today – eco- puter science, law and economics and en- nomically, politically, culturally – and abo- gineering departments are all dedicated to ve all the breakneck speed of development researching a variety of topics in the field in Africa’s extraordinarily diverse nations, of African Studies. Moreover, our library we must admit that the University of Bay- boasts the second largest collection of reuth is truly fortunate that the school’s books and media on Africa in Germany. founders, representatives from the fields Bayreuth’s excellence in African research is of science and politics, had the foresight the result of persistent effort and the un- to establish a centre for African Studies in wavering dedication of our scholars. In ad- Bayreuth. dition to two special research areas and two 4 5 graduate colleges, the university also hosts as it does international ones. We are also The IAS likewise covers and organizes a the future”, whose demographic and eco- a number of independent and collaborative intensifying regional collaboration here in number of institutions engaged in African nomic potentials still wait to be explored. projects, both current and future. We are Bavaria. For instance, Bayreuth played a Studies: Bayreuth International Graduate Already during the era of decolonization, especially proud of BIGSAS – our Bayreuth leading role in establishing the Bavarian School of African Studies (BIGSAS), which African politicians evoked the youth of International Graduate School of African Research Institute for African Studies this currently hosts about 100 doctoral stu- their countries as the “future of the nati- Studies, which has been funded by the past February. We are confident that part- dents in African studies, more than 50% of on”. According to this image, Africa is a German Research Foundation since 2007 nerships with the University of Würzburg, them from the African continent; the pro- “treasure room” – not only with regard as part of the Excellence Initiative – and Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences ject for Digitization, Editing and Networ- to globally sought resources like oil or rare is the only graduate school with a focus on and the Neu-Ulm University of Applied king in the field of African Studies (DEVA); minerals, but also for human resources; it is the humanities in Bavaria that received top Sciences will help increase the visibility of IWALEWA-House, home for contem- therefore an “emerging market”. Africa is marks, qualifying it for a second phase of African Studies expertise while bringing porary African arts; the Tanzanian-Ger- also labelled the “laboratory of the future” funding. The regional studies programme about new interdisciplinary research pro- man Centre for Eastern African Legal Stu- because it is ethnically, socially and politi- sponsored by the German Federal Minis- jects. These scientists want to do more dies (TGCL); SEEDS, a project on new ICT cally so heterogeneous; because the conti- try of Education and Research helped make than simply conduct research under the strategies for the enhancement of higher nent has found unexpected answers to the the Bayreuth Academy of Advanced Afri- BRIAS umbrella. Their express aim is also education management, which is a colla- challenges of globalization; and because can Studies possible. Here as well, scholars to participate and – above all – help shape borative research project of Moi-Universi- homogenizing tendencies of globalization are working together across multiple dis- politics and science policy as it relates to ty, Eldoret, Kenya, and Bayreuth Universi- did not become prevalent there. ciplines on a research project titled “Future Africa. ty; and finally the newly founded Bayreuth Africa: Visions in Time”. As such, the conference “Future Africa” Academy of Advanced African Studies The VAD Congress 2014 in Bayreuth will must be seen in the context of outstanding with its theme “Future Africa - Visions in address these ambivalent images, their Of course, as a legal scholar, I would be re- research, practically applied interdiscip- Time”. The Academy’s research starts from respective prevalence and outreach from miss if I did not mention TGCL – the Tan- linary scholarship and intense networking the assumption that perceptions and re- the perspective of diverse academic disci- zanian German Centre of Law – which is and exchange on everything associated presentations of “Future” in Africa and its plines; it will appraise the impact of such one of five centres of excellence establis- with the African continent. I wish you all Diasporas are highly innovative and dyna- images on social developments. Under the hed in Africa and funded by the German stimulating and inspiring debates with us mic, that they hence invite for stimulating guiding theme “Future Africa”, we will dis- Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and at the University of Bayreuth. Thank you. comparisons, and that they have an increa- cuss development and change, projections the German Foreign Office. All of these singly global relevance. It attempts at de- and visions of the future about Africa as scientific institutions are unified under one monstrating that research focusing on the well as those that are powerful in concrete roof – the Institute of African Studies. “Global South” will contribute significantly configurations within African countries or Future Africa to wider, systematic debates on “Future”. that were powerful in the sense of a ‘his- But what would science, even excellent tory of the future’. This also includes trend science, be without networks and part- On behalf of the African Studies Associ- We were inspired by the vivid discussions analysis and futurology, which are currently nerships that extend beyond the univer- ation in Germany (VAD) we would like to among Academy members and proposed the fashion across the globe. sity’s walls? Here again, African Studies welcome you to the VAD conference 2014 the Academy’s main thematic topic “Fu- play an exemplary and inimitable role at “Future Africa” at Bayreuth University. Af- ture Africa” as motto for the conference Visions of the future about Africa emerge the University of Bayreuth. We are one rican studies are one of the research priori- of the African Studies Association in Bay- both outside the continent and in Africa of 30