FIROZ LALJI CENTRE FOR ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 CONTENTS YEAR IN REVIEW 03 20 49 YEAR IN REVIEW RESEARCH ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

04 40 50 LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR PROGRAMME FOR AFRICAN CONTACT THE CENTRE LEADERHIP Despite only being in Fulfilling its aim to work in partnership Whether it’s growing the star potential its third year, the Firoz with Africa, the Centre has started of LSE’s African students through the Lalji Centre for Africa new projects with researchers on the Programme for African Leadership, 06 46 continent, facilitated leadership and or publishing world-leading research ENGAGEMENT OUR COMMUNITY has rapidly grown PhD writing workshops, organised based on rigorous fieldwork, the Firoz into a global leader in networking hubs everywhere from Lalji Centre is challenging the limits of Lagos to Nairobi to Juba, and increased what a global, outward looking Centre research and African its prestigious blog’s readership can achieve. With more staff and engagement. worldwide. These achievements increased funding, we look forward 12 48 are reflected in high-profile media to the next year and the exciting new EVENTS MESSAGE FROM FIROZ LALJI coverage and sold-out events ventures it will bring. throughout the year, raising the Centre’s international reputation. 3 t has been a busy year, with intense research activities focussed on Pan-Africanism, humanitarianism and sexual and many very successful events. Highlights for me were violence and justice in northern Uganda. Ithe inspiring 2018 PfAL Forum in Mombasa, Kenya, which The Centre is growing and attracting more funding and brought together PfAL alumni from across the continent; support. Placing Africa at the core of LSE activities, we the sixth Africa Summit, which had some remarkably are reaching out to African scholars and policymakers to engaging and thought-provoking sessions; and the Save develop genuinely co-produced initiatives. By mentoring the Children Centenary Conference, co-hosted with the researchers, in the UK and in Africa, our raised capacity has agency. benefitted the quality and scope of our work. These events have benefitted greatly from the insights We are excited to expand these activities over the coming generated by our research programmes, which continue year. Our new engagement programme will strengthen to expand into new areas, and from the exhibitions and existing partnerships and build new links with African presentations by artists working with us at the Centre. universities, charities, and businesses. This work, combined Publications by our academics have been prolific, including with supporting new African fellowships, will further the papers in leading journals and widely read blogs on continent’s relationship with LSE’s staff and students. topics as diverse as Ebola, child soldiers, international aid, football, memorialisation, art, economic growth, populism, entrepreneurship, water supply, gendered violence, justice, spirituality, and the past and present of African scholarship. In support of the latter, we have published the main anthropological writings of renowned poet Okot p’Bitek, including his book about studying in Oxford in the 1960s, as LETTER FROM well as his doctoral thesis—a remarkable work on Uganda PROFESSOR TIM ALLEN THE DIRECTOR that was astonishingly failed in 1970. Other new books have DIRECTOR, FIROZ LALJI CENTRE FOR AFRICA

4 5 utreach in the UK and Africa underpins the Centre’s work, its multidisciplinary expertise used to forge new Olinks with institutions on the continent and participate in global public debate. The Centre has become a central place of synergy for scholars, researchers, students, industry leaders and policymakers working in and on Africa, building networks within LSE, among actors on the continent, and internationally. Having built an effective platform for African voices to be heard on African as well as global issues, the Centre focusses on important debates and critical reflections on the continent’s development challenges. VISION Our success is attributed to the numerous researchers, students, media representatives, and development This year the Centre has spearheaded a new strategy practitioners we engage with every year and the diverse to expand significantly its engagement programme to increase and strengthen partnerships and collaborations knowledge community this creates. Over the past year, with African education institutions. The strategy aims to the Centre has furthered and deepened its UK-Africa establish an African Research Fellowships programme, knowledge exchange and co-production by creating and grow links with African businesses and charities, building strong collaborations with universities in Uganda, and establish a holistic direction for furthering LSE’s Sierra Leone, and South Sudan. Engagement with national- relationship with the continent. This work will complement and local policymakers, by working closely with African and grow the Centre’s research trajectories and reach, researchers and university departments, has also enhanced expand the Programme for African Leadership network, the quality and availability of our research output. and increase the blog’s African readership. ENGAGEMENT

6 7 IN THE MEDIA STAFF HIGHLIGHTS

ver the last year, the Firoz Lalji Centre for Africa has Centennial Professor Centre Director increased its media engagement across print, radio, Leonard Wantchekon Professor Tim Allen Oand digital channels. Director Professor Tim Allen has Only one person out of has been elected to the Council of the made numerous appearances on BBC World Service, the has been elected to the globally prestigious Econometric Society, Academy of Social Sciences. annual Africa Summit received a feature lengthy review [the 25 invited] made it to drawing international attention to his in Vice, and the Centre’s work made the front page of the work on African economic development. Observer, among other commentaries by our researchers the [LSE Africa Summit]. Research Fellow on current debates. All the flight costs and visa Centennial Professor Holly Porter applications were paid by Alcinda Honwana was selected as a finalist for the 2018 Melville J Herskovits Prize for her book was appointed as Strategic Director of the UK research councils After Rape: violence, justice and social “ the Firoz Lalji Centre for Africa. Professor The [LSE Africa Summit] and harmony in Uganda. so this is very unjoined-up Honwana’s current work focusses the sheer range of topics it on youth and conflict and the role of government. younger generations in post-conflict Research Fellow reconstruction and development. visited was unlike anything I Michael Amoah have ever attended. PROFESSOR TIM ALLEN published his book The New Pan- discussing the UK’s restrictive visa rules, Africanism, investigating the concepts Observer front page of nationalism, the nation state, and JASON OKUNDAYE globalisation in light of the growing Pan- “Vice, 4 April 2019 African movement.

8 9 AFRICA AT LSE BLOG HIGHLIGHTS

n its eighth year the Africa at LSE blog has secured its In 2018/19 the blog launched the Citing Africa project, which reputation as an authority in expert analysis on African unpacked the unequal global construction of knowledge Iaffairs. Its international and LSE contributors have attracted production, launched a new website to display the breadth Visa applications: emotional tax and a growing, global readership, exploring the issues behind of its output, and continued its series on themes of public privileged passports the headlines with the latest social, political, and economic authority and displacement in collaboration with local 1 research. researchers across the continent.

The romantic rewriting of Haile Selassie’s 2 legacy must stop blog 120 most blog posts Eritrea: from war and oppression to peace stats monthly published and development 2018/19 views BLOGread 3 The UK’s self-harming scandal of visa rejections for visiting academics our readers are in POSTS read our blog: 4 blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/ 203kannual 192 countries users The hidden worth of the global African 5 diaspora 10 11 EVENTS

he Firoz Lalji Centre hosts a wide and varied range of events such as public lectures, seminars, events at a glance speakers included: Tworkshops, book launches, and conferences, which draw upon the outstanding multidisciplinary MARY ROBINSON expertise of LSE’s diverse knowledge community. President of Ireland (1990–97) and UN High In collaboration with its African partner institutions, Commissioner for Human Rights (1997–2002) it engages thousands of scholars, students, policy public10 events makers, aid and development professionals, and media and business representatives every year. DR LYN OSSOME Senior Research Fellow in the Makerere Institute Event topics in the 2018/19 year included: of Social Research at Makerere University • South Sudan: what chance of peace beyond the peace deals? DR SIMUKAI CHIGUDU • Film screening and discussion of ‘The River speakers80 Between African and European Languages’ Associate Professor of African Politics at • Citizenship in Africa: the law of belonging • Getting to Zero: A doctor and a diplomat on the Ebola frontline SIR MIKE AARONSON • Decolonising the curricula: why necessary and why Director General of Save the Children UK (1995–2005) now event3000 attendees

12 13 AFRICA TALKS WORKSHOPS & SEMINARS

frica Talks is a series of events with distinguished guests n 2018/19, we organised numerous workshops and seminars sharing their ideas, knowledge, and expertise to inspire to engage partners with our research, in the UK and Africa, Anew ideas and perceptions of the African continent. Icreating a space to share findings, debate our work, and increase research capacity with actors on the continent. To mark the launch of our podcast Citing Africa, which takes a critical look at the wider context of knowledge production Events included: about the African continent, we hosted a special Africa Talks • Weekly seminar series at LSE for the Centre for Public event “Decolonising the curricula: why necessary and why Authority and Development now” as part of LSE’s festival “New World (Dis)Orders”. • Social sciences writing workshop with 16 young scholars Bringing together Dr Lyn Ossome from Makerere University, at Njala University, Sierra Leone Dr Simukai Chigudu from the University of Oxford, and • Monthly the Critical African Writings Reading Group at Dr Laura Mann from LSE, and chaired by the Firoz Lalji LSE Centre Centennial Professor Alcinda Honwana, the event explored why students across the world are calling for the • Writing workshop on “Public authority in and after decolonisation of the curricula and what universities can Peace” in Kampala, Uganda with the British Academy do about it. and the University of Juba

The successful event inspired passionate conversations and • A creative writing workshop exploring the experiences debates among LSE students and staff, as well as over 100 of displacement and dynamics of return with 10 South attendees from across universities of London. Sudanese scholars in Juba

14 15 he LSE Africa Summit is an annual student-led conference featured artworks from the Centre’s Politics of Return LSE AFRICA SUMMIT which showcases Africa’s contribution to the world and project, resulting from a residency in Kampala where artists Tpromotes debate around contemporary challenges and responded to research on themes of displacement and return opportunities facing the continent. By gathering renowned in Uganda, Central African Republic, South Sudan and the scholars, leading politicians, change makers, and forward- Democratic Republic of Congo. thinking entrepreneurs, together with our passionate students at the LSE, the Summit provides a unique platform for sharing ideas and nurturing relationships to translate Rich with informed thought into meaningful action.

insights into Africa’s The 6th LSE Africa Summit, with the theme “Africa’s Future ‘future frontiers’ … Frontiers”, explored how Africa can navigate its current crossroads and progress towards economic and social Spaces such as the LSE sustainability and inclusivity. Speakers addressed the Africa Summit remain prospects of Africa reaching beyond its borders to achieve exponential growth, the banking revolution’s potential to vital for platforming the ensure financial inclusion, the establishment of the rule of “best minds. law for fairness and justice, the harnessing of technology for private sector development, and the embrace of a Top: sustainability culture and African soft power for socio- Organising team of JASON OKUNDAYE cultural empowerment, among other topics. the 2019 LSE Africa Vice, 4 April 2019 Summit The Summit emphasised, for the first time, the role of arts and culture in contemporary Africa by exhibiting Bottom: exceptional African artists. Nairobi-based photographer Fashion designer Ozwald Boateng in Mutua Matheka presented his work on urban living, conversation with “Unscrambling Africa”, which challenged representations of the deputy director African cities with an exploration into urbanity, architecture of the Royal African and culture across southern Africa. The Summit also Society, Sheila Ruiz 16 17 SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS

We had the pleasure of hosting WorldRemit’s founder Ismail Ahmed, Chief Justice of the Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia Meaza Ashenafi, fashion designer Ozwald Boateng OBE and actress, producer, and Nollywood director Genevieve Nnaji for a special fireside chat. Additionally, a couch conversation with Ghanaian superstar Fuse ODG, Bashair Ahmed and Lexy Owusu-Boahene provided a spotlight on the African diaspora.

18 19 esearch conducted by the Firoz Lalji Centre has made important Rprogress in 2018/19, with an increased number of hosted research projects and publications making an impact in scholarship and government policy. Strengthened partnerships with academic institutions on the continent have enabled our research to benefit from local expertise, be shaped by African concerns, and develop North- South and South-South knowledge exchange and co-production.

The results are rigorous, high-quality outputs which accurately reflect rapidly changing situations on the ground, with clear recommendations to our international audiences of policymakers, scholars, and NGOs.

RESEARCH

20 21 CENTRE FOR PUBLIC AUTHORITY

Exploring public authority and governance in fragile and conflict-affected COMMUNICATING FINDINGS areas across the continent The team have run several events throughout the year, including writing and blogging workshops, a monthly reading group, and a weekly seminar n its third year, the Centre for series to advance the theories and Public Authority and International methodologies underpinning the IDevelopment (CPAID) has entered research. an exciting phase exploring the governance of societies in fragile and conflict-affected regions. Working across Uganda, South Sudan, Sierra KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, In northern Uganda, the CPAID team have undertaken Somalia, and Kenya, our researchers capacity-building with early career Ugandan scholars, have published high-quality books, running workshops and collaborating on research and journal papers, and blog posts, and policy proposals for local government. The scheme has reached out to new research partners built a reliable platform for knowledge exchange, the co- to share widely findings from the production of research results, and improved the rigour of contexts in which they work. engagement with the region’s peace and security issues.

22 23 DISSEMINATING RESEARCH 2018/19 HIGHLIGHTS

AFRICA AT LSE BLOG KEY PUBLICATIONS CPAID HOSTS A CAPACITY-BUILDING CPAID RESEARCHERS SHARE EXPERTISE IN LSE IQ Through the Public Authority series, researchers have • Esther Marijnen and Judith Verweijen, ‘Why we must WORKSHOP IN MOMBASA, KENYA PODCAST started ground-breaking debates on public authority across question the militarisation of conservation’ in Biological In September 2018, CPAID hosted a capacity-building CPAID Investigator Dr Duncan Green and Visiting Professor the continent. Topics covered range from wildlife parks to Conservation workshop in Mombasa, Kenya. Researchers from the DRC, Grace Akello participated in the LSE IQ podcast. Examining witch doctors and from land governance to taxation along • Pat Stys, Judith Verwijen, Papy Mazuri, Samuel Uganda, the UK, and South Sudan shared their research the role of humanitarian and development assistance, the busy rivers. Muhindo, Christopher Vogel and Johan H Koskinen, skills and held masterclasses on writing research articles, episode ‘Do we need to rethink foreign aid?’ explored the blogging, and social media. increasingly sceptical political aid environment. Top blog posts in the series: ‘Brokering between (not so) overt and (not so) covert networks in conflict zones’ inGlobal Crime • Neither Education nor Impact: Why are Universities and Higher Education Institutes springing up all over Eastern • Tim Allen, Anna Macdonald and Henry Radice, DR Congo? ‘Humanitarianism: A Dictionary of Concepts’ by Samuel Keith Muhindo Balume and Papy Muzuri (Routledge) • Mind the Billboards: International Aid Conquering the • Peter Schouten and Esther Marijnen, ‘Electrifying the Public Space in Burundi green peace? Electrification, conservation and conflict by Astrid Jamar in Eastern Congo’ in Conflict, Security & Development • What do witch doctors actually do? by Robin Oryem

Read the Public Authority series at blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/tag/public-authority/

24 25 DYNAMICS OF THE NGO SECTOR IN SOUTH SUDAN

Informing engagement with the localisation agenda aunched in spring 2019, the study aims to understand the historical Land political dynamics of local and national NGOs in South Sudan. Investigating these organisations’ origins, institutional development, and contemporary functions, the project will inform the UK Department for International Development’s engagement with the localisation agenda both in South Sudan and globally. More than NGOs and what the realities are for managing funding focussing on material dynamics, the project will also shortfalls or gaps, and how they cope. explore the ways these organisations navigate challenges Researchers Dr Naomi Pendle and Alice Robinson at LSE and how their ideological basis becomes entangled and are working with researchers from the University of Juba reimagined in the process. and The Research People consultancy. Collaborators in the Specifically, an objective of the study is to understand how research include Dr Leben Moro, Revd. Dr Martin Ochaya NGOs at local and national levels have been shaped by and Dr Lydia Tanner who will assist in collecting qualitative major events such as the Comprehensive Peace Agreement interviews, life histories, and organisational histories from and South Sudan’s independence as well as, more recently, across South Sudan, including in Akobo, Wau, and Yambio. the changes associated with the conflict in December Findings will be published in late 2019. 2013 and July 2016. The project further seeks to grasp the leadership styles and composition of local and national

26 27 THE POLITICS OF RETURN

Investigating the dynamics of return and reintegration of refugees in unded by the Arts and Humanities central and eastern Africa Research Council, the three-year Fproject engaged researchers in investigating the conditions for and obstacles to social repair in Uganda, Art installation by Bathsheba Okwenje Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and the Central African Republic. These complex dynamics have been explored in journal articles, blog posts, photography, and art exhibitions. Concluding in September 2019, the The artists, researchers, and curator are constantly project has resulted in a variety moving and engaging with the work, research, of outputs, which include writing and space in a way that invites the creation of new workshops conducted in South Sudan perspectives. By casting the subject in a collaborative and Uganda, art residencies that explore the intersection of arts and research, role rather than a passive one, artists, subjects, and and conferences held in Gulu and participants alike can engage meaningfully with London. difficult topics through an artistic lens. READ MORE “ MEITAL KUPFER Refugees in northern Uganda now have ‘democracy’ but no authority LSE Researcher by Charles Ogeno and Ryan O’Byrne 28 29 Artwork by Willy Karekezi

EXHIBITIONS AND CONFERENCES

Part of the project’s engagement strategy involves organising exhibitions that bring together the work of artists and researchers. In 2018/19 artworks and comics of the research have been exhibited at the 2019 LSE Africa Summit and the Save the Children Centenary Conference.

On 25–26 July 2019 researchers and artists working across central and eastern Africa gathered to present key findings from the project and discuss new research agendas during a public conference held in Gulu, Uganda. Over 100 people attended over the two days, including journalists from local Artwork by Bathsheba Owekenje media who covered the event in publications and on radio.

The event was not only an opportunity to further examine the intersection and co-production of research and arts, but Artwork by Kusa Kusa Gaël Maski also provided space for the public to view and engage with artworks produced alongside and from the research.

On 25 July the artists launched the exhibition ‘When We Return’, which was displayed at TAKS Centre in Gulu from 25 July to 14 August. Reflecting on the themes of return, reintegration, and displacement, the exhibition featured Artwork by Willy Karekezi multimedia artwork and installations by Willy Karekezi, Kusa Kusa Gaël Maski, Ben Mergelsberg, and Bathsheba Okwenje, as well as comics by Charity Atukunda, Didier Kassaï, and Victor Ndula.

30 31 who have been given protection find themselves extremely politicians, support for the collection of evidence in vulnerable when these protections are withdrawn. land conflicts, communication with landless people, TRAJECTORIES OF DISPLACEMENT and exploration into practical survival options. ENGAGEMENT A multi-disciplinary exploration into return and social repair after mass • Findings have also been reported to Save the Children, READ MORE UNICEF and other agencies that were initially involved displacement in northern Uganda TAKS Centre in Gulu: From Bastion of the Colonial Establishment in reintegrating children from the conflict. to Acholi Cultural Hub • In February and March 2019, the research team by Morris Omara and Tim Allen disseminated findings through workshops discussions ollowing the mass displacement in Uganda with BRAC in Kampala and Gulu University. during the Lord’s Resistance Army F(LRA) insurgency from 1986 to 2006, IMPACT this project investigated the long- I would like to say thanks for coming to The research team, with northern Ugandan term impacts of post-displacement interview me. Ever since I came back interventions as experienced and researchers, produced policy briefs ranging from broad understood by affected communities. recommendations about ways to make justice more nobody has talked to me or followed accessible to women who have experienced sexual me up. This research has given me Concluded in spring 2019, the project violence – such as creating self-help groups – to specific identified a need to rethink the recommendations that target particular challenges an opportunity to share my past principles associated with reuniting identified by the communities who were researched. experience once again my mother separated children in war-affected • Findings on the resettlement of people from the LRA never wanted me to talk about my areas, where children have been have been drawn upon by the Member of Parliament experience but am glad someone has involved in violent acts. The findings “ for Gulu, Uganda in framing a private member’s bill. revealed that agencies with a protection come today to talk to me. The briefs were used to secure support particularly for mandate need to have longer term people who were returned to their families as babies. follow-up mechanisms for those whom INTERVIEW PARTICIPANT they are responsible. Where these • The researchers have actively been engaged in land mechanisms are not in place, people policy reform debates through engagement with 32 33 LOCALISED EVIDENCE AND DECONSTRUCTING DECISION-MAKING NOTIONS OF RESILIENCE Addressing the need for locally-relevant evidence in decision- Exploring coping strategies and resilience in post-conflict Uganda making and administration

his year the Centre launched the he idea that there are socio-cultural systems that Localised Evidence and Decision- make people more or less able to recover from crises Tmaking (LEAD) project, which addresses Thas intuitive appeal and is of great importance for policy the lack of relevant evidence in public design. But despite its potential as an explanatory concept, health decision-making. Focussed on ‘resilience’ is a fuzzy notion that can complicate aid delivery the African Great Lakes region, the and shift responsibility onto the victims of war and crisis for project will create links between local their situation. practitioners and medical evidence, This research project explores how people negotiate, identifying local needs to improve the experience and understand their own coping strategies impact of disease-specific, global health and resilience. Our researchers have undertaken studies in interventions. pastoralist Karamoja in Uganda, areas affected by the LRA The researchers will use the findings insurgency, and the West Nile, which has hosted multiple to influence models for global health waves of refugees from South Sudan. interventions, inform the exploration of artificial intelligence techniques for READ MORE their implementation, and run a series of workshops with local practitioners. Why children from Karamoja end up begging on the streets of Kampala by Saum Nangiro 34 35 A TALE OF TWO GREEN VALLEYS GOING WITH OR AGAINST THE FLOW? Data-driven agro-innovation in California’s Central Valley A study of water governance in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya’s Rift Valley

Tale of Two Green Valleys has aunched in September 2018 with partner organisation continued its research into the Mercy Corps, this innovative new project examines Adigital transformations taking place Lhouseholds’ daily management, financial governance, and across two rich agricultural valleys: access to water and basic social services in the city of Goma, Kenya’s Rift Valley and Central Valley eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. in California. The project uses a political It uses a mix of social network research, ethnography, economy approach to examine who and governance diaries to collect in-depth data to reveal is benefiting and losing out from the how residents navigate public authority in an insecure commercialisation of digital data in environment and cope with unforeseen shocks. agriculture, and how these benefits and losses are understood across different In the last year, the investigators have trained five political players. Congolese researchers to collect data every two weeks from resident households over a period of eleven months and The researchers, Dr Laura Mann and used workshops to share skills and discuss pressing local Dr Gianluca Iazzolino, have been development concerns. conducting interviews in the regions and preparing to create a podcast READ MORE series to engage communities with the findings in Kenya and California, and Notes from the field: beginning a new research project by Pat Stys and Tom Kirk beyond. 36 37 LIVING THE EVERYDAY IN THE CONTEXT OF EBOLA CITING AFRICA A study of health and social interactions at Uganda’s borders Investigating knowledge production about the African continent

Photo MONUSCO/Alain Coulibaly/Flickr he project principally addresses how social relations and iting Africa is a podcast and blog series exploring the everyday life affect the knowledge and management of global construction and imbalances of knowledge Tsickness, including and beyond the Ebola virus. The research Cproduction, taking a critical look at the wider context will be based in the West Nile sub-region of Uganda, with affecting the African continent. research sites situated directly on the borders of Uganda- Over nine podcast episodes respected academics, editors Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda-South Sudan. and publishers explore the history of higher education in Recently, these borders have come to the attention Africa, the decline of Africa-based contributions in top of international experts, under the guise of Ebola- international academic journals and current programmes of preparedness efforts following the spread of the epidemic global North-South knowledge exchange. It also provides from North Kivu, DRC. Yet little is known about everyday practical guidance to young scholars seeking to publish their social relations, movement, and health-seeking across these own work. spaces. PODCAST ‘Living the everyday’ deploys the Centre’s extensive Episodes: 9 Guest speakers: 25 interdisciplinary expertise in the region. Alongside novel international partnerships with Gulu University and Muni Total listens: 6,100 University in Uganda, it will provide much needed, urgent perspectives on health-seeking to the wider region. READ MORE

African and Development Studies: scholarship in need of its own replication crisis 38 by Dr Laura Mann 39 PROGRAMME FOR AFRICAN LEADERSHIP

Photo by Owen Billcliffe

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME EXPANSION The Programme for African Leadership (PfAL) is the Firoz The PfAL alumni network continues to grow across the Lalji Centre’s extra-curricular leadership, networking and continent and beyond, creating a global community. skills building initiative reserved for African students Following on from the success of the 2018 second biennial studying a Masters at LSE. Since its launch in 2012, more PfAL Forum in Mombasa, Kenya, the programme has than 370 students from over 40 countries have taken part focussed on encouraging and facilitating networking and joined the international PfAL alumni network. opportunities within the alumni network. Africa Day in 2019 saw PfAL alumni gather to celebrate in Kenya, Nigeria, The 2018/19 academic year saw 75 students from 18 African Malawi, Madagascar, Ghana, , and the UK. countries join the eighth cohort and engage in a range of networking, skill-building and career-oriented activities To accommodate the growing annual cohort of PfAL throughout the year. The PfAL8 curriculum was based students and alumni, PfAL works with a number of around themes of project management, entrepreneurship, organisations both within LSE and externally, such as The employment, and intra-African networking. African Capacity Building Foundation in Zimbabwe, to create more professional opportunities.

40 Photo by Owen Billcliffe 41 PFAL PROJECTS opportunities for the cohort to get to know each other and PFAL 2018/19 The Programme started the academic year with the PfAL build bonds outside their studies, discuss ideas, and explore Projects competition, in which the students propose common interests while also gaining some respite from their and design awareness campaigns to address African rigorous academic work. development challenges in the following categories: Enhancing Educational Opportunities, Celebrating Arts and PFAL OPPORTUNITIES This opportunity Culture, Promoting Health & Wellbeing and Boosting Travel PfAL has continued its emphasis on providing opportunities opened our minds and and Trade. for students and alumni, from regular communication highlighting employment and academic opportunities to visions for what role we To support students’ development during the competition, PfAL hosted workshops on project planning and design, seeking meaningful collaborations with organisations in the each would like to and budgeting, presentation delivery, and marketing led by UK and Africa to become involved in the PfAL community. could play, as well as professionals from organisations such as Deloitte, LSE In 2019 the Centre piloted the MSc Fieldwork Scholarship, Enterprise, The Tree, and LSE Generate. The winner, as which supported MSc students across LSE with funding the impact we will make voted for by the students, was “Uyinqoba”, an outstanding for their dissertation fieldwork in Africa. The scholarship in our different corners initiative to raise awareness of HPV and cervical cancer in supported 17 students to conduct fieldwork in Cameroon, “ secondary schools in Kwa Zulu Natal, . Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, and South Africa. of the world. SKILLS BUILDING WORKSHOPS KELE MAFOLE In Lent and Summer Terms, PfAL hosted workshops on debating, rhetoric, and post-graduate employment, as well as panel discussions on career building with representatives from EY, Facebook, and AgDevCo, and a leadership talk in collaboration with LSE, Yale University, and Birkbeck College.

NETWORKING To enrich networking among the cohort, PfAL organised a variety of social events off-campus. Meeting regularly gave 42 Photo by Owen Billcliffe 43 he second biennial PfAL Forum in Mombasa, Kenya PFAL FORUM AT A GLANCE 2018 PFAL FORUM was organised under the thematic umbrella ‘Working Ttogether to shape our future.’ The two-day event brought together 150 alumni, academics, researchers, speakers, and special guests who celebrated the programme, joined 104 discussions on the opportunities for collaboration, and delegates reflected on PfAL’s aims and values. 425 minutes of collboration and 8 sharing ideas speakers

from 870 minutes of networking The Forum was an amazing experience because it not only 29 countries allowed me to interact with people from all over the continent across Africa but also realise that we share a same vision by being optimistic about the future of our continent. It feels great to 425 minutes of know that everybody is working toward having an impact on 4 learning & the continent thanks to the support received by PfAL. workshops discussion 44 “ 45 OUR COMMUNITY

CENTRE STAFF RESEARCHERS VISITING PROFESSORS AND FELLOWS

Ikenna Acholonu | PfAL Programme Officer Kara Blackmore | PhD Candidate Costanza Torre | PhD Candidate Professor Grace Akello | Visiting Professor Professor Tim Allen | FLCA Director Professor Cathy Boone | Investigator, CPAID Dr Joe Trapido | Research Officer Dr Michael Amoah | Senior Visiting Fellow Gemma Edom (until April 2019) | Graduate Intern Professor Teddy Brett | Investigator, CPAID Professor Koen Vlassenroot | Investigator, CPAID Dr Tatiana Carayannis | Investigator, CPAID/Politics of Martha Geiger | Centre Manager Professor Ernestina Coast | Investigator, CPAID Return Professor Alcinda Honwana | FLCA Strategic Director and Professor Alex de Waal | Investigator, CPAID Professor Karin Barber | Centennial Professor Centennial Professor Dr Claire Elder | CPAID Research Officer Professor Harry Barkema | Professor of Management Stephen Johnson | PfAL Programme Manager Cristin Ferguson | Lead Investigator, LEAD Project Dr Fatima El-Issawi | Senior Visiting Fellow Natasha Koverola Commissiong (until December 2018) | Julian Hopwood | Research Assistant Professor Duncan Green | Investigator, CPAID Research Grants Officer Dr Thomas Kirk | Research Officer Dr Gianluca Iazzolino | Research Fellow Yovanka Paquete Perdigao | Events Programme and Dr Jonah Lipton | CPAID Research Officer Dr Vanessa Iwowo | Visiting Fellow Communcations Coordinator Dr Ryan Joseph O’Byrne | CPAID Research Officer Dr Anna Macdonald | Senior Visiting Fellow Laurence Radford | Communications Manager and Editor | Researcher, Politics of Return Dr Laura Mann | Associate Professor and Research Affiliate of Africa at LSE Aaron Pangburn Professor Melissa Parker | Investigator, CPAID Dr Georgina Pearson | Research Fellow, LEAD Project Ingrina Shieh | Research Grants Officer Dr Naomi Pendle | Research Fellow Dr Holly Porter | Assistant Professorial Research Fellow Syerramia Willougby (until January 2019) | Communications | Research Fellow Manager and Editor of Africa at LSE Alice Robinson | PhD Candidate Dr Rebecca Tapscott Elizabeth Storer | PhD Candidate Professor Leonard Wantchekon | Centennial Professor Dr Patrycja Stys | CPAID Research Officer Karin Weitzberg | Visiting Fellow Dr Lars Williams | Visiting Fellow 46 47 MESSAGE FROM FIROZ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to express our warm appreciation The growth of the Centre’s to LSE alumnus Firoz Lalji for his generous support engagement and research is an in funding the Centre. inspiring example of what can The Centre has also benefitted from further be achieved in a short space of funding from Jules Green (BSc Management time. It has been wonderful to Sciences 1985) and Susan Green, Pii Ketvel (LLM 1995) and Gisella Ketvel (MSc European Studies meet the talented new leaders 1995), Keith Young MBE (BSc Economics 1968) and from the eighth PfAL cohort, Melanie Young, Dr Burkhard P Varnholt (General “and I look forward to seeing Course 1991) and TLG Credit Opportunities Fund. where their ambitions take Their support for our public events programme, them in the years to come. the Programme for African Leadership, and our research programmes has been invaluable. FIROZ LALJI

(BSc Economics 1969) Photo by Owen Billcliffe Photo by Owen Billcliffe 48 49 CONTACT THE CENTRE

Since its founding in 2016, the Firoz Lalji Centre for Africa has made a significant impact in the field of African Studies not only in Europe, but also in Africa. … I cannot think of any comparable Centre for the study of Africa outside of the Based at LSE, the Firoz Lalji Centre for Africa promotes independent academic research and teaching; continent that has made such a huge impact within such a open and issue-oriented debate; and evidence-based policy making. The Centre accomplishes this limited time. by connecting different social science disciplines and by working in partnership with Africa bringing African voices to the global debate. ...The Firoz Lalji Centre for Africa has reinvigorated the study “of Africa in the UK and the engagements between the UK academy and African institutions. Contact us for more information or to support the Firoz Lalji Centre:

Firoz Lalji Centre for Africa lse.ac.uk/africa PROFESSOR WALE ADEBANWI Institute for Global Affairs [email protected] African Studies Centre, University of Oxford London School of Economics and Political Science @AfricaAtLSE Houghton Street @LSEAfricaCentre London WC2A 2AE @LSEFirozLaljiCentreforAfrca blogs.lse.ac.uk/AfricaAtLSE 50