alliances WINTER 2012 University of Michigan No. 4 Member of the University of Michigan International Institute EFFORT TO REBUILD LIBERIA’S UNIVERSITIES UNDERWAY

n $18.5-million effort to help The work began in summer 2011, A rebuild Liberia’s universities when three U-M graduate students and infrastructure after 15 spent the month of August at years of civil war has begun, and Cuttington University running a University of Michigan professors, staff “Summer Start” program for seventy and students are playing an important incoming college freshman and role. Through visiting professorships, sophomores. The aim is to build graduate student fellowships, summer students’ excitement about their programs for Liberian youth and other chosen career and enhance their endeavors, members of the U-M preparation through classes in key community are contributing to the academic subjects and hands-on revitalization of the nation founded experiences. In fact the “application by freed American slaves. lab,” where students had to design and build a bridge out of popsicle The program, Excellence in Higher sticks and construct a catapult, was a Education for Liberian Development, welcome challenge for the Liberian is led by North Carolina-based research students, who previously had had little institute RTI International. The U.S. opportunity to engage in hands-on Agency for International Development activities or group-work. is funding the project that will develop “The students’ lack of technology and Summer Start students building a model bridge. centers of excellence in engineer- Photograph by Sara Rimer ing and agriculture at the University computer skills were definitely our of Liberia and Cuttington University, biggest surprise,” admits Sara Rimer, respectively. The aim is to supply these a graduate student in Civil and fields with skilled graduates qualified Environmental Engineering. “Fifty to meet current and future workforce of the seventy students had never demand. “Engineering, science and touched a computer before the technology are what propels countries beginning of the program, a much into economic greatness and improves higher number than we had expected. quality of life for their residents,” said Yet all of the engineering teams used Herbert Winful, a professor in the U-M a power point presentation for their Department of Electrical Engineering final project.” Her colleague Jose 1 and Computer Science who is U-M’s Alfaro, a graduate student in the principal investigator on this project. School of Natural Resources and the “Much depends on having a scientifically Environment adds: “Even if there is a and technically trained populace, and computer facility that the students through this project we’re doing a have access to, the situation is far from small part to enable that in Liberia.” ideal: students can only use the

Continued, p. 3 FROM THE DIRECTOR

“New Media/Social Change,” at which Prof. (Romance Languages and Literatures/DAAS), Victoria Bernal (U. of California-Irvine) discussed who studies literature, film and popular music the role of media in Eritrean diasporan of the Lusophone world from Brazil to Cape communities in the US and Prof. Annabelle Verde to Angola as well as the emergence Sreberny (School of Oriental and African of Afro-diasporic identities in Portugal;

Photograph by Elshafei Dafalla Elshafei Mohamed by Photograph Studies) countered simplistic narratives of the Bilal Butt (School of Natural Resources and ‘Arab Spring’ in North Africa as driven solely Environment), a geographer examining reetings to all in the University of by mass mediated encounters. Moreover, at the complexities of human-environment Michigan community and beyond with the invitation of the African Union three relations in East Africa with special focus G interests in Africa! U-M faculty (Frieda Ekotto, Comparative on challenges facing pastoralists and their Literature/DAAS; Elijah Kannatey-Asibu, creative use of information technologies Our fourth issue of Alliances explores further Mechanical Engineering; and Nkem to combat them; Joyojeet Pal (School of the varied terrain of U-M collaborations, Khumbah, Comprehensive Studies/ Information), who analyzes how computer activities and scholarly engagements with Mathematics) represented the university and communication technologies can be African colleagues and topics. These include at curriculum workshops in Nairobi, Kenya; employed in resource strapped situations to the exciting announcement of a new Yaoundé, Cameroon; and Addis Ababa, enable students with disabilities to pursue partnership to strengthen engineering Ethiopia. These workshops were the final their educational dreams; Adedamola education in Liberia, meditations on the stage of preparation for the official launch Osinulu (Michigan Society of Fellows/DAAS), challenges to university education in Africa in December 2011 of the Pan African who as both a scholar and architect studies by visiting scholars Kwesi Yankah (former University (PAU), which encompasses five the spatialization of Pentecostal Christianity in Pro-Vice Chancellor, U. Ghana) and Andrew academic centers of excellence—one in each African cities; and David Turnley (Residential State (Senior Lecturer, Makerere U., Uganda), region of the continent—to advance higher College), whose Pulitzer prize-winning photo- reflections on the birth of South Sudan by education in Africa. journalism and acclaimed documentary films U-M faculty Amal Fadlalla and Omolade have explored topics from apartheid South Adunbi, the mesmerizing artwork of UMAPS In August 2011, we welcomed our new- Africa to Cuban popular culture. artist-scholar George Kushiator, and the est cohort of African Presidential Scholars pharmaceutical sojourns of U-M historian (UMAPS—see p. 5 & 6). As in previous years, I attribute the many successes of the ASC Nancy Hunt. the range of disciplines and scholarly to the energies and talents of ASC-affiliated interests represented by these faculty from faculty and the ASC staff (especially Associate The past year witnessed a dizzying array of universities in Ghana, South Africa, Liberia Director Derek Peterson; Assistant Director African Studies Center (ASC) programs. The and Uganda is impressively wide. Among Devon Adjei; Sandie Schulze; Thaya Rowe; African Heritage (AHI) and African Social them are scholars focusing on small aircraft Henrike Florusbosch; Cindy Middleton; and Research (ASRI) initiatives each held their design, Ugandan precolonial history, Unit Manager Marya Ayyash), as well as to bi-annual international conferences, both in Liberian coastal erosion and the South the shared commitment of our Africa-based July 2011. AHI’s conference on “The Politics African ‘heritage industry’. You may meet partners and the infectious passion of our of Heritage” took place in Johannesburg, them and learn more about their work at the students (e.g., p. 9 on the activities of South Africa (p. 18) while the ASRI conference upcoming UMAPS Research Symposium AfricAid). As the Swahili saying confirms: on “Access, Accountability and Equality” scheduled for February 3rd. Penye mafundi hapakosi wanafunzi (“Where was held in Accra, Ghana (p. 16). The ASRI there are experts there is no shortage of and STEM-Africa initiatives both launched Let me end by welcoming to campus the students”). summer intensive courses: ASRI organized newest additions to our faculty who work two separate courses on statistical analysis of in or on, or who come from, Africa: Kwasi Please join us at our upcoming events and social research data in Ghana (see p. 16), and Ampene (DAAS/School of Music), the new avail yourself of the many Africa-related STEM on engineering skill-building in Liberia director of the Center for World Performance resources and opportunities on our website: (see p. 17). Mathematics faculty Daniel Burns Studies at the International Institute, who as http://www.ii.umich.edu/asc/. We thank you and Nkem Khumbah co-organized in May an an ethnomusicologist researching Asante for your continued support of the African 2 “International Conference on Mathematics” performance practices and court rituals Studies Center. in Buea, Cameroon, and the final two Mellon- commands a wealth of knowledge and Sawyer seminars on “Ethnicity in Africa” experience on the performing arts; Joseph Kelly Askew, Director were held here in Ann Arbor on “The Making Ansong (Earth and Environmental Sciences), of the Yoruba” (April 2011) and “Ethnicity, an applied mathematician here on a five- Conflict and Cooperation” (November 2011). year NSF-funded postdoctoral fellowship The ASC was a key partner in the Interna- researching how the ocean dissipates energy tional Institute’s November conference on and affects climate; Fernando Arenas Continued from p. 1 computer for 30 minutes at a time, and mining. Nippae reflects on how “further initiatives are already sprouting which really is not enough considering favorably this situation compares to up from our work on EHELD. I get how slow the computers are. Plus, the reality when he was a student: emails from Liberian organizations and there’s the problem of energy: the “I graduated high school in 1995, as other entities offering their skills and computer lab runs on a generator one of a class of 425 students from resources; they are asking ‘How can we for lack of regular electricity, but the the biggest and maybe best school help?’” An example of a new-found generator is often out as well.” in Liberia. Only two of these highly partnership is that with Peace Corps. motivated people went on to get a U-M will train Peace Corps volunteers Reactions from the Liberian college degree in engineering, because they already living in communities throughout students involved in the Summer realized that there were just no Liberia so they can facilitate one-day Start program show that another resources to do engineering. Many sessions about engineering, technology, of the program’s critical aims—to went into different fields, such as and agriculture for middle school stu- help students see the importance of business. Many more just dropped out.” dents. Graduate student Jose Alfaro careers in engineering and agriculture mentions another example of and appreciate the many connections The Summer Start program and the complementary initiatives. “We quickly between the two fields—is also being research residencies for University of realized the importance of sustainability addressed. As one of the participants Liberia engineering faculty are only and renewable energy, so while we noted afterwards: “I have come to two aspects of U-M’s role in the EHELD were still in Liberia, we set up a branch understand that every engineer initiative, which runs through September of our student organization Sustainability connects one watt to the other, 2016. The Summer Start program will without Borders at the University of whether he or she does geology, civil, be repeated for four more summers, Liberia.” mining, or electrical engineering, and alternating between Cuttington and even agriculture. We all can work the University of Liberia. In addition to Professor Winful notes that he is together as a team to build our professors Tamba and Nippae, another pleased with the collaboration country Liberia.” Others mentioned eight Liberian professors from different between the ASC and the College how much they had personally grown areas of engineering will come to U-M of Engineering on the EHELD grant. as students by doing group work and for individual research residencies of “ASC’s director and staff were tre- being challenged to be creative and six months, while two Liberian graduate mendously helpful in terms of their critical. One of the female students students will be funded for two years connections and good relationships explained: “I learned to be self at U-M. Moreover, small teams of with the president of the University dependent in acquiring knowledge. Engineering undergrads students, of Liberia. Even if it’s a technical grant Really most Liberian kids, including supervised by a faculty member, will like EHELD, you still have to be mindful myself before [attending Summer have the opportunity to travel to of cultural components. And what’s Start] rely on their instructors for Liberia to work on community-based really great about ASC is that it actually notes and don’t believe in doing research. They will use their engineering does include the STEM fields, which extra research, but now that has skills to come up with sustainable is something that sets this African really changed in me.” solutions in fields such as energy and Studies center apart from others.” He sanitation, while gaining valuable continues: “The EHELD program—being Jackson Tamba and Adolphus international experience and learning quite development-oriented—is not Nippae, two Engineering faculty from how to engage stakeholders. Finally, something the College of Engineering the University of Liberia who currently one or more U-M Engineering faculty normally does, at least not on this are visiting scholars at U-M, confirm will teach at the University of Liberia large, country-wide scale; so one has that word has gotten out about the for a total of two academic years, to work a little harder to convince promising changes ahead at the while a librarian from the College of people to go ahead with it. But as Engineering division as a result of the Engineering will help rebuild the soon as they realize the benefits to the 3 EHELD grant. According to Tamba, university’s engineering library. College—for example, how it allows the latest enrollment figures at the our undergrads to gain experience in Department of Electrical Engineering To the extent that EHELD is also sustainable engineering projects and are up from 180 students to 315, intended as a catalyst for other fits into our Global Engineering with even higher numbers for other initiatives, the first reactions are mission—the support follows.” engineering departments such as civil encouraging. As Prof. Winful notes, “PERCEPTION IS REALLY IMPORTANT” Notes From an Interview with Prof. Kwesi Yankah

semester or a year, except some from other regards to library and bibliographic resources, African countries. This tells you much about limited Internet access, and poor science labs. the perception of African universities outside Lack of human resources is a problem as well, the continent: they are considered not to because some supervisors don’t have a PhD be up to the standards that students from themselves. Moreover, supervisors often lack elsewhere want to get their degree from the time to properly advise their students them. This, in turn, shows that we are not and do not have easy access to the results fully integrated into the global network of of new scholarship being done around the higher education. globe. Those working on their PhD while also teaching face the difficulty of not having The number of faculty holding doctoral degrees enough time to devote to their writing, as is typically low across the continent—and in some of them are teaching five course or some countries, the percentage of those with work extra jobs to make up for their low salaries. doctorates is even declining. What accounts for For those who embarked on their PhD right these numbers, and are there any differences after getting their Masters, graduate school depending on the country, discipline, or type of might have been only a “stop-gap measure” university? to avoid unemployment, so they may be not There is a big difference between public all that interested in their projects. universities and private ones. Many new universities have sprouted up in Ghana and Research shows that the proportion of women elsewhere, and most of these are private. For with higher degrees has slowly started to increase those newer universities, the percentage of at some universities across the continent, faculty holding doctorates does not surpass including U-G. What has the University done 30%, while at an institution such as U-G the that might account for this increase, and what percentage currently stands at 68%. The other measures would you still like to see? Photograph by ASC by Photograph problem is that most universities cannot Our numbers of female students and faculty Africa Workshop lecture by Professor Yankah. afford to make having a PhD a prerequisite have indeed gone up at all levels, mainly as for teaching, because the human resources a result of the policy of affirmative action for Dr. Kwesi Yankah is Professor of Linguistics are simply not there. But the requirement to women that we instituted in the mid-1990s. at the University of Ghana, where he also have a doctorate in order to work as a lecturer is Since them, the number of female students at served as the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the in fact on the books for all Ghanaian universities, U-G has risen from 29 to 43%. For prospective University until August 2011. He spent the both public and private. However, in practice students, affirmative action takes the form of Fall 2011 semester at U-M as a visiting it has not been possible to adhere to this preferentially admitting well-qualified women. professor in the Department of Anthropology rule—at least not until recently. Some of these students might not otherwise and presented a well-received talk for the have gotten in, because each year the U-G Africa Workshop. In this interview with Dr. I do think the numbers are likely to improve. has to reject even highly qualified applicants. Henrike Florusbosch, Professor Yankah At U-G, for example, we have appointed At the faculty level, we have implemented addresses the state of higher education in only PhDs as lecturers for the past two years policies such as preferential housing Ghana and on the continent at large. now—new hires without a PhD are appointed allocations to female faculty, better childcare as assistant lecturers. So, we are going back options, explicit language against sexual As a higher education administrator in Africa, to the policy that was always on the books, harassment, and active recruiting of what do you see as the most pressing concerns and insist on strict compliance. U-G is also female administrators. for African universities? taking a more active role in facilitating that The main policy-level concerns at the moment those who have been appointed as assistant The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) are continuing low literacy rates across the lecturers do in fact obtain their PhD. In recently instituted a fellowship program in continent and a lagging commitment of two years, over fifty faculty members have response to “the shortage of well-trained faculty governments to higher education, coupled received fellowships allowing them to work now reaching crisis proportions in African with a low participation rate. Yet the biggest on the PhD, and we also try to boost the higher education.” Do you agree that we have 4 challenge might be how African universities faculty’s capacity to write research proposals reached a crisis? are perceived. Take university rankings: that will be competitive in an international The problems I have outlined so far are none of the universities in the top 300 are arena. definitely large and require cooperation with in Africa, and only five African institutions other institutions and funding agencies to appear in the top 1,000—all five of these being What are the most important obstacles facing solve them. But I want to stress that we are in South Africa. On the one hand, many graduate students in Ghana and across the not just sitting back with our arms crossed. African universities have now become part continent? At U-G, we are implementing a lot of new ini- of global networks and are able to attract The biggest problem is resources. There tiatives—such as the implementation of the international students. Yet on the other, most are various shortcomings in the general rule that faculty need to have a PhD—that of the international students come for only a academic infrastructure, particularly in aim to address our various challenges. MEET THE Another thing we are working on is retention The University of South Africa Press (USAP) is of junior faculty. In the past, a major challenge a wonderful example of this, and the U-G is U-M AFRICAN for African institutions has been that the in the process of setting up a partnership to students we supported to get their PhD publish jointly with USAP. The biggest issue PRESIDENTIAL abroad did not return. Lately, this trend has is that our scholars do so much knowledge been slowing down; at the same time, we are construction—but it is not disseminated SCHOLARS doing a better job linking up our scholars in properly. Many of our dissertations, for the Diaspora with their home institutions. We example, remain unpublished, which even FOR 2011-2012 now have a program in place—funded by the leads other scholars to copiously quote from Carnegie foundation—that allows Diaspora these without acknowledging the sources. scholars to spend a year teaching at universities he U-M Presidential Scholars (UMAPS) in Ghana. Another Carnegie-funded project Besides serving in administrative roles at U-G, program remains a key initiative of at U-G has focused on strengthening our you are also a linguist. What do you think T the African Studies Center. UMAPS libraries, mainly in the areas of acquisition linguistics and other humanities fields can contributes to capacity building in the African and improving access to electronic resources. contribute to the future of Ghana? academy by providing opportunities for early- Such resources are key to training the next The humanities play a tremendous role, and career faculty based in Ghana, South Africa, generation of African scholars and improving luckily our universities and various funding Liberia or Uganda to spend up to six months in their publication agendas. agencies recognize this. Whenever there is a Ann Arbor. The program simultaneously need to be analytic, make a coherent argument, promotes greater internationalization of U-M express yourself clearly, or learn about society, by bringing talented Africa-based faculty to you need to use basic humanities skills. At campus, thus enriching U-M through the U-G, we have found that communication skills inclusion of African perspectives. are crucial for students to succeed, be it in the form of fluent English expression or technical During their residencies at U-M, UMAPS communication; the use of language is key, scholars are paired with a faculty member and this is at the core of the humanities. and have full access to the University’s resources to work on research proposals, What joint initiative between U-M and U-G academic degrees, and grant proposals. would you like to see happen in the future? Scholars also participate in a weekly First of all, let me note that U-M’s African practicum organized by the ASC and present Presidential Scholars program (UMAPS) has their work at seminars and conferences in really worked well in the last few years. It is and around Ann Arbor. good that the field of eligible disciplineshas been broadened to include fields like medicine, The scholars in the 2011-2012 cohort are: because African Studies is much broader than commonly perceived. The big thing I’d FLORENCE A. ASIIMWE is a senior lecturer like to see happen in the future is for us to in the Sociology Department at Makerere find a way of sharing access to library and University (Uganda). Her dissertation explored other academic resources. Working here as a the obstacles to home ownership for widowed visiting scholar this semester, I find the biggest and married women in Kampala, Uganda.

Photograph by ASC by Photograph difference is the accessibility of so many At U-M, she is working on a book manuscript Africa Workshop lecture by Professor Yankah. resources, particularly through electronic —based on her Ph.D. research—about databases. Finding a way where U-M could matrimonial homeownership dynamics. Speaking of publication agendas, what share its access to these electronic databases hindrances exist to high-level research and with its African counterparts would make a JOSEPH M. BALLAH is an instructor and publication for Africa-based scholars? huge difference for our faculty and students. acting chairman of the Geography Depart- This is another area where perception is ment at the University of Liberia, where he highly relevant. The general perception is works on identifying problems and solutions that African-based scholars have low “What we need are to common environmental challenges. He is 5 scholarly output, and that their scholarship using his time at U-M to further his current is mostly descriptive and lacking in African-based research project on combating coastal theoretical founding. Thus, African-produced publishing options, with erosion in Monrovia. scholarship is often turned down when it is presented to so-called international journals. African scholars on the What we need instead are African-based boards who understand publishing options, with African scholars on the parameters within the boards who understand the parameters within which knowledge is produced. which knowledge is produced.” E. MATHAKGA BOTHA comes to Ann Arbor doctoral research on the integration of U-M, he continues his research on Ankole, from the University of the Witwatersrand traditional and digital media techniques Western Uganda, with a focus on the ethnic (South Africa), where she is a lecturer in the in artistic expression. His artistic work is contestation between the Iru and Hima in the Curriculum Department at the Wits School of featured elsewhere in this newsletter pre-colonial and colonial periods. Education. Her doctoral research, on which (INSERT PAGE NO.) she is working during her U-M residency, ADOLPHUS NIPPAE is an instructor II in the examines the effective use of assessment ABRAHAM Y. MENSAH joins us from Kwame Department of Electrical Engineering at the data in South African primary schools in Nkrumah University of Science and University of Liberia. His research project at order to improve teaching and learning. Technology (Ghana), where he is a senior U-M is “Class J Radio Frequency Power lecturer in Pharmacology. His larger research Amplifier (RFPA) at High Frequency and YESUENYEAGBE A.K. FIAGBE is a lecturer in interests concern the scientific justification Microwave Filters Design.” He hopes to use the Department of Mechanical Engineering for the folkloric uses of medicinal plants. these advanced design approaches in his at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science His work at U-M involves the isolation and teaching at U-L. Nippae’s residency is part and Technology (Ghana), where he lectures characterization of bioactive compounds in of the EHELD program, discussed on page in Engineering Drawing, and Hydraulics and such plants by using chromatographic and (INSERT PAGE). Pneumatics. At U-M, he is working on his spectroscopic methods. research project on “Development of SIPOKAZI SAMBUMBUis a lecturer in the Sectional Parametric Design Method for SAKHUMZI MFECANE is a lecturer in the History Department at the University of the Small Aircraft Configuration.” Department of Anthropology and Sociology Western Cape (South Africa) who is engaged at the University of the Western Cape (South in doctoral research on the nature of the MORRIS LYSANDER KEN is an instructor in Africa) who received his PhD from the Wits authorized heritage discourse in South Africa. the Sociology Department at the University Institute for Social and Economic Research Continuing this research at U-M, she will focus of Liberia. During his residency in Ann Arbor, (WISER). At U-M, he is working on the on how a highly institutionalized heritage he is developing recommendations for publication of several chapters from his discourse is conceptualized, configured, and integrating early childhood education dissertation, which centered on men, utilized within a range of institutions. training into the academic programs of masculinities, and HIV/AIDS. higher learning institutions across Liberia. ANDREW ELLIAS STATE comes to campus CHRISTOPHER MUHOOZI is a lecturer from the Department of Sociology and GEORGE KUSHIATOR is a lecturer in the in the History Department at Makerere Anthropology at Makerere University (Uganda); Department of Communication Design at University (Uganda), where he is also doing his essay on teaching at Makerere can be Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and doctoral research on the social history of found on page 8. His residency at U-M allows Technology (Ghana), who is furthering his the interlacustrine region in East Africa. At him to explore learning and teaching at US universities, particularly in regards to challenges in the learning process.

JACKSON TAMBA is an assistant professor and chairman of the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Liberia. The author of many articles, Professor Tamba is currently writing a research paper on the relevance of renewable energy as a long- term energy solution for Africa. His residency at U-M is part of the EHELD program (INSERT PAGE).

EMMANUEL YAMOAH TENKORANG is a research fellow at the Institute for Devel- opment Studies, University of Cape Coast (Ghana), whose research focuses on environ- ment and development. At U-M, he is work- ing on his PhD thesis, which analyzes how the interactions between mining governance 6 institutions, traditional institutions, and other authorities affect local-level development in resource-rich communities. Top row, l to r: Sakhumzi Mfecane, Morris Lysander Ken, Andrew Ellias State, Abraham Mensah, Jackson Tamba, Sipokazi Sambumbu, E. Mathakga Botha, Emmanuel Yamoah Tenkorang, Christopher Muhoozi, George Kushiator. Bottom row, l to r: Joseph Ballah, Florence Asiimwe, Yesuenyeagbe Fiagbe, Adolphus Nippae. THE WORK OF ART GEORGE KUSHIATOR

Ghanaian artist George Kushiator is one of the 14 African scholars who are part of the 2011-2012 cohort of African Presidential Scholars (see p. 6). While in residence at UM, George Kushiator is exploring the impact of digital tools and technologies on painting, printmaking, and photography, and produc- ing a body of work that contributes to the discussion and understanding of these tools and processes. Here we print two of his recent works, accompanied by comment from him.

My artwork is motivated by intrinsic traditional values of Ghana, functioning as a physical codification of the cultural and spiritual continuum, a conduit that draws the human spirit to its heritage. I draw inspiration from my environment, experimenting on printmaking, photography and digital media that culminate into integrated digital artworks. To create my artworks, I orchestrate the merging in digital space of two unlike sources. I float a selection of saturated “Marriage,” by George Kushiator enamel paints in a tray of water, stirring, pushing, agitating, coaxing, dragging and blowing the surface into a flowing arrangement of unstable floating of meandering dots, lines, shapes and color. Color registers its encounter with other color, suspended liquid motion, smooth and undulating with its own weight. Arriving at the desired result, I then lay a sheet of cardboard paper face down, gently pressing it evenly against the floating enamel. The color grips the paper surface release from its liquid matrix to settle into the fibers shaped on one surface, recorded on another in both juxtaposition and superimposition creating harmonious and complementing elements of art.

The printed artwork is then photographed and launched into a digital space. I also upload my own photographs into the digital space. These are then integrated and merged through the process of manipulation in the digital environment, using painting and “Spiritual Healing,” by George Kushiator. photographic software like Adobe Photoshop. Moving back and forth between 7 layers and tools, I invite one image to inflect the other until arriving at the convergence I desire to create innovative powerful expressions. ENHANCING TEACHING AND LEARNING AT MAKERERE UNIVERSITY ANDREW ELLIAS STATE Andrew State, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at training and infrastructure, and an absence opportunities. Even though curriculum review Makerere University (Uganda), is one of the of pedagogical training services have has constantly been part of university teaching 2011-2012 cohort of African Presidential Scholars accelerated the already severe learning and and a periodic requirement, the exercise (see p. 6). In this essay he describes the work he teaching problems at Makerere University. seems futile in the absence of required skills, has undertaken during his stay at U-M. Out of about one hundred departments, it is such as familiarity with a teaching syllabus only in the School of Education where teaching and course objectives, being an effective Makerere University in Uganda was skills are taught to prospective teachers in teacher, getting students to actively involved, established in 1922, as a technical college and secondary and primary schools. While most fostering critical thinking, involving students later as constituent college of the University departments and faculties recruit teaching in community service, using questions and of London. It is one of the oldest universities assistants and assistant lecturers, there are no case studies in teaching, etc. In addition, it is in east and central Africa, becoming an additional skills given on commencement difficult to know how to incorporate one’s independent University with a parliamentary of duty and there are no institutional area of specialization in a course design, into legislation in 1970. Until 1988, Makerere mechanisms to help newly recruited the weekly schedule of topics and learning University remained the only recognized university lecturers adjust to their new activities, or into the reading assignments or degree granting institution in Uganda. Even positions. The Appointments Board, an the writing and analytical activities. This is though there are more than five other public universities and about 24 privately run universities in the country today, Makerere University remains the largest, most dynamic, recognized and leading academic institution in the country. While the university’s mission is to provide innovative teaching, learning, research and services responsive to national and global needs, this has been a dream rather than reality.

Makerere has many challenges. The challenges include underfunding, poor administration, deteriorating and inadequate infrastructure, congestion, unending academic staff grievances, and lack of direction among many others. The 1990s era ushered in a period of higher education reform in Africa and in Uganda, as the government opened up Makerere University to partial privatization through privately sponsored admissions program. This drastically

increased the number of students that did Courtesy of Andrew State not match the available teaching space and A lecture class at Makerere University. staff. Because of poor remuneration, many academics find it easier to leave university service for greener pastures in the private independent board of the University council not in any way to suggest that good teaching sector within Uganda and other higher charged with recruitment and promotion and learning does not take place at Makerere education institutions elsewhere. This is a of university employees, only asks the University but rather argues for enhancement great challenge to the quality of graduates. departmental chairs to allocate duties and of good practices already in existence. There are noted media debates as to whether supervise lecturers. This translates to a low Makerere University is currently trying to it is the university education in particular that quality of service delivery to the students, reposition itself and regain its glory. The is a problem or the entire education system including teaching skills and lecture hall university has the mandate to take positive in Uganda in general that has contributed learning. This is a big problem and usually and proactive steps to ensure provision of to the general apathy about the quality of is reflected in the quality of graduates and quality teaching, learning, research and 8 graduates to date. I believe that addressing the continued poor public opinions from outreach services relevant to the needs of the internal shortcomings at Makerere prospective employers. the institution and society. Cognizant of University, especially in the teaching and the growing public concerns about the learning sector, is the beginning to correcting Comparatively, most higher education deteriorating standards at the University, and the problem. institutions in the western world have centers the provisions of the legal framework that of learning and teaching excellence where requires institutions of higher learning to Difficulties caused by the increased numbers newly hired faculty members are nurtured ensure set standards conform to the National of students without corresponding increase into the practice of teaching and how to Council of Higher Education (NCHE), many in the number of academic staff, the dwindling become effective teachers in the lecture teaching units have embarked on revising resources from government to invest in theatres. Makerere University lacks such and revamping of the curriculum. This is mainly to meet the growing challenging many colleges and schools. My objective is News & Notes of the ill-prepared graduate and making to learn about what is possible to replicate the disciplines relevant at the national and that enhances learning and teaching at international levels. Given that Makerere Makerere University. My interaction with NEW STUDENT University is a dynamic community, the major CRLT staff shows that establishing a center objective for curriculum review is to provide that addresses issues of faculty development ORGANIZATION a stimulating and innovative environment for leads to excellent results in terms of students’ FOCUSES ON teaching, learning, research and training. learning experiences. I hope that there is an In April 2009, the University Research, opportunity to replicate such programs for EDUCATION IN Administrative and Financial Reforms the benefits of many universities in Africa. (URAFR) Committee was constituted by the Given my experience gained from associating TANZANIA Acting Vice Chancellor to start the reforms with the University of Michigan CRLT, I hope process. The main task of the Committee was on return to propose that Makerere should One of the newest student organizations on to recommend reforms in the University’s consider establishing a Center for Learning campus aims to send young women in Tanzania core and support processes, which would and Teaching to enhance the university to secondary school, while simultaneously lead to a lean and efficient administrative mission of providing innovative teaching, promoting cultural awareness and educating structure. In addition, the Makerere University learning, research and services responsive to the campus community about education and reforms committee was to produce a national and global needs, making Makerere gender in Tanzania. Established as an official working document that guides university a center for teaching and learning excellence. U-M student organization in April 2010, AfricAid officials to ensure quality service. at U-M is a daughter organization of the national AfricAid organization, which supports dozens of As a tenured academic at Makerere University, “My objective is to schools in villages throughout Tanzania and has I have noted serious flows and problems that so far contributed over $1,000,000 towards the may impede the smooth implementation of learn about what it is education of young Tanzanian women. planned internal reforms and innovations. possible to replicate There has been no significant attempt so “AfricAid club members at Michigan are part of far undertaken to help retool the teaching (from the programs a new special initiative, the Kisa project, which members of staff to gain knowledge allows student organizations and community necessary to achieve the objective of making and practices offered members to sponsor a female student through Makerere University a center of excellence high school—a two-year, $1,000/year commit- in teaching and learning in the region. at U-M’s Center ment,” explains Kelsey Hamrick, co-president Specifically there is observed deficiencies in for Research on of the club. “With this scholarship, a girl will be pedagogy delivery based on the old concept of lecturing that leaves students only with Learning and able to complete her high school education capacity to memorize rather than being and receive comprehensive weekly leadership analytical and possessing problem Teaching) that training. After graduating from high school, girls solving skills. Second, there are widespread will go back to their communities to mentor at accusations about academic staff members enhances learning least ten other women and start social programs lacking knowledge and skills to help the and teaching at using a stipend included in the fellowship.” Her university achieve and accomplish her co-president, Mia Kelly, adds, “The Kisa project teaching and learning objectives. Third, it is Makerere University.” has established an interactive online common to find one teaching academic staff communication website, www.kisaproject. member handling a large class without the org, which provides a unique opportunity for necessary skills or any assistance. Without cultural exchange. We began sponsoring our proper guidance and training, teaching in first student this year—a 21-year-old from Boma such a scenario can be a nightmare. Ng’ombe, who hopes to someday be a lawyer. We are all very excited to know her.” I am privileged to be a University of Michigan African Presidential Scholars (UMAPS) and to AfricAid at U-M is also invested in teaching the be working with U-M’s Center for Research U-M community about key issues in the areas on Learning and Teaching (CRLT), the oldest of gender and education in Tanzania and other center for learning and teaching excellence African countries. The club’s inaugural in the US (established in 1962) to acquire educational event in March 2011 was “A Panel knowledge and skills on how issues of on Gender and Education in Tanzania,” which learning and teaching at the University of 9 Michigan are addressed. The six months’ focused on the social, financial, and cultural stay at the University of Michigan under the challenges Tanzania faced in educating its youth. umbrella of the African Studies Center (ASC) A second event, on the theme of “The Ripple allows me to interact with different faculty Effect: Educating Women and Empowering members and attend workshops to learn Communities,” is being planned for March 2012. about the experience of faculty members on teaching, learning, and curriculum development. If you would like to get involved in any of At the University of Michigan, CRLT serves the club’s activities, please contact the teaching and learning requirements in [email protected] or visit AfricAid.com. PHARMACY SHOPS AND VISUAL CULTURE IN KABILA’S CONGO NANCY ROSE HUNT

My personal research archive contains two conversations and observe transactions, in struggle to ease the agony of one sick infant, photographic series of pharmacy shops, one part to learn if patterns of resort in this zone but nothing suggested that anyone expected set taken in Kisangani and the other Kinshasa of “trauma” already embraced psycho- their resident nurse to impose order on or sell in 2007. Given how risky it is to use a camera pharmaceuticals. any of his decomposing jumble of medicinal in any Congolese city, I was the photographer supplies. In contrast, in a clinic in a forest for neither set. Instead, I commissioned two Instead, with a 2007 Fulbright year in Congo, village downriver from Kisangani, my camera Congolese photographers—an amateur in my location and priorities took me in different spied the relatively tidy pharmaceutical Kisangani and a professional in Kinshasa--to directions. I did not yet have time or funding cabinet of a functioning clinic, manned by take these photographs for me. I always to begin such ethnographic listening, but as another nurse. The doors to his medicine undertake research travel with a camera, I moved through Congolese words, I began chest were wide open (photo 1). Charts and however, and use it in tables covering the Congo when doing clinic walls kept so does not risk trouble count of numbers or arrest. Indeed, served and vaccinated, without my own while signaling photographic forays, competence and I probably would never efficiency. His have developed the medicinal chest was idea to constitute a an active pharmacy visual inventory of of sorts. Surely he urban pharmacy shops prescribed and sold as a way to gather medicines contained knowledge and sharpen therein. But little questions for further suggests enough research. capital to buy larger quantities Why study pharmacy of any item. The shops in postcolonial charts suggested Africa? And, why might Photo 1. Yainyongo village pharmacy chest. Courtesy of N.R. Hunt. inspections, fairly it be productive to use regular ones at that. visual evidence on storefronts, clinic drug seeing how my camera could help me pose Thus, district-level health surveillance was cabinets, and sales rooms to do so? Pharmacy important questions about pharmacies in still going on within this largely Protestant shops have been important medical market- this once Belgian colony. Early on, I traveled parastatal health zone. Probably inspectors places, social venues, and sites of knowledge into southern Equateur in search of a woman still cycle in, carrying and selling small stocks and care since the privatization of health healer arrested in 1915. This journey by canoe of most needed pharmaceuticals, as part of began to intensify in Africa from the 1990s. on small streams led to my spotting—and a small battery of means to provide essential A new generation of anthropologists is busy photographing—a village nurse (a man, medicines, collect patient fees, and fuel this studying the ethics, markets, practices, of course!) with one functioning technol- mobile, semi-privatized health system. and meanings, surrounding global ogy: a baby scale hung from a tree branch. pharmaceuticals. At the same time, His clinic spilled out from a small hut and During the same journey down the Congo anthropologists and historians have been under a tree. To my eyes, chaos reigned; at River as far as Yanonge, I shared a cup of tea turning to documenting visual cultural least, no pharmaceutical debris seemed with the pastor who so warmly welcomed me practices in African cities. Rarely, it seems, capable of ever being declared trash. There to the region almost twenty years before. My do these medical and visual researchers was no purchasing or restocking system in photographs tell of an important addition to speak to each other. With these research evidence, and little sense of a desk, examin- this calm and orderly neighborhood up above notes, I suggest it may be time to open a ing table, in-patient space, or medicine chest the bustling market town: a new, sedate, new conversation. either. The nurse did weigh babies. I saw him church-affiliated pharmacy in a structure resembling a modest, mud-walled, village 10 My interest in pharmacy shops in the Demo- Pharmaceutical home. It use of visual icons on its walls cratic Republic of Congo began about 2005, businesses in announced its identity as a pharmacy (photo 2). when I sought a fresh angle by which to study everyday life in the eastern regions so strongly Congo think From these first photographs grew the idea hit by war since 1996. Pharmacies seemed customers are more to collect many more. I had come to know to offer an oblique location from which to Kisangani well during a year there in 1989. observe illness, suffering and self-medication likely to be drawn Since 1996, this city had endured a period within one of Africa’s most important war and to signs promising as a pivotal axis of war at Congo’s “bend humanitarian zones. My idea was to listen to powerful spiritual in the river.” By 2007, it was doubling as a effects. major entrepôt for diamond sellers with a and licit look in Kisangani, where most the healing cup with snake icon seems to tidied, upgraded, frontier air to its central pharmacies display official registration have survived more tenaciously in former business zone. Indeed, the new traffic in numbers and the recent paint jobs created a Belgian Africa than in Belgium is intriguing. artisanal diamonds had produced significant strong, clean look. My photographic archive The big question of course is this: If this is visual change. Fresh paint, clever design, and also suggests two perplexities for further the icon that signals a pharmacy, how do intense competition among gem purchasers exploration. One is about photographic Congolese read this visual sign? My findings had the city’s center looking new and shiny, practice as an aspect of Congo’s visual powerfully suggest that pharmaceutical while the sheer number of pharmacy shops culture; the other is about the visual culture businesses in Congo think customers are was striking. Keen to find a way to photo- of Congolese pharmacies. The first comes more likely to be drawn to signs promising graph these storefronts, and knowing neither from my inventory of Kisangani pharmacies. powerful spiritual effects; thus, the police nor populace would allow me do it Why, I began to wonder, is the same youth “Apocalypse” label in photo 3. But, what on my own, I asked Rogier Tula, my research present, posing with bicycle in almost all of in the world do owners, clerks, and customers assistant from long 1989, to spend a day with Tula’s photographs? The cyclist had converted make of this complex symbol with container my camera collecting images for me. his back fender into a second bicycle seat, decorating it with a colorful, specially knitted Most of my 2007 year was in Kinshasa, where cover, announcing that this man with bicycle I spent at least 20 percent of my time blocked constituted a team ready as taxi for hire. That in traffic. Traffic jams became my best time Tula expedites his work through hiring a to puzzle over household budgets and the cycling taximan is no surprise. The days were advertizing strategies of businesses and hot, the distance to be covered significant. persons, using all manner of dress, style, Yet how did it come about that the amateur and symbolic power to sell products and photographer and the professional taxi-man themselves. I also witnessed a myriad of negotiated their bargain in terms that placed pharmacy shops, including the many packed the cyclist-for-hire within most every frame? into Kinshasa’s special district of wholesale For these two entrepreneurs with minimal importers and sellers; fancy retail stores educations and much street smarts, does resembling Belgian pharmacies with every photograph need—deserve—a proud modernist, bilingual (French and Flemish), human subject? Did the taxi-man’s inclusion neon signs that cater to wealthy and lower the fee for the unusual city tour they Photo 2. Church-run pharmacy in Yanonge. Courtesy of N.R. Hunt. expatriate consumers seeking Belgian- and made? Regardless, Tula never imagined I European-made pharmaceuticals; and might find the repetition unfitting, irksome-- with cavity and a winding, perhaps poisonous, all manner of retail shops selling generic, or fascinating! devilish snake? Thus, when I next go to Congo, especially Chinese-made medications. By the I will be seeking evidence on such meaning- time I commissioned a photographer to go Is there a parallel lurking here in relation to making. This work also will find me shifting to work for me in Kinshasa—the marvelous, selling pharmaceuticals? This question takes my evidentiary register from visual clues famous, professional press photographer, me to another, more deliberate repetition to vernacular speech, to the more storied Etienne Kokolo—he and I expanded our and my second perplexity. Most of Congo’s kinds of evidence that come from talking definition of pharmacy to include all pharmacies--albeit more in proud with people and observing practice. Still, medicinal sellers, including those selling Kisangani than grubby Kinshasa—signal my current Congolese archive suggests that handmade suppositories for hemorrhoids their legitimacy and identity through an Hygiea’s cup is imagined more as a mortar and “sexual force.” international icon, long used to brand a (a cooking item still used to pound starchy pharmacy a pharmacy in Belgium, France, and foods and medicinal barks) or as a healing All in all, the two city series suggest a more other parts of Europe. The “Bowl of Hygeia,” drum. Indeed, the church-affiliated pharmacy consistent attention to creating a sharp, tidy, still widely recognized internationally, at Yanonge (photo 2) included a Christian allegedly depicts a healing snake wrapped cross within its visual mix, a dignified gesture around a bowl or cup containing a medicinal signifying grace and trust (in keeping with potion of Hygeia, the Greek goddess of Congo’s more mainline Baptist churches), health. This symbol, whose use perhaps dates and quite unlike the advertizing ploy of more back to 13th century Padua and at least Pentecostal-leaning pharmacy shops (photo 18th century France, became standard fare 3) who announce their powers and appeal for Belgian and French pharmacy shops by with labels like “Apocalypse.” the 1940s, and likely in the few pharmacies found in colonial territories about the same 11 time. When and why the icon began to be supplanted in much of western Europe by today’s simpler, green pharmacy cross needs research; the meanings Catholic Belgians among other Europeans made of imagery easily conflated with Eucharistic blessings Photo 3. “Apocalypse Domaine” pharmacy in Kisangani. and a perilous snake is also in order. Still, that Courtesy of N.R. Hunt. CONFERENCE INVESTIGATES THE POLITICS OF HERITAGE

Heritage conference delegates. Photo by Tom Bray

The African Heritage Initiative’s second corporations, by governments, and by act by which narratives are constituted, international conference was convened at commoners eager to gain revenue and historical lessons are taught, and political Museum Africa in Johannesburg from 8 to 10 political leverage. constituencies are created. July 2011. The conference proceedings drew a wide and diverse audience, ranging from There were about fifty attendees at the The conference’s location—at Museum Africa, museum professionals to scholars to activists Johannesburg conference. Papers were located in the center of Johannesburg’s to librarians. There was much to discuss, for written in advance, and participants were historical preservation precinct—helped the rhetoric and practice of heritage work obliged to read through them. Presentations spark the dialogue. One afternoon was spent stands at the center of Africa’s contemporary were kept to ten minutes, allowing plenty of on a tour through the historical sites of cultural politics. In Ghana, the Asante state has time for discussion and argument among the downtown Johannesburg, led by Eric Itzkin, come to enjoy an extraordinary pre-eminence conference attendees. And useful debates from Johanneburg’s Department of Community thanks to its astute self-marketing campaign. did indeed happen—about archives and the Development. Another afternoon was spent In the United States, Asante attire and jewelry politics of (selective) preservation; about the touring Museum Africa’s in the company of Ali enjoy an unrivaled status as markers of African relationship between official and ‘popular’ Hlongwane, the curator of the museum and authenticité, and tourists flock to Ghana to renditions of history; about poetry and Bo- host of the conference. In these and in other reconnect with a cultural homeland. In tswana’s history. One panel—entitled ‘Spaces occasions conferees were brought face-to-face Uganda, new kingdoms seem everywhere of Heritage’—highlighted the ways in which with the hard work of historical reckoning in to be springing up as the Ugandan state stone-cut memorials have been edited, post-apartheid South Africa. For curators face allocates resources (and political power) to replaced, or recomposed in response to enormously complicated questions about neo-traditional polities. These states are not changing times. Another panel highlighted how to tell the story of apartheid: as mourning simply relics from the past. Their architects the ways in which film, photography and and suffering or march to freedom, as the speak the language of developmentalism, other visual media act as forae where a stuff of the digital museum or in the more and they run forestry projects, administer particular historical milieu is evoked, defined homespun goods of remembrance, featuring AIDS prevention programs, and oversee and reconfigured. A third panel, about which political party, according to whose prospecting for oil and mineral resources. In ‘Royalisms’, considered how, in Asante and position in the current regime. 12 South Africa, ethnic entrepreneurs like the in Zululand, contemporary political Royal Bafokeng are also businessmen, invest- entrepreneurs consolidate cultural history The conference organizers are presently ing in concrete manufacturing, bakeries, and around the singular figure of a king. In these preparing a volume consisting of papers shopping centers even as they also market and in other panels presenters focused on the presented at the Johannesburg conference. their ethnic identity. At the intersection of editorial work of heritage-making, the creative Through this means—and through the business, politics, and heritage studies, history labor by which texts, artifacts and archives are ongoing work of the Heritage Initiative— is being reconfigured and worked over. The composed, reorganized, and presented. The we hope to bring our conversations to a past is being marshaled as a resource to be conference, in other words, opened up new wider audience. celebrated, commoditized, and deployed by ways of thinking about curatorial work—as an SUDAN’S SECESSION AND THE FUTURE: A CONVERSATION WITH AMAL HASSAN FADLALLA

On July 9 of 2011, Sudan, Africa’s largest country, of the split and gave hope that even if borders Infrastructure development was a major split into two nations. The secession is a result of were redrawn, the historical relations between challenge for most if not all of Africa at a long civil war—the longest in world history— the two nations will thrive. independence. Do you see this as a major between the north and the south that dates issue that will confront both Sudans? back to the country’s independence in 1956. The I managed to go to Juba two weeks after the Of course, especially given that Sudan is the war cost the country over two million people. In event and engaged in conversations with largest country in Africa and is also one of the 2005 the international community helped put activists and other individuals there. I noticed poorest nations in the world. For the South, an end to the war through a peace deal. The that the mood had changed from one of however, the story is even worse because of Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) set forth jubilation to one that acknowledged the pros over four decades of war and suffering. The a transitional constitution according to which and cons of division and the challenges that discovery of oil in the South has helped both the country would undergo a general election in may face the two nations. I also noticed that North and South to be able to invest some oil April 2010, after which southern Sudanese were people in both the North and the South speak revenue in infrastructure development. Many to vote for unity or secession. Southern Sudanese about the split in a careful and diplomatic people I met in Juba mentioned that Juba recorded a massive vote for secession from the manner, often mixed with humorous comments was like a little village 10 years ago, but now north in the January 9, 2011 referendum. such as “nothing actually happened except the city is expanding with new roads, hotels, the map of the Sudan looks ugly now,” or “ and restaurants. The same is true for Dr. Amal Hassan Fadlalla, of the U-M the only thing that will change is waiting Department of Afro-American and African longer to get a passport or visa to cross back Studies, is working on a project on Sudanese and forth.” transnational activism. She visited Juba two weeks after the secession. In this article she is Many will argue that what we perceive as interviewed by Dr. Omolade Adunbi about this division within Sudan is a historical divide historical moment. embedded in colonial policies implemented in many African countries. Do you see this as As an eyewitness to the celebrated accounting for the split? independence of South Sudan, how would you Indeed, the British politics of divide and rule describe the event of July 9th? And what were left its mark on Sudan and may be traced to the perceptions of Northerners and Southerners recent problems. The British perceived the of the event? North, with its Islamo-Arabic culture, as Well it is interesting to note that I missed the more organized, civilized, and easy to rule. celebration of independence in Juba in part Northerners were left to govern according to because I was going through the final steps their practices, but the South was depicted as of my initiation as an American citizen. When I part of the dark heart of Africa with its animist arrived in Khartoum I could not find a ticket to religions, which were ranked lower in the fly to Juba. Tickets were extremely expensive natural scale of being compared to Christianity and hotels were overbooked despite the and Islam. The British believed the black South fear of violence erupting due to political was in need of civilization through missionaries tension between the northern and southern and the introduction of new laws to bring it governments and militias who split from the to order. SPLM (Sudan Liberation Movement) prior to secession. Therefore, the two regions were administered differently. According to the “closed district I was in direct contact with many friends and ordinances,” Northerners had to use per- colleagues who managed to go to Juba, who mits to travel to the South, and Arabic was were reporting on the event. I also followed it rejected as the official language there. After on Sudanese media. It was an unprecedented, independence southern elite demanded self Dr. John Garang’s Statue, Freedom Square, Juba. hyper-emotional moment for Sudanese in rule which ignited the war between the two Courtesy of Amal Fadlalla. both the North and the South. While most regions. The advent of the Islamists to power southern Sudanese were joyful, people in in 1989, however, was the worst in the history Khartoum. But these are the capital cities, 13 Khartoum expressed mixed feelings of sad- of North-South relations because of the rise and in most African countries the population ness and ambivalence. The saddest moment of fundamentalism in the Arab region and the centers fare better than the rural areas. After for many was when the flag of the Sudan Sudanese regime’s adoption of an ideological the split, however, the North may lose the oil was lowered and that of South Sudan was package that saw jihad as the way to assimilate revenue, but negotiations are underway for raised at the event. Many people I spoke with Southerners to the grand Islamic project. the South to export its oil through the North appreciated the fact that Sudan’s flag was Thus, it is possible to locate today’s division for a hefty fee. The problem is that most of not returned to the North but was kept in the in both colonial policies of divide and rule, the oil is in the Abyie area, a contested region South. This political gesture soothed the pain and postcolonial ideologies of dominance inhabited by Dinka Ngok and Misriya Arab and exclusion. nomads. The Comprehensive Peace the North, prohibited any attempt of uprising. How will the people of Sudan (North and Secession came as the easy compromise to South) navigate this new division considering end the war and fulfill the CPA. Keeping the that many families, friends, and communities nation together required a strong secular will be separated from each other based on government with a long-term vision to foster what some scholars might refer to as artificial diversity and multiculturalism. borders? In other words, how will this new form of imposed citizenship be negotiated by What I see happening in Sudan now is a turn both sides? to a hardened sense of ethnic identification A southern Sudanese journalist wrote a very enabled by militarized movements rising powerful article that stirred heated debate from the margin, such as in the case of Darfur, about citizenship. She wrote that it is unfor- Nuba mountains, Blue Nile, and easternSudan. tunate to wake up in the morning to face the I don’t want to be pessimistic, but I can say bitter reality that you are a foreigner in your that such hardened ethnicities may split the own country. This feeling is echoed by many Billboard in Juba. Courtesy of Amal Fadlalla. country further if a charismatic leadership southern Sudanese who lived in the North does not emerge to create a shared vision. and have created wide social networks. The Agreement (CPA) that ended the war If united, such movements may actually unite saddest moment for me was when I arrived between the North and the South and paved Sudan again. at the airport to take the plane to Juba. It was the way for the separation of the country an exodus scene. Southern Sudanese families did not resolve the Abyie issue. If unresolved, In post-colonial Africa, elite interests are often were loading their luggage and rushing to Abyie may unfortunately ignite violence substituted as representing the interests of the go south. They were responding to two calls: between the two nations and threaten people. Do you see this as a possible outcome the call of the government of South Sudan potential development in both regions. for the newly independent South Sudan? for them to come back to build the nation I don’t want to sound romantic or celebratory and the announcement of the government Many scholars, including you, have argued about the national project. I see the big of Sudan that all Southerners will become that splitting of the Sudan was avoidable. nation as a great opportunity to exercise the foreigners in the North after July 9th. The Do you still see yourself as aligning with this management of diversity, the promotion of SPLM leadership in the North suggested dual school of thought or, having witnessed the multiculturalism, and the equal distribution citizenship for those who were born in or split, do you now feel it was unavoidable? of power and resources. There are also global lived longer in the North, but the government I truly believed it was avoidable. There are economies that tie African countries and their of the Sudan refused. two factions in the SPLM (Sudan Liberation elites to hegemonic ideologies and unequal Movement): the unionists and the separa- terms of economic transactions. South Sudan It was also sad to go to some public places in tionists. I think the death of Dr. John Garang will be another poor African country linked Khartoum and to see the decreasing number in a mysterious plane crash after the signing to such global economies and transnational of Southerners in the city. To me this is how of the CPA in 2005 has a lot to do with the politics. The South itself has its own history secession produced a new group of non- strengthening of the separationist position of ethnic conflicts which put a great burden citizens and ghettoized both Northerners and in the southern movement. Unfortunately on the emerging class of the majority Dinka Southerners. I say this because after the separationist attitude met a very rigid ruling elite. From my observation I predict an secession the Islamists’ rhetoric about the religious fundamentalist regime in Khartoum. emerging neoliberal state that might invest North as having a monolithic Muslim identity The Khartoum regime saw any compromise more in security and militarization than in- is hardening and creating new tensions to establish a secular constitution as a threat frastructure development. The nature of such among northern elites from Darfur, South to its governing project which is known as neoliberal state gives more freedom to NGOs, Kordofan, Eastern Sudan, and the Blue Nile, the “civilizing Islamic project.” This is why the civil society organizations, and corporate who believe that such rhetoric undermines five years of the CPA implementation were a businesses than taking the lead in regulating their struggle as ethnic minorities in the country. nightmare in the history of Sudanese politics the economy. This is why I see secession as a defeat for both because they were characterized by constant northern and southern elites (and the inter- negotiations and break of negotiations. My worry is that the interest of a new national community) who failed to agree on emerging national class allied with a grand project to contain the tensions and During this period the international community, transnational businesses may fail to meet struggles arising from the clash of multiple especially the U.S., was heavily present in the needs of the poor and ethnic minorities. Sudanese identities. Can you imagine saying the Sudan as mediator, and applied pressure In the streets of Juba I noticed big billboards to African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, to implement the plan. Such interventions with pictures of southern Sudanese political or Arab-Americans, “go home where you generated a sense of vulnerability and fear leaders together with hotel owners and belong?” As complex as the situation is, this 14 that a break in negotiations may lead to a businessmen. Some billboards are adorned with is how simple I consider it sometimes. return to violence and war, and of course words such as freedom and independence and would end any hope of building a southern sponsored by new cell phone companies. While many are advocating for the unity of nation. Most of the elite and activists were This is not to say that such investments are Africa, it is sad that we are seeing more hoping that people would revolt against the not needed, but it is important to think about fragmentation, such as the case of Sudan. regime, especially because Sudan is famous how such investment can be geared towards Where do you think the future of Africa lies? for toppling two dictatorships through sustainable development in ways that help all This is a big question, but it reminds me of a popular revolutions in 1964 and 1985, and sectors of the population and focus on health, conversation I had with a Sudanese activist was recently surrounded by the Arab spring. education, housing, and employment. in Juba when I visited the freedom square I think the sense of vulnerability, especially in where John Garang’s statue stands in front why a great leader like Garang died at such a and its colonial history, for instance, played an of the new flag of South Sudan. He said that critical moment. I think fragmentation is the important role in the strong alliances that the when he met Dr. John Garang he told him outcome of political hegemonies that fail to Khartoum regime made with the Arab and that he was sure of Sudan’s unity, but what take the other into consideration. Muslim world. Those on the opposition, on the really concerns him was the unity of Africa as other hand, made strong alliances with Western a whole. Dr. Garang’s vision was shaped by the This is a real problem for Africa because mar- and non- Western secular groups. Therefore, decolonization rhetoric of Pan-Africanism as ginalized ethnic groups are fighting with arms I feel that we have to reexamine the meanings a great force that can unite Africans against to seek inclusion in or separation from such of independence and freedom in the context colonial and postcolonial hegemonies. The ac- hegemonic centers. This, however, does not of multiple hegemonies, political interests, and tivist then pondered how such a great vision exclude international involvement in African opposing intellectual visions. shrank into two divided nations and asked politics. The geographic location of Sudan PIONEER HIGH SCHOOL AND ASC COLLABORATE IN TEACHING AFRICAN STUDIES Twenty 11th and 12th graders from Pioneer High School are getting their first taste of college-level work this semester. They are enrolled in “African History and Culture,” an accelerated class, taught by Pioneer’s Madeline Micou, that features a line-up of U-M professors who give guest lectures on two of the five weekly class meetings. Says Micou: “The class was a bit challenging for the students at first: they’re getting such a range of new information, and had to get some college-level skills such as note-taking up to speed pretty quickly. But they handled it well, and have really started to appreciate the wealth of knowledge that the U-M professors bring.”

The class at Pioneer is part of the Rising Scholars program, a partnership between the Ann Arbor School District and U-M’s Center for Educational Outreach, the Department of African- American and African Studies, and the African Studies Center. Established in 2009, the Rising Scholars program seeks to address Ann Arbor schools’ achievement gap between students Rising Scholars in Pioneer’s class in African Studies, with from different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. High-achieving 8th graders from U-M guest speaker David Doris. Photo by Madeline Micou economically disadvantaged families or under-represented groups are invited to become of Economics and Afro-American and African Rising Scholars in the summer before entering high school. In high school, they take classes Studies who talked to the class about the together, learn what it takes to get into selective colleges and universities, and are economic aspects of slavery, “the students challenged to take the more demanding classes that are often required for admission at were charming and responsive, especially for schools such as U-M. The African studies class is currently offered at Pioneer only, although a 7:30 am class, and we covered as much as the Rising Scholars Program operates at two other local high schools. I cover in my undergraduate classes at U-M.” The students, for their part, are consistently The idea to offer an accelerated class focused on African cultures and history not only impressed by the passion the various provides the students with a chance to learn at a college level, it also serves to build professors have for their particular research cultural awareness and prepare students for what is envisioned as an every-two-years Rising topic and the African continent in general. This Scholars overseas trip. They hope to make the first of these trips to Africa or a country with enthusiasm can be contagious, as evidenced a significant African diaspora. Research has found that international experience is a major by the comments of students who noted on characteristic of students who are accepted at top-ranked colleges and universities. This their evaluation forms, “I would love to get finding convinced parents and educators involved in the Rising Scholars program that the involved!” The experience of Geoff Emberling program should include a study abroad component, which led to the initial contact with from the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology the ASC. Parents of the Rising Scholars students are in charge of fundraising for this unique exemplifies the mutual appreciation of the opportunity for their children and are now studying options for the first trip, scheduled for students and faculty for both each other as the spring of 2013. well as the class and program as a whole. Emberling, whose lecture about ancient ASC’s contribution to the Rising Scholars partnership largely depends on the readiness of its Nubia really sparked the students’ interest, affiliated faculty to guest lecture to the high school students. Over twenty faculty members reports how much he, in turn, appreciated the across U-M’s schools and departments—including Obstetrics, Public Policy, Education, students’ engagement and questions: “I enjoy Classics, History, Romance Languages, History of Art, African Studies, among many others— speaking to different audiences, because they 15 and a number of visiting UMAPS scholars are scheduled to present at Pioneer. Some faculty all have their own perspectives. This class was volunteered to speak on multiple occasions, while others commented that they had long particularly great in that respect—I was talking wanted to be part of an initiative such as the Rising Scholars program. A member from about ancient burials and the fact that the U-M Dearborn’s Music program suggested she could bring in an entire set of jembe drums bodies had often been disturbed by ancient for the students to use, and another faculty member arranged to have a visiting filmmaker looters. One student asked, ‘What happened from Burkina Faso speak to the class and show one of her short films. to the heads?’ That’s not something archae- ologists have generally thought much about, Both the high school students at Pioneer and the U-M faculty who have lectured to them so but it opens up a series of new questions for far are expressing their appreciation for the class. According to Warren Whatley, a professor my research.” Updates on African The aim of the course was to introduce quantitative methods to researchers in fields in which training opportunities are Studies Initiatives limited. The 25 participants were drawn from Coast, the University of Ghana, the Kwame universities and non-profit research organi- AFRICAN SOCIAL Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, zations. Most were based in Accra, but two and the Health Research Centers at traveled from Kumasi, and one traveled from RESEARCH Navrongo, Dodowa, and Kintampo. The Tamale. All were regular “producers” of course provided hands-on instruction in a qualitative research on governance and INITIATIVE (ASRI) computer lab in the statistical analysis of public policy, most with Master’s degrees Course on Statistical Analysis census and survey data using the statistical in the social sciences, and nearly all stated ASRI organized the course “Statistical Analysis package Stata. Instruction was built around that their main reason for attending was to of Census and Survey Data using Stata” at the 2000 Ghana census, the Ghana Demo- develop the skills needed to incorporate the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Ghana, graphic and Health Surveys, and the Ghana quantitative analysis more fully in their work. from July 11 to July 20, 2011. The course was Living Standards Survey. All participants developed and taught by David Lam from were provided with an individual licensed An innovative feature of the course was that the University of Michigan (UM), Murray copy of Stata at the conclusion of the course. introduced basic statistical methods using Leibbrandt and Cally Ardington from the Instruction ranged from production of free, open-source software – specifically, “R” University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa, descriptive tables and graphs to multiple for statistics and “GNU Emacs” as an editing interface. Participants brought their own laptops, and upon arrival they were given a USB drive loaded with the software, data sets, lecture slides, and other documentation. The running example was a two-sample difference-of-proportions analysis, which required students to recode survey data, run basic tables and graphs, and construct confidence intervals. By the end of the course, participants had presented their own analyses using Afrobarometer data. They expressed a strong desire to come back in 2012 to attend a follow-up course. Conference on Access, Accountability & Equality

In late July 2011 an interdisciplinary group of scholars from U-M, Ghana and South Africa gathered in Accra for ASRI’s biennial conference, on “Access, Accountability and Equality.”

STATA course participants. Courtesy of David Lam. Over the last few decades, African countries have undergone monumental changes and Samuel Samuel Kobina Annim from UCC. regression analysis, with examples drawn across political, economic, and social dimen- They were assisted by 10 teaching assistant from demography, public health, and sions. Many countries have democratized graduate students from UM, UCC, and UCT. economics. and adopted market principles. Many have Prof. Kofi Awusabo-Asare was the UCC host made enormous strides in reducing infant for the course, providing outstanding sup- Course on Quantitative mortality, combating malaria, recognizing the port at all stages. Methods for Research rights of women, and improving educational opportunities. Yet many challenges remain. An ASRI committee selected 58 participants ASRI organized a three-day short course on Few African countries are on target to meet 16 out of a group of applicants that responded quantitative methods for research on gover- the 2015 Millennium Development Goals to a call distributed mainly to institutions in nance and public policy, hosted by the Center established by the United Nations. Significant Ghana. The largest group of participants (28) for Democratic Development (CDD) in Accra, populations lack access to health services, came from offices of the Ghana Statistical Ghana, from 19-21 July 2011. The course was quality education, or gainful employment, Service, with financial support provided by developed and taught by Rod Alence from and socio-economic inequalities have risen the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), in many countries. Opportunities for African Other participants came from a wide range of assisted by graduate students from Wits citizens to hold governments accountable for institutions, including the University of Cape and the University of Cape Town, along with their actions, or to participate meaningfully in researchers based at CDD. politics, remain elusive. The ASRI conference aimed to evaluate development targets and investigate the abiding inter-sectoral challenges of democratic accountability, equality, and access to health and other social services in Ghana, South Africa, and neighboring countries in the region. The papers were data-driven, providing original research based on the analyses of recent surveys, as well as reflection on the quality and comprehensiveness of data sources in the region.

Keynote speakers for the conference were Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, Vice-Chancellor of Conference closing panel on “Mathematical Science Challenges and Prospects in Africa.” Panelists seated: Dan Burns (U-M), Aline Bonami (Orleans-France), Charles Awono (National Polytechnique- the University of Ghana, and Prof. Murray Cameroon); Edward Lungu (University of Botswana). Moderator: Nkem Khumbah (U-M). Courtesy of D. Burns. Leibbrandt, Director of the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit. inaugural conference, held last year, this abroad presentations for the U-B students. Panelists covered a wide range of themes: conference was hosted by the Mathematics At these presentations, and similar ones in one panel evaluated African states’ progress department at the University of Buea (U-B) Yaounde and Douala, some students warned toward the Millennium Development Goals; with generous support from U-M, through of brain drain, asking instead for raising another considered inequalities in access the ASC and the Mathematics department— the level of training provided in their own to health care in Ghana and South Africa; including contributions from individual schools. U-M participants took this opportunity a third debated the diminished position Mathematics professors—as well as the to explain the philosophy of the UMAPS of migrant populations in African citizen- African Mathematics Millennium Science Ini- program, which focuses on capacity building ries. A particular emphasis was placed on tiative. The organizational and international at African universities and is designed to incorporating early career scholars into scientific committees included U-M faculty address challenges such as brain drain. They the conference, and each panel of three or members Nkem Khumbah (Comprehensive also highlighted the role of U-M’s STEM-Africa four participants included at least one early Studies Program and Mathematics) and Dan initiative, and encouraged Ghanaian and career scholar. Burns (Mathematics). South African participants to nominate future UMAPS candidates. The conference was held in conjunction SCIENCE, with a summer school and a workshop on At a plenary session before closing the TECHNOLOGY, “Applications of Complex Analysis, ” which conference, all participants committed to both were partly funded by the France-based two lines of further action. First, they agreed ENGINEERING AND Centre for Pure and Applied Mathematics that the issue of computational mathematics and UNESCO. The combination of mathe- would be the main theme of the next Buea MATHEMATICS matics-related events drew 109 participants meeting, to be held in 2013. Second, U-M from nineteen—mainly African—countries, faculty agreed to collaborate in organizing (STEM) including numerous Cameroonian scholars another meeting in May 2012 in Yaounde, at in the Diaspora. The invited addresses were which mathematicians from Cameroon will The second in a series of conferences on especially good, particularly that of professor inaugurate the newly created Cameroonian the vital role of mathematics in professional Edward Lungu (University of Botswana) Mathematical Sciences Association. Other research and society at large was held May on the mathematical modeling of malaria regional scientists will be invited to join the 2-13, 2011, in Buea, Cameroon. Like the parasites. In an equally compelling presentation, Cameroonian society, and encouraged to professor Charles Awono (Ecole Normale form their own organizations in their home Supérieure in Yaounde) outlined the pressing countries. As part of an ongoing project with- need for computational mathematics in the in the STEM-Africa group, U-M participants also Central and Great Lakes regions of Africa. agreed to try and create networks between Conference participants with careers in the mathematicians in the Diaspora US, including U-M’s Khumbah, Burns, and and the mathematical sciences communities 17 grad student Brandon Steward, put a lot of on the continent. emphasis on meeting with students who might be interested in pursuing graduate studies (or college) in the US, Canada or Europe. Together with the EducationUSA representative in the US Embassy, Ms. Fatimah Mateen—who drove five hours from Yaounde to Buea—they held study- Study Abroad session participants in Douala. Photo by D. Burns. There are now several nascent projects meant News & Notes AFRICAN HERITAGE to build up an infrastructure for archives management in Uganda. Some ten years ago INITIATIVE (AHI) the World Bank has allocated funds to build a proper building for the National Archives; after COLLABORATION The African Heritage Initiative has been a very long delay, the building project is at last ON EMERGENCY involved in a great amount of activity during going forward. The National Library has—with the past year. Most notable were the two the support of the Library of Congress— MEDICINE IN GHANA academic conferences organized under the launched an effort to digitize some of the Initiative’s auspices. The first, concerning ‘The archival files in its collection, and it is actively A 2010 pilot grant from the National Politics of Heritage’, was held in Johannesburg, collecting additional materials. Makerere Institutes of Health Fogarty International South Africa. It is described elsewhere in this University’s library is steadily organizing, Center allows the Department of Emergency newsletter (see p. 12). The second workshop, cataloguing and digitizing its important Medicine at U-M and the Kwame Nkrumah about “Archives in Uganda,” was held at archival collections. The University of University of Science and Technology Makerere University in collaboration with the Michigan, working with Mountains of the (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana, to move forward Makerere Institute for Social Research. It was Moon University (in Fort Portal), is involved in a with their collaborative effort to develop the first occasion in which Uganda’s archivists, project to organize and preserve the provincial a postgraduate training program in Emer- museum curators and librarians have sat archive in Kabarole District, in western Uganda. gency Medicine. The grant, which is part of together with government officials and And a team from Michigan and Makerere the Medical Education Partnership Initiative scholars to discuss the infrastructure of the University has been working to catalogue the (MEPI), provides support for U-M faculty to country’s archives. considerable holdings of the National Archives spend time at the Komfo Anokye Teaching in Entebbe. Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi to train Uganda archival landscape is rich and varied. emergency medicine providers, including The most important collection, the Uganda The July 2011 workshop at Makerere was an nursing staff. National Archives, consists of 1,200 boxes occasion when those of us involved in archive of material. It is presently located in the preservation projects in Uganda could compare During an initial visit to U-M, the Rector of the basement of a government building in notes, coordinate our work, and develop Ghanaian College of Physicians and Entebbe, near Kampala. There are substantial a shared strategy. The morning was spent Surgeons, along with various medical and archives in located in the back rooms, attics and surveying the field. There were presentations public health delegates, met with leadership cellars of the district government buildings of from the National Archivist, the government’s from the Department of Emergency southern and western Uganda. The (Anglican) Commissioner for Archives, the director of the Medicine. Their discussions highlighted the Church of Uganda and the Catholic Church National Library, and other archivists and librar- need for emergency medicine (EM) in Ghana have important collections in their care, and ians about the character and extent of their col- and addressed the question of the specific there are useful collections kept at old leprosy lections. In the afternoon attendees deliberated role for U-M as Ghanaian institutions museums and hospitals. Makerere University over matters of shared interest. One discussion, identified EM priorities. Subsequent visits boasts a very significant collection of newspa- led by Makerere’s David Luyombya, considered to Ghana (in 2008 and 2009) and ongoing pers and private archival collections, deposited the legal framework for archive preservation communication with various partners led into its library by important Ganda politicians in Uganda; another discussion concerned the to the creation of a partnership, the Ghana of the early 20th century. There are useful but architecture of the planned building for the Emergency Medicine Collaborative. Besides uncatalogued files kept in the basement at the National Archives; a third discussion centered U-M’s Department of Emergency Medicine, High Court of Buganda. And a great number around the role of technology in archive this partnership includes KATH, KNUST, the of private individuals have kept their papers preservation. These were eminently practical Ghanaian College of Physicians and Surgeons stored in private libraries. conversations, utterly necessary in a context (GCPS), Ghana’s Ministry of Health, and the where government has invested very little in University of Utah Section of Emergency The condition of these archives is generally setting standards and organizing a forward Medicine, whose faculty had also been poor. There are bright spots: the Church of course for archive preservation. exploring ways to partner with Ghanaian Uganda papers have recently been re-housed, colleagues. catalogued, and digitized with funding from It is hoped that the Makerere workshop will Yale Divinity School; and the Catholic church give rise to other meetings of this kind. Less The goal of the Ghana Emergency Medicine archives are kept in good order by a dedicated formally, we hope that the contacts made at Collaborative is to improve the provision team. But the government archives are in a the Makerere workshop will help to enable and outcomes of emergency care in Ghana poor condition. District archives are very often communication and the sharing of resources by developing the training in and practice 18 uncatalogued and uncared for, thrown into among all of us working to reinforce the of EM in Ghana. In order to be accredited attics or sub-basements together with old infrastructure for historical knowledge by the GCPS—and thus train physicians in a typewriters, sinks, tires, and other detritus of preservation in Uganda. specialty recognized by the Ghanaian government bureaucracy. The National Archives government—the Ghana Emergency is in urgent need of assistance. Its considerable Medicine Collaborative submitted to their collection is currently being catalogued with Ghanaian partners an outline of an EM support from the University of Michigan, curriculum drawn from standards set by the but there is a real need for a campaign World Health Organization as well as input of preservation. from British emergency medicine physicians broadly relevant to surrounding communities.

During their time at Mpala, the U-M students were joined by their counterparts from the University of Nairobi and another student from Tanzania. Together, they did a brief assessment of local conditions, before dividing up in three project groups that included students from both schools. The first group addressed re-use of “gray water” from the kitchen and laundry facilities at the Mpala Research Center. They proposed to use the gray water in a vegetable garden that would be established to meet part of the food needs for the Center. The second group evaluated an existing plan to utilize surface water runoff captured behind small “weirs” during the rainy season, to augment Mpala Ranch manager Mike Littlewood describing the water supply at Mpala. supply during the dry seasons. One of their findings was that bacterial pathogens were of Ghanaian heritage and the U.S.-based present in the water, which means that it must Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical UNDERGRADUATES be treated before it can be used. The third Education in Emergency Medicine. The group analyzed options for reducing water curriculum was submitted to the GCPS for TRAVEL TO KENYA consumption in typical activities at the Center. accreditation, with the understanding that FOR COURSE ON According to Wright, one of the professors the initial curriculum will undergo frequent for the course, the place-based component at review and refinement to create a truly SUSTAINABILITY Mpala added an important dimension to the country-specific curriculum and thus training class. In particular, he found it gratifying to program. The interdisciplinary course on “Sustainability witness how their time in Kenya gave the Challenges and Opportunities in East Africa” students a chance to rethink some of what they The first-ever EM residency in Ghana was —taught by Joe Trumpey (Art and Design) thought they knew. “When students arrive at offered to newly qualified physicians starting and Steve Wright (Civil and Environmental the place and start to see how some of the in October 2009, when the curriculum was Engineering) during the winter semester of impressions they formed in the initial accredited. The first class consisted of seven 2011—included a “place-based” component discussion phase prior to the trip don’t quite residents, who were selected through an that was held in Kenya in August of that year. match up with the reality on the ground,” he interview process conducted by two U.K.- The course—one of a series of place-based said, “they have to readjust their impressions.” trained EM physicians of Ghanaian heritage courses sponsored by the Graham Environ- with the assistance of two members of the mental Sustainability Institute— focused Ghana Emergency Medicine Collaborative. on the interconnections surrounding a The second class, also of seven students, resource—water—that many American began their training at the KATH hospital in undergrads take for granted. September 2010, while a third class of four commenced their residencies in 2011. In The Kenyan part of the course took place at Ghana, young doctors finish medical school the Mpala Research Center and Conservancy. and then complete two years as “house Before coming to Mpala, the students in officers,” during which time they rotate for the course had studied various aspects of six-month blocks in each of four specialties: water conservation, re-use, and challenges general medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and to the provision of a secure water supply. obstetrics and gynecology. With the For example, they examined the problem of graduation of the first class of in-country EM competing demands for river water as local physicians in 2012, there will be a fifth option, farms have started to produce flowers for the Emergency Medicine, which will be open to export market. This activity decreases the at least some “house officers.” Furthermore, availability of water for other users, even if there are plans to expand the specialty of the farms might otherwise impact the local 19 Emergency Medicine to other regions in economy positively through increased Ghana once the first class graduates. With employment opportunities. The students the support of colleagues at KATH and U-M, also investigated the solutions that are these graduates will establish departments currently being implemented or proposed at of Emergency Medicine at other hospitals so Mpala in the face of this and similar challenges that eventually the entire country is served (such as drought), including the potential for by specialty-trained physicians and nurses. water conservation; finally, they considered how these solutions might be made more SUPPORT THE AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER Please consider making a contribution governance, health, education, social and to the African Studies Center. Your help will economic concerns, (2) analyze this data, and enable us to expand our outreach capacity (3) issue policy recommendations on how and activities, offer funds for faculty and to address and overcome problems. African student research and training, and enhance policy-makers cannot be expected to create area study and language training at the sustainable programs without accurately U-M. There are four areas in which we seek knowing whom they seek to benefit and financial backing: how those benefits can best be realized. The ASRI initiative seeks to expand the famed First, the African Presidential Scholars U-M Institute for Social Research training Program (UMAPS) brings early career faculty programs in survey data collection and members from Ghana, South Africa, Liberia, analysis to Africa. Following on the success and Uganda to the University of Michigan of a 12-year-long short course in statistical for residencies lasting up to six months. analysis in Cape Town, South Africa, U-M The program addresses head-on what the and South African faculty will pilot a second Chronicle of Higher Education has identified short course in Cape Coast, Ghana beginning as the current “crisis” in African higher in 2011. The chief object of the African Social education: namely, chronically under- Research Initiative is making knowledge funded universities with a shortage of accessible in order to enable better, more PhD-holding faculty who are unable, for lack informed decisions. of resources, to train new cohorts of PhD Photograph by Raymond Silverman Raymond by Photograph scholars. The program goals are twofold: And fourth, the STEM-Africa Initiative is (1) to help integrate the next generation of unique in its engagement of science as a African scholars into international academic trans-Atlantic affair. When academics and The compound of mural artist Madame Akanvole Agumbire. Sirigu, Upper East Region, Ghana. June 26, 2009 networks and support the attainment of policy makers think of “African studies,” the their doctoral degrees, thereby helping their default position is often to focus exclusively home institutions build capacity, and (2) to on African history, culture, language and arts. promote greater internationalization of U-M The natural or “hard” sciences are thought to by bringing talented Africa-based faculty to lie beyond the mandate of African studies. African Studies Center our campus to collaborate in research, Yet science thrives in Africa. In a continent 1080 South University Avenue scholarship and teaching. The UMAPS unparalleled in its biodiversity, featuring Suite 3603 program aims to help retain and strengthen more endemic species of flora and fauna Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106 faculty in African institutions of higher than any other, and where the stakes of ph: 734.615.3027 education while simultaneously enriching human/wildlife interactions are critical due fax: 734.936.0996 U-M through the inclusion of African to large predator populations, science is a [email protected] perspectives... a win-win scenario. life and death reality. Understanding particle physics, harnessing solar and wind power, ©2012 REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Second, the African Heritage Initiative engineering solutions to persistent water (AHI) advances the critical study of heritage scarcity, and developing mathematical mod- Julia Donovan Darlow, Ann Arbor work in Africa. At the intersection of busi- els for averting health crises are all concerns Laurence B. Deitch, Bingham Farms ness, politics, and history, “African heritage” that drive African STEM scholars in their Denise Ilitch, Bingham Farms is being reconfigured and marshaled as a pursuit of innovation. STEM-Africa seeks to Olivia P. Maynard, Goodrich resource to be celebrated, commoditized, and nurture emerging scholars on the continent Andrea Fischer Newman, Ann Arbor deployed by corporations, by governments, and advance research collaborations in STEM Andrew C. Richner, Grosse Pointe Park and by commoners eager to gain revenue disciplines between the U-M and partnering S. Martin Taylor, Grosse Pointe Farms and political leverage. The African Heritage institutions in Africa. Katherine E. White, Ann Arbor Initiative brings together scholars from Mary Sue Coleman, ex officio Ghana, South Africa and U-M to query The ASC seeks an endowment to support the the many assumptions circulating about continuation of the U-M African Presidential The University of Michigan, as an equal opportunity/ “heritage” and uses to which it is put. A long- Scholars Program, as well as funding to affirmative action employer, complies with all term goal is to build a graduate program advance the exciting collaborations of our applicable federal and state laws regarding triangulated between U-M and our South African Heritage, African Social Research, and nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The African and Ghanaian partners (with the STEM-Africa initiatives. We hope that you will University of Michigan is committed to a policy future option to expand into other regions contribute generously to our effort to build of equal opportunity for all persons and does not of Africa), and to deepen our intellectual the Center’s financial security by sending discriminate on the basis of race, color, national engagement with the vast domain of African your pledge or gift today. Please return with origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, heritage through research projects with your check to: African Studies Center, 20 gender identity, gender expression, disability, African colleagues already deeply engaged The University of Michigan, 1080 South religion, height, weight, or veteran status in in these issues. University Ave., Suite 3603, Ann Arbor, employment, educational programs and activities, MI 48109-1106. You can also make donations and admissions. Inquiries or complaints may be Third, the African Social Research Initiative directly through the ‘Giving’ section of our addressed to the Senior Director for Institutional (ASRI) works to expand African social website, at www.ii.umich.edu/asc. Equity, and Title IX/Section 504/ADA Coordinator, scientists’ capacity to utilize quantitative All donations to ASC are tax-deductible to Office of Institutional Equity, 2072 Administrative data. African researchers and policy-makers the extent allowed by law and will be counted Services Building, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1432, are trapped: they must reluctantly depend as part of the University of Michigan Capital 734-763-0235, TTY 734-647-1388. on international consultants and institutions Campaign. Thank you for your support. For other University of Michigan information to (1) collect statistical data on demographic, call 734-764-1817.