| 6th Pécs African Studies Conference | APRIL 23-24, 2020 | PÉCS (HUNGARY), UNIVERSITY OF PÉCS |
CALL FOR PAPERS
By the 21st century African countries have become more integral part of global processes ranging from trade to regionalization, security to sports diplomacy. ‘Old’ and emerging actors in the African continent have offered increased and diversified engagements in all sectors of development. Although the ‘Africa Rising’ mantra has been echoed all over the world, sceptical and critical voices about newly formed (but already known) dependencies are also heard. It is therefore of utmost importance to continuously re-visit how Africa is seen today by the various different actors, as well as how Africa is shown today by the many distinct African players themselves. The Pécs African Studies Conference is devoted to maintain a series of discussions and debates about what globalization means for Africans, what daily realities and future scenarios are defined by Africans, and how Africa is narrated, as well as African development is interpreted by the numerous actors of the global arena. At the same time, pointing at one of the significant aspects of globalization, trajectories of both intraand intercontinental migration need an even closer look at, especially in light of the ongoing refugee crisis in the Mediterranean. African diaspora communities across the globe are key to understanding old and new narratives, together with abundant interpretations of the multi-faceted realities of the African continent. When talking about the African diaspora and African migrants, however, their ‘neglected diaspora’ across countries of the former Soviet Bloc must not be forgotten any longer. In particular, at times when governments of Central and Eastern Europe also (re-)define policies and strategies to take a return to Africa.
PROPOSED PANELS
- History (colonialism, imperialism revisited, decolonization, military conflicts and their aftermath, new imperialism, second scramble for Africa)
- Politics (civil wars, nation-building and ethnic cleansing, fragile states, African ownership, African Union, decentralization, regionalization, role of INOs, GOs, NGOs, security issues, political culture, Africa in world politics, women in politics)
- Economics (development plans and failures, old and new venture forms, strategic resources, raw materials and value-added production, old and new investors, FDI, ITC, from zero sum to win-win, impact of the global crises, emerging economies in Africa)
- Sociology (interethnic co-operation, impact of education, illiteracy, new elites–old poverty, reconciliation, demobilization, child soldiers)
- Humanitarian aid and voluntary action (role of INOs, GOs, NGOs, assessment)
- Anthropology (social- and cultural anthropology, new and old folklore, tradition and tourism)
- Medicine (evolution of tropical medicine, AIDS prevention, virology, epidemiology, threats, prevention, health migration issues)
- Diaspora (global African migrations, refugees, diasporas and development, diaspora involvement and foreign policy, diasporas and peacemaking)
REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION
Those interested in presenting their research findings and scientifically-backed opinions are requested to take the steps of registration as follows:
- Send your abstracts of maximum 3oo words to tarrosy.istvan@pte.hu no later than midnight February 28,
2020. The final selection will be concluded by the Scientific Board of the Conference until March 15, 2020. - After having been selected for the conference, arrange your accommodation. The organizers will assist you with information on optimal bookings and related issues.
- Arrange your travel accordingly. The organisers will help you find the best ways to get to Pécs.
- After having arranged the necessary administration with the conference organizers, and your travel and accommodation are settled, participate in the conference, after which submit your papers to the above e-mail address by midnight August 30, 2020. We will publish a special issue of the Hungarian Journal of African Studies [Afrika Tanulmányok] by early 2021.
PROVISIONAL PROGRAM
23 April – Thursday
09:00–10:00 Registration
10:00–10:30 Welcome addresses
10:30–11:30 Keynote address including debate
11:30–13:00 Panel sessions
13:00–14:30 Buffet lunch
14:30–18:00 Panel sessions
20:00 Conference dinner
24 April – Friday
09:00–12:30 Panel sessions
12:30–14:00 Buffet lunch
14:00–17:00 Symposium on „Water and Africa”
17:00–18:00 „Füssi Nagy Géza” Memorial Lecture
18:00–18:30 Final remarks and future follow-up
20:00 Conference dinner
25 April – Saturday
Optional Programme in the City of Pécs
09:30
Cultural tour in the City Centre, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and galleries, the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter and lunch with wine-tasting
KEYNOTE TALK BY
Professor Christopher Clapham, University of Cambridge
„FÜSSI NAGY MEMORIAL LECTURE” BY
Professor Judit Kiss, Hungarian Academy of Sciences
DISTINGUISHED AFRICANIST LECTURE BY
Dr. Wolbert Smidt, Mekelle University
CONTACT
István TARRÓSY, Ph.D., tarrosy.istvan@pte.hu
Department of Political Science and International Studies,
Africa Research Centre, Faculty of Humanities, University of Pécs
organiser of the conference, director of the Africa Research Centre