Association for African Studies in Germany

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The Association for African Studies in Germany was founded in 1969 under the name "Association of Africanists in Germany (VAD)". The VAD advocates contemporary, interdisciplinary and cooperative African studies . International specialist conferences of the association take place every two years at the German centers for African research. The VAD also participates in the publication of African studies publications and cooperates with the GIGA Institute for African Studies ( Hamburg ) in the publication of the scientific journal "Africa Spectrum".

history

On March 16, 1969, African scholars at the University of Marburg founded the VAD as a separate professional association alongside the German Oriental Society. The aim at that time was to promote the exchange of ideas between “Africanists” inside and outside the university. In addition, the interdisciplinary collaboration, which was still rare at the time, should also be strengthened across Germany's borders. This step took place late in comparison to the USA, Great Britain or France, where the model of area studies had existed since the 1950s.

The early years of the VAD were marked by heated debates about its direction. Activities continued in the 1980s. In 1985 the VAD was entered in the register of associations . The association went public with statements on Germany's Africa policy , in particular on the apartheid regimes in South Africa and Namibia . After reunification, he campaigned for African science in the former GDR, which was threatened by institutional liquidation.

In 2006 the name of the association was changed to "Association for African Studies in Germany".

VAD conferences

Every two years the VAD conference is organized by another German institute for African studies.

Conference locations:

  • 2018 - Leipzig (planned)
  • 2016 - Berlin - "Africa in a Capitalist World" (short conference)
  • 2014 - Bayreuth - "Future Africa"
  • 2012 - Cologne - "Embettled Spaces - Contested Orders / Contested Spaces - Controversial Orders"
  • 2010 - Mainz - "Continuities and breaks: 50 years of independence in Africa"
  • 2008 - Freiburg i.Br. / Basel - "Borders and crossings - Frontières et Passages - Frontiers and Passages"
  • 2006 - Frankfurt a. M. - "Knowledge and Science in Africa"
  • 2004 - Hanover - "Africa in Context. Historical and Contemporary Interactions with the World / Africa in Context: World Relations in Past and Present"
  • 2002 - Hamburg - "Africa's Diversity. The End of the Monologues?"
  • 2000 - Leipzig - "Africa 2000"
  • 1998 - Bayreuth - "Africa and Globalization"
  • 1996 - Berlin - "Africa and the Other - Alterity and Innovation"
  • 1995 - Duisburg - "State and Society: Erosion and Reform Processes"
  • 1993 - Mainz - "Africa helps itself. Processes and institutions of self-organization"
  • 1991 - Hamburg - "Africa: Survival in an Ecologically Endangered Environment. Yesterday - Today - Tomorrow"
  • 1989 - Bremen - "Coping with the present and future prospects in Africa"
  • 1986 - Berlin - "Africa. The Crisis in Development Policy"
  • 1984 - Hanover - "1884 - 1984: Hundred years of meddling in Africa"
  • 1982 - Mainz - "Differentiation of the African elite 20 years after achieving independence"
  • 1979 - Berlin - "VAD– Symposium: The image of Africa in the German media - and in the festival"
  • 1976 - Bremen - "African history as an object of African studies"
  • 1975 - Mainz - "Symposium in memory of Janheinz Jahn"
  • 1973 - Hochstetten-Dhaun - "Methods of African Research and Teaching in the Federal Republic of Germany - A Critical Balance"
  • 1972 - Arnoldshein - "African African Studies"
  • 1971 - Sankt Augustin - "Ethnic minorities in the process of national integration in Africa"
  • 1970 - Bristles near Winsen / Luhe - "Programmatic writings on Africanity: Senghor's 'Negro-African Aesthetics' and the Arusha Declaration"
  • 1969 - Marburg / Lahn - "Problems and possibilities of interdisciplinary cooperation within African science"

bibliography

  • Bierschenk, Thomas: Do we need more Africa political scientists and fewer Ethiopists ?, in: Africa Spectrum 38 (2003) 2, pp. 245–250
  • Brahm, Felix: 40 Years of the Association for African Studies in Germany (VAD), 1969-2009 (PDF; 166 kB)
  • Engel, Ulf: Thoughts on African Studies - State and Future of Regional Science in Germany, in: Africa Spectrum 38 (2003) 1, pp. 111–123
  • Probst, Peter: Between and betwixt. African studies in Germany., In: Africa Spectrum 40 (2005) 3, pp. 403-427
  • Reh, Mechthild: Plea for strengthening Africa research, in: Africa Spectrum 38 (2003) 2, pp. 251-253

Web links