African Studies Association of Ireland

SIXTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2005

Congresses, Conferences, Commissions:
African Visions and Visions for Africa

6^th Annual Conference of the

University College Dublin, Saturday 3^rd December

Call for Papers:

The African Studies Association of Ireland Annual Conference 2005 will take place in University College Dublin on Saturday 3^rd December. The theme of the conference is “Congresses, Conferences, Commissions: African Visions and Visions for Africa”. A recent publication of the Commission for Africa sets out a ‘blueprint’ for African development. But Africa has long been the subject of such ‘blueprints’, often imposed by outsiders: the Berlin Conference of 1884-5, dividing Africa up between the imperial powers, was perhaps the most thoroughgoing example of such outside intervention. At the same time, Africans themselves have consistently articulated their own visions of the continent’s development at events such as the Fifth Pan-African Congress in Manchester in 1945. This ASAI conference will chart the history, and discuss the significance, of how Africa, and Africa’s structures and futures, have been and are envisioned – by Africans and by others. While African visions, and visions for Africa, constitute the central themes of the conference, papers from all disciplines on all aspects of African studies are welcomed.

Abstracts, approximately 300 words in length, should be submitted to Andy Storey (andydsc@yahoo.co.uk) or Vincent Durac (vincent.durac@ucd.ie) – Centre for Development Studies, Library Building, UCD, Belfield, Dublin 4 – by Friday 14^th September.

For further information on the conference, contact either of the above by e-mail, by post, or at (01) 7167187. For further information on the ASAI, visit our website at http://quis.qub.ac.uk/asai/.