.

CAS-JNU and  ASA India Web-Symposium Series

on 

"Mapping Africa's Global Engagement by Reconfiguring African Studies"

(Discussion Country: Japan)

organised by

Centre for African Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru university (CAS-JNU), New Delhi

and

African Studies Association of India (ASA India)

in collaboration with 

Institute of International Relations & Area Studies, Ritsumeikan University, Japan

on

Saturday, 5th December 2020, from 01:00 PM to 03:05 PM (Indian Standard Time)

at 

 WebEx Meet platform hosted at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

Registeration Link: https://rb.gy/5um5z0

(Registration closes on 04 December 2020, by 5:00 PM (Indian Standard Time)

For any query please email it at secretariate.asa@gmail.com

PROGRAMME SCHEDULE (1:00PM- 3:05 PM)

Symposium Co-ordinators

ASA Series Coordinators: Dr. Sushmita Rajwar, Research Director, PRIASA (Honr) and Faculty, University of Delhi,  & 

 Ms. Aarshi Dua, Doctoral Fellow, CAS-School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University

Media Coordinators: Mr. Samir Bhattacharya, CAS-School of International Studies, JNU &  

Dr. Sarita Nandmehar, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University

Documentation & Certification Support: Ms. Ivy Handique, CAS-School of International Studies, JNU & 

Ms. Chandani Tiwari, Doctoral Fellow, CAS-School of International Studies, JNU

CONCEPT NOTE OF THE WEB-SERIES

The traditional African Studies approach has been termed as that of being Eurocentric, the narrative concerning African studies has been decided mainly by the West and North American scholars. This injects traditional colonial power perspective  countries and the way in which the engagement was progressed even with dominant USA. It was a relationship that defined who was powerful and who was weak, who was developed and who was underdeveloped. A relationship that is built on such unequal premise can never bring out positive results. The traditional donors like OECD countries, UN and IMF have carried out many specific policies for the African nations which were heavily criticised later. These policies aimed at bringing about development but with little  concern of the Africans. In most part of this engagement there was hardly any  space for the African perspectives. The Structural Adjustment Programmes that were introduced in the African continent, were conditional lending and their development aims were highly political and inequitable in outcome.

But, 21^st century global  engagements of African countries especially with the coming in of the emerging partners, has brought out a  different approach of African studies that has helped in bringing out voices, diverse narratives and important perspectives on Africa and the global South altogether. This approach is seen as a contrast to the traditional approach and now is being witnessed in most engagements with the African countries. Today, some  engagement are being done through African Union that tries to negotiate with the partners for better terms on engagements. African countries engage with the partner countries through various forums like Africa- Korea Forum, Africa-India Forum, China-Africa Cooperation Forum etc. The Vision 2063 of the African Union focuses on important aspirations and goals like- an Africa whose development is people centric, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women and youth, and an integrated, politically united continent based on the ideals of Pan-Africanism and  African Renaissance. Goals like these have brought out the African agenda to the forefront while engaging with different partners.

With this background, this ASA Web-Symposium series would like to map emerging 21st Century approaches to African Studies in capturing global engagements of resurgent African states under African Union and its vision 2063. It will attempt to capture new narrative in African studies which brings in African voices and perspectives not just in state engagements and domestic political economy  but also in different areas of African Studies including, arts, culture, literatures etc. This will be in contrast to the traditional African Studies' approach to treat African countries and the region as a dormant recipient of external policies and perspectives in academic narratives.

The webinars would be conducted under different regional segments. There would be an Asian, European, North American, Latin American, Australian/New Zealand, Russian/CIS and African- regional segments. Within each region, an attempt would be made to have each webinar discussion on a recent research work of Africa's engagement with a country under discussion. Each web-discussion would like to bring in, beside the perspective of the country under discussion; a Regional perspective, a Global perspective and most importantly- an African perspective. 

Towards this goal, the second in this series is this webinar on Japan’s African Engagement.