The Revisiting Modernization Conference: Legon, Ghana: July 27 to 31, 2009

The African Studies Multi-Campus Research Focus Group of the University of California announces following conference, with a deadline of January 15 for submissions of abstracts. Africa is notorious for the barriers it imposes on mobility and scholarship especially suffers because of this fact. I am posting this here in the hope that Nigerian scholars will consider attending this event in Ghana, especially since the Nigerian Government now issues an ECOWAS passport (which guarantees open borders between West African States), and available ground and air transportation now exists from Lagos to Accra direct (Oshodi ma wole o!). It's time for Africans to start talking to themselves and collaborate more on cross-border projects. I am on the Advisory Board of this program and highly commend the conveners for their hard work in putting it together. See you all then in Legon.

The Revisiting Modernization Conference
To be held from 27th - 31st July 2009 at
University of Ghana, Legon

Conference Theme
Revisiting Modernization is an interdisciplinary array of activities that features an academic conference, art exhibition, creative writing competition, film screenings, and two keynote addresses to be held at the University of Ghana, Legon, from 27th - 31st July 2009. These activities, a collaboration between the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana, Legon and the African Studies Multi-Campus Research Group at the University of California, inaugurate an inclusive approach to thinking about the resonance of modernization in relation to the contemporary lexicon of globalization and the shifting parameters of development. This event is conceived as a forum with pre-circulated papers and contributions from a wide range of academics, policymakers, and artists from the African continent, North America, Europe, and beyond. This conference will be the first of three conferences to be held over a five-year period on the African continent (Ghana 2009, Senegal 2011, South Africa 2013) that include academic and public events, initiated by the African Studies Multi-Campus Research Group at the University of California.

Call for Papers
We invite submissions of a 500-word abstract that explores the conference theme Revisiting Modernization, in relation to one of the sub-themes. Please submit your abstract and a 50-word biographical statement as an MSWord attachment via email by 15 January 2009 to: africanstudiesmrg@ihc.ucsb.edu

Abstracts and biographical statements may also be mailed to:
UCSB/Humanities Center
African Studies MRG
Attention: Conference Proposals
6046 HSSB
Santa Barbara, California 93106-4010
USA

Accommodation and Travel
Accommodations, meals and local transportation will be provided for all conference participants for the duration of the conference in Ghana. Travel stipends to Accra for conference participants will be available subject to funding. Further information about the availability of travel stipends and flight reservations will be provided by March 15, 2009.

Conference Conveners
Peter J. Bloom, UC-Santa Barbara
Takyiwaa Manuh, Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon
Stephan F. Miescher, UC-Santa Barbara

For further inquires, please contact:
africanstudiesmrg@ihc.ucsb.edu