Image created for the

African Studies Center's

10th anniversary. The icons
are visual expressions and
interpretations of the center's
breadth of activities and
research initiatives.

University of Michigan
AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER

IN RE VIE W

�e � � �t2008-18
 Message FROM THE DIRECTOR

for Global Engagement scope, linking the study

James Holloway, and and representation of the
former Senior Vice Provost cultures, experiences and
Lester Monts for their societies of Africans and
constant support of U-M’s peoples of African descent
collaborative engagements across the African continent
with institutions of higher and diaspora. While courses
learning in Africa. with African content are
taught across campus,
The International Institute DAAS is the curricular home
KELLY ASKEW has been an enabling for African Studies, where
Director, African Studies Center environment for the ASC, students can pursue an
Professor, Departments of and its directors over undergraduate major or
Afroamerican & African Studies; the past decade have
and Anthropology minor, or obtain a graduate
been valued partners in certificate. The Coleman
advancing the ASC and its
Dear ASC activities. And little could
trip, however, heightened
Community, have been achieved without
U-M’s interest in Africa, a
region of ever-increasing
Together, over the past the fabulous ASC staff and global significance, and thus
decade, we’ve built a leadership team, including it was deemed necessary
vibrant, inclusive and truly interim directors, associate to create a unit to oversee
interdisciplinary African directors, executive and ensure the success of
Studies Center (ASC) committee members U-M’s engagements with
that is recognized and and initiative committee African partners. Central
respected, both nationally members past and present. to this is the U-M African
and internationally. The By way of retrospection, Presidential Scholars
following pages present but I highlight here three program (UMAPS), a six-
a taste of the projects and questions that most month research residency
passions that have animated challenged us in launching program for early career
the efforts of our faculty, the ASC and our attempts to African faculty. The ASC was
students, staff, and African answer them. also created to be a campus-
partners. But first, let me wide resource, not only for
give credit where credit The question most the College of Literature,
is due: sincere thanks on commonly raised when Science and the Arts (LSA),
behalf of us all to President starting the ASC was: Why but for leveraging efforts of
Emerita Mary Sue Coleman do we need another U-M unit faculty, students and staff
and former Provost Theresa devoted to African Studies, from all 19 U-M schools and
Sullivan for establishing the given the existence of the colleges. While we continue
ASC in 2008 in the wake of Department of Afroamerican to work closely together,
Coleman’s historic visit to and African Studies (DAAS)? these two foci distinguish
Ghana and South Africa, and History provides a ASC from DAAS.
sincere thanks to President partial answer. DAAS
Mark Schlissel, Provost was established in 1970 Aiming to serve the entire
Martin Philbert, Vice Provost and is pan-Africanist in campus community is one
2 | AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018
thing, but operationalizing has uniquely positioned in collaborations;
and normalizing it is the ASC among African (4) triangulation of
another. Herein lay our Studies centers elsewhere partnerships, to extend
second challenge: How and other area studies successes in one site to
do we remake African centers at U-M. Our model other African countries, (5)
Studies to be truly inclusive of AHHI, ASRI, and STEM- and the pursuit of real-world
of all the Africa-focused Africa research clusters applications, for greater
work occurring on our successfully institutionalized impact and because current
campus? How do we ASC’s interdisciplinarity, needs both in Africa and in
engage colleagues outside while providing scholars Michigan drive innovation.
LSA—such as from the in the sciences, social
College of Engineering, sciences and the humanities Behind the scenes, much
School of Public Health or a context within which to generosity paved our way
School for Environment have their own disciplinary to success: of faculty who
and Sustainability—who are conversations. willingly served on initiative
actively working in Africa, committees or as UMAPS
and integrate their efforts Our mandate to foster mentors; of students that
with those of faculty and greater collaboration volunteered to support our
students in more typical internally at U-M and 30 international conferences
African Studies disciplines externally with institutions and workshops in the past
like history, anthropology, in Africa posed the last decade and who trusted
literature and art history? set of challenges: How our assurances that the
Moreover, how do we do we develop a logic Swahili language program
bridge divides within LSA and logistics to support would indeed endure; of
to connect mathematicians, sustainable Africa-U-M staff who worked overtime
physicists, oceanographers collaborations? How can and without complaint to
and psychologists with we mitigate unequal power ensure guests’ needs were
scholars in the humanities? and financial dynamics of addressed and events
An unrealized potential to North-South engagements? went off flawlessly; of
expand U-M’s approach to What helped us navigate administration, development,
African Studies was evident this sensitive terrain was foundation and gift officers
in the list of U-M faculty the development of guiding who tirelessly sought
working in Africa produced principles and considerable sources of support to make
for Coleman’s trip: of 140 trial and error. We settled the ASC itself sustainable.
faculty then identified, on the following principles: To all of you and those
nearly half represented (1) reciprocity, an example whose labors I did not flag,
STEM fields. This led to being the UMAPS program, thank you. It has been a
the 2009 establishment of which, in bringing African great honor to serve as the
the STEM-Africa initiative, faculty to U-M, disrupts the founding director of the ASC.
a year after the launch more typical unidirectional I look forward to seeing the
of the African Heritage flow of Western students ASC continue to flourish in
and Humanities Initiative and faculty to Africa; (2) decades to come.
(AHHI) and African Social co-creation of knowledge,
Research Initiative (ASRI), through respectful and
creating room in the ASC for equitable pursuit of joint
people from all disciplines projects; (3) sustainability,
engaged in Africa-focused by ensuring a critical
work. Today, STEM-Africa mass of participants

AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018 | 3

 About ASC AND ITS MISSION

ASC is a member of the

International Institute.
It was established in
July 2008 and funded by
the Office of the Provost.

The University of Michigan African Studies »» African Heritage and Humanities

Center (ASC) provides strategic guidance Initiative (AHHI)
and coordination for Africa-related education,
research, and training activities on campus, »» African Social Research Initiative (ASRI)
and promotes opportunities for collaboration »» Science, Technology, Engineering, and
with African partners on the continent. Mathematics Initiative (STEM-Africa)
The center is organized around five primary »» Ethiopia-Michigan Collaborative
research initiatives and programs that have Consortium (EMC2)
been funded separately by the Office of the
President and different stakeholders on »» U-M African Presidential Scholars
campus. (UMAPS) Program

4 | AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018

Deepen Support Enhance
and expand exchanges the study of
scholarly and of students, Africa, past
educational faculty, and present,
partnerships and staff within
between U-M between U-M the U-M
and African and African curriculum
institutions institutions

Connect Foster inter- Serve as

faculty and disciplinary a public
students research to find resource on
working in/on imaginative Africa and
Africa from solutions to Michigan’s
all colleges contemporary involvement
and units on social, cultural, with it for
campus medical, the state
technological, and local
and community
environmental
problems

AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018 | 5

 Initiatives & Programs AT ASC

African Heritage and

Humanities Initiative
(AHHI)
AHHI supports research related to the arts,
humanities, and interpretive social sciences,
which highlights the dynamic, contested
process by which African cultures and
histories are made.

$160,000+
Seed Grants awarded to faculty
representing departments in LSA,
School of Information, School of
Music, Theatre and Dance, the Medical
School, and the Taubman College of
Architecture and Urban Planning.

16 international 26 different
conferences projects
and
workshops

$1.5 Million
Grant from the Andrew W. Mellon
Foundation for a collaboration
between U-M (ASC) and the
University of the Witwatersrand
(WiSER)
9 workshops
The grant has allowed ASC and the Wits Institute for Social
and Economic Research (WiSER) in Johannesburg, South
56 universities Africa to organize workshops that bring scholars from
different universities together for in-depth discussion and
300 scholars collaboration in the fields of the humanities and qualitative
social sciences.

6 | AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018

African Social Research Initiative (ASRI)
ASRI promotes excellence in social science research, facilitates new collaborative networks,
offers statistical training, and fosters professional development among faculty and students at
the University of Michigan and academic and non-governmental organization (NGO) research
partners in Africa. Building on longstanding U-M research partnerships in South Africa and
Ghana (since the 1990s), ASRI focuses on sustaining scholarly partnerships that use and
teach multi-method approaches to data collection and analysis. Thematic foci are on politics
(democratic governance); economics (income dynamics and poverty); and the intersections of
gender, health and development.

organized 4
international $150,000+
conferences;
Seed Grants awarded to 22 different project
over 1,500
teams from eight different schools and
participants
colleges at U-M
in statistical
analysis
training Since 2011, ASRI has sponsored 13
running for quantitative methods courses on STATA
20+ years in and R, with 7 different University and
South Africa government partners from Ghana and South
Africa, and over 350 participants
AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018 | 7
Science, Technology, 30-year collaborations with universities
Engineering, and in Ghana and recently Ethiopia in the field
Mathematics Initiative of OB/GYN have produced 270 trained
OB/GYNs, all but one of whom are
(STEM-Africa) practicing on the continent: an enormous
success when compared to the high loss
STEM-Africa nurtures the study of science, of medical talent to the diaspora.
technology, engineering, and mathematics in
Africa, which extends scientific knowledge and
yields solutions to global problems.

Among other collaborations, U-M Mathematics

professors have taught high-level applied and
theoretical mathematics courses in Cameroon
since 2009 on a biennial basis; a team from
the department of Earth and Environmental
Sciences and College of Engineering (CoE) has
been teaching mini-courses on oceanography
and environmental sciences in Ghana regularly
for three years (coessing.org); CoE faculty
are additionally organizing professional
development workshops and networking events
$150,000+
for African women engineers; and a team from Seed Grants awarded to 25 different
the School of Environment and Sustainability project teams from 10 different Schools
(SEAS) and CoE has been teaching courses on and Colleges at U-M representing 17
energy, food and water provisioning in Gabon. different departments
8 | AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018
 Ethiopia-Michigan
Collaborative
Consortium
(EMC2) Organized 3
international
EMC2 illustrates the
conferences
deep and multifaceted
since 2015
relationship between
the U-M and the Federal
Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. U-M
faculty and students from many disciplines
engage with diverse stakeholders across
the country to extend their impact beyond
academia through community-based
research, patient care, educational capacity
building in many fields, service learning,
scholarship, and research.

Funded nine U-M African

Presidential Scholars;
Adey Desta, one of the
scholars, went on to
U-M Vice President for receive a prestigious
Research Jack Hu was PEER Cycle 6 award
the keynote speaker THIRD ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Ethiopia-Michigan Collaborative Consortium (EMC2)
july 11-14, 2017

of the plenary session,

The Horn of Africa

ETHIOPIAN FUTURES Regional Environment

moving forward
Centre and Network

“Partnering for Research,

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Innovation and Economic

Development," at the STEM
IV conference. This conference will explore the
Ethiopia-Michigan collaboration in ways
that include areas in the humanities,
science, engineering, mathematics and
social sciences.

STEM-Africa organized 4 The event will provide opportunities

to develop interactions in an open and
welcoming environment. Attendees will
Tuesday, July 11 – Hilton Addis Ababa Hotel, Menelik II Ave,
Addis Ababa 1164

international conferences be able to meet with their collaborators 4:30pm » Welcome Reception
to strengthen relationships, or to meet Wednesday, July 12: “Defining the future of Ethiopia through
new partners to build new connections. Ethiopian lenses”
We will discuss the achievements and
challenges of ongoing collaborative 9:00am » Welcome Remarks & Introductions
“How the Future is Grounded in the Past”

The STEM IV Conference,

work between Ethiopian and University
of Michigan (U-M) colleagues, and 9:30am » Keynote Address/Panel
develop new insights into Ethiopia and “Defining Ethiopia’s Priorities and Needs for the Future”

“Africa-US Frontiers in
its future.
2:00pm » Discussion groups “Defining the Future”
Open to faculty and student partners 3:00pm » Panel “Reflecting on the Past, Defining the Future”

Science,” featured an
in Ethiopia, and to U-M faculty and
students who are engaged or seek to Thursday, July 13: “Developing/Growing Collaborations”
engage in Ethiopia. Various sites, or Horn of Africa

international cadre of 42 Registration is required. For program

details and to register online:
9:00am » Local visits with collaborators in Ethiopia
3:30pm » Guided tour at the National Museum of Ethiopia  

presenters and attracted ii.umich.edu/asc/initiatives/emc2 6:00pm » Conference dinner at Lucy Restaurant

Friday, July 14: “Bringing It All Together, and Plans for the Future”

over 400 attendees Coordinated by the African

Studies Center at the
University of Michigan and
9:00am » Panel discussions, presentations w/ breakout sessions
2:00pm » “Getting to Know You” group event  
Addis Ababa University;
with event and travel 4:00pm » Conference summary and closing remarks
grant funding provided by
the Office of the Provost,
Global Engagement and PARTNER INSTITUTIONS: Ethiopian Public Health Institute; St. Paul’s
Interdisciplinary Academic
Millennium Medical College; University of Gondar; University of Axum
Affairs.

AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018 | 9

U-M African Presidential Scholars (UMAPS) Program
The UMAPS Program brings early career Some have gone on to complete their
faculty from African universities to Ann PhDs. Others have published their
Arbor, Michigan to accelerate their research research findings. Others have obtained
capabilities and empower them to make large grants to pursue collaborative
an impact when they return to their home research (some with a U-M colleague).
institutions—building mutually beneficial ties And still others have been promoted
between U-M and institutions across the to tenured or full professor positions.
continent. African higher education continues
to face enormous challenges, but the
Over the past ten years, from 2008 to 2018, UMAPS program has helped retain and
the U-M African Studies Center has hosted strengthen faculty in African institutions
135 UMAPS scholars from universities of higher education while simultaneously
in Ghana, South Africa, Liberia, Uganda, enriching U-M through the inclusion of
Ethiopia, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of African perspectives.
the Congo, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zambia.

UMAPS scholars are paired with a U-M faculty mentor during

their stay and have full access to the University of Michigan's
resources, including a dedicated writing workshop, discipline-
specific librarians, and outlets for publicly presenting their
research projects in the UMAPS colloquium series.
10 | AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018
 135
SCHOLARS TO DATE

ALUMNI SUCCESS SINCE UMAPS PARTICIPATION

31%
31% came to UMAPS 
were awarded with a PhD or
a PhD post- other terminal
UMAPS degree

9%
have started
a PhD
program
18% post-UMAPS
don't have a
PhD and are
not in a PhD
program either 9%
had started a PhD program
prior to UMAPS, and are (data as of March 2018)
not yet finished 
AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018 | 11
 Student & Faculty SUPPORT

In order to support engagement with Africa, ASC awards

substantial research funding that is open to all U-M students
and faculty.

Faculty Support Curriculum Enhancement

Faculty awards include conference travel U-M’s Africa-focused curriculum is unique
grants, funding for research conducted and noteworthy for its breadth across schools
in Africa, and collaborative seed grants and colleges. ASC provides financial and
to support innovative projects in African administrative support for innovative courses,
heritage and humanities, African social such as:
research, and STEM-Africa.
»» Omolade Adunbi's (DAAS) course
“Environment, Sustainability and Cultural
Practices in Africa.”
»» Nesha Haniff's (DAAS/Women's Studies)
“Pedagogy of Action” course doing HIV/
AIDS training in South African townships.
»» Kathleen Sienko's (CoE) “Design for
Maternal Health in Ghana.”
»» SAPAC and Sexperteam Student Project
(Nursing/Public Health/LSA) adapting the
U-M sexual assault prevention program
“Relationship Remix” for students at the
University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

Over 150 ASC-affiliated faculty members across 17 schools and colleges

$600,000+ $150,000+
Distributed to faculty members for Disbursed from 2008-18 in funding for
travel, research, and collaborative new or existing Africa-focused courses
seed grants
The number of Africa-focused
U-M faculty research courses at U-M has more than
projects focus on more doubled over the past decade;
than 35 African countries almost 300 courses with Africa
content were offered in 2017-18.
12 | AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018
 Experiencing Africa through
Study Abroad
To ensure student access to study abroad opportunities in
Africa,
ASC has partnered with other university units, e.g. Center
for Global and Intercultural Study (CGIS), Ford School of
Public Policy, College of Engineering, Law School, School of
Architecture and Urban Planning, and School of Music, Theater,
and Dance.

Almost 700 undergraduates participated in CGIS-organized

study abroad programs in Africa since ASC's inception in
2008. Sites span Madagascar, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda,
Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, LIberia, and Zambia.

Swahili Language Spotlight

When I first enrolled in Swahili, it
In 2009, ASC and DAAS launched African was a spur-of-the-moment decision of
language training with on-site instruction genuine and mild interest; however,
in elementary and intermediate Swahili, the study of the Swahili language, and
and distance learning in Akan, Bambara, East African studies in general, have
Wolof, and Zulu. In 2016, a second become the cornerstone of my college
career. Enrolling in Swahili exposed me to a unique area of
Swahili language instructor was hired
study and career path that is commonly (and unfortunately)
and advanced Swahili was added to the overlooked by aspiring professionals. Understanding
program. Swahili and its accompanying customs has allowed me
to form relationships and develop interest in one of the
most culturally rich, historically curious, and impressively
Nearly 500 students have inventive places on the planet. I'm looking forward to
spending the next year after graduating conducting
enrolled in a Swahili course research in Tanzania, and inspiring others to engage with
the language and culture. — Meagan Malm, BBA'18
since 2009.
AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018 | 13
Student Engagement
Competitive fellowships are awarded to students for summer
research and internships on the continent, as well as for
conference participation (year-round).

Over 20 Lester P. Monts

Africa-focus Award for
Student Outstanding
Organizations
Graduate Student
Research on Africa
$500,000+ In 2014, the African
Studies Center established
Awarded to students for the Lester P. Monts Award
research, internships, and for Outstanding Graduate "Looking Out Into The Falls"
conference participation; Student Research on Winner, Category "Go Blue"
Africa in honor of the 2017 II Photo Contest
funded over 200 research
and internship grants distinguished Professor Tochukwu Ndukwe's photo
of Ethnomusicology was taken during ASC-funded
and former Senior Vice research in Zambia
Provost for Academic
My experience abroad has made me
Affairs, Lester P. Monts, for even more passionate about global
all he has done to promote health and disparities especially
scholarship on Africa and in sub-Saharan African countries.
institutional engagement As a first year medical student at
with African universities. the University of Michigan Medical
School (UMMS), I want to figure out
$1,000 is awarded
how I can set up connections abroad
yearly to recognize an through the medical school to fulfill
outstanding research this passion. Also it has impacted my
paper by a graduate educational goals by inspiring me to
student in African studies. join the Global Health & Disparities
curriculum that UMMS has.
2015: Johannes Norling — TOCHUKWU NDUKWE, MD ’21,
Doctoral Candidate, Economics, Microbiology & Immunology.
“Family Planning and Fertility in 2017 ASC Funding for Research/
South Africa under Apartheid” Internship Support in Africa,
2016: Nana Osei Quarshie Zambia. “The Global Impact of
Doctoral Candidate, Microbes”
Anthropology & History, “‘But
He is Not a Madman to Do
Any Harm’: Petitioning for the Fulbright Scholars
Students from 8 different Release of Suspected Lunatics
schools and colleges in the Gold Coast, 1936-1946” U-M has regularly led the
conducted research 2017: Ashley Rockenbach nation in the number of U.S
internships in over 20 Doctoral Candidate, History, Department of State Fulbright
“Accounting for the Past: A Awards received, with 22
African countries.
History of Refugee Management
awardees placed in Africa
in Uganda, 1959-64”
from 2008-2017.
14 | AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018
 ASC Publications

University of Michigan Press book

series “African Perspectives”
The African Perspectives the ASC reception held
book series was launched during the African Studies
in 2013 to mark ASC’s Association’s annual
five-year anniversary meeting in November 2016
by building upon U-M’s in Washington, DC. Two
distinctive position in the further titles were released Annual
field of African Studies.
Published by the University
in 2017: Unsettled History:
Making South African
Newsletter
of Michigan Press under Public Pasts, by Leslie Witz, "Alliances"
the editorship of Kelly Gary Minkley, and Ciraj
Askew and Anne Pitcher, the Rassool and Seven Plays of ASC publishes a newsletter
series publishes exemplary Koffi Kwahulé: In and Out once a year featuring
work grounded in original of Africa, edited by Judith highlights of ASC’s events
research in any country in G. Miller and translated by and activities, and stories
sub-Saharan Africa that Chantal Bilodeau. about faculty research,
unsettles conventional university initiatives,
understandings of the Forthcoming titles in student and faculty
continent. The series has 2018 include Mũkoma wa grants, and collaborative
attracted interest from both Ngũgĩ ’s The Rise of the partnerships related to
emergent and established African Novel (Spring); Lily Africa.
scholars, many based in Saint’s Black Cultural Life
in South Africa (Fall); and The current and past
Africa as well as those issues (Alliances) can be
working at institutions Nimrod: Selected Writings,
edited by Frieda Ekotto viewed or downloaded as a
outside the continent. PDF, or read online. Please
(Fall). These and other
The series’s inaugural titles will help enlarge visit: ii.umich.edu/asc/
volume, African Print the disciplinary range about-us/newsletters
Cultures: Newspapers of the series to include If you would like to be on
and Their Publics in the philosophy, literature, and our mailing list or receive
Twentieth Century, edited the social sciences, while future editions of our
by Derek R. Peterson, maintaining its diversity newsletter, please send
Emma Hunter, and of focus on Francophone, us an email: asc-contact@
Stephanie Newell, was Anglophone, and umich.edu
publicly launched at Lusophone Africa.
AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018 | 15
 African Diasporic
Public Events
Film Festival
FALL 2017

The Boers at the End of the World

Screening followed by Q&A with Film Director Richard F. Gregory and Andries Coetzee
December 5, 4:00 PM – Hatcher Graduate Library Gallery, Room 100

In the remote Patagonian region of

Argentina, the last remaining members
of a 100-year-old community of
Afrikaans Boers struggle to keep their
language and culture from South Africa
alive. Ty Dickason, an 82-year-old
cowboy, yearns to visit the country of
In the effort to increase
his ancestors. The film is the portrait of
the last days of his way of life, and the
knowledge of Africa, ASC
journey across the ocean to reconnect
with distant family. has sponsored over 150
For more info: bit.ly/f`ilm-1205

2015, DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM (83 MIN.)

events on campus and more
M O N D AY, 1 4 N O V E M B E R | 4 : 0 0 - 6 : 0 0 P M , 1 0 1 4 T I S C H H A L L ( PA N E L ) Sponsored by The Andrew
Languages: Afrikaans, Spanish, English
Producer: Kelly Scott than 30 events in Africa in
collaboration with partner
Scholar-Activists and Contemporary Social Movements W. Mellon Foundation and Director: Richard Finn Gregory
Chair: MATTHEW COUNTRYMAN, University of Michigan organised by the African
KEEANGA TAYLOR, Princeton University; BARBARA RANSBY, University of Studies Center at the University
Illinois at Chicago; KIDADA WILLIAMS, Wayne State University; JULIAN BROWN,
University of the Witwatersrand

T U E S D AY, 1 5 N O V E M B E R | 4 : 0 0 - 6 : 0 0 P M , 1 0 1 4 T I S C H H A L L ( L E C T U R E )
of Michigan and the University
of Witwatersrand Institute for
Social and Economic Research.
RICHARD FINN GREGORY is an award-winning South African
director and cinematographer. He lived in Tokyo for a number of
years, where he started creating music videos. Upon returning
institutions.
Three Villages, Two Investigations and the Rule of Law Additional support from the to South Africa, he felt compelled to refocus on documentary
in India Center of South Asian Studies filmmaking, which led to working on projects across five
NANDINI SUNDAR, University of Delhi
HOSTED BY THE CENTER OF SOUTH ASIAN STUDIES
and the African History and
Anthropology Workshop.
continents. Much of his work has focused on social and
environmental issues in the developing world. He was the last
person to film Nelson Mandela in a private setting, as part of the
To learn more about our
events, visit ii.umich.edu/asc/
W E D N E S D AY, 16 N O V E M B E R | 4 : 0 0 - 6 : 0 0 P M , 1 0 1 4 T I S C H H A L L ( S C R E E N I N G / Q & A )
21 Icons project.
Fighting for a Living
A documentary film about South African activists’ engagements with the law;

news-events/events
followed by a Q&A with STUART WILSON, Socio-Economic Rights Institute of
South Africa For event and speakers’ info:
HOSTED BY THE AFRICAN HISTORY AND ANTHROPOLOGY WORKSHOP ii.umich.edu/asc 2008 ASC 2018
THE FIRST DECADE
Contact: ANDRIES COETZEE
[email protected]
T U E S D AY, 2 9 N O V E M B E R | 4 : 0 0 - 6 : 0 0 P M , 1 0 1 4 T I S C H H A L L ( L E C T U R E )

Knowledge Futures and the Humanities Today

ACHILLE MBEMBE, University of the Witwatersrand EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN
HOSTED BY THE AFRICAN HISTORY AND ANTHROPOLOGY WORKSHOP TO THE PUBLIC.

ii.umich.edu/asc
(734) 615-3027 | [email protected]

TH
YEAR
ANNIVERSARY SYMPOSIUM

MARCH 15-16, 2018

Rackham - 4th Floor

MARCH 17, 2018

Weiser Hall - 10th Floor

AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER

The FIRST DECADE
and BEYOND
The symposium provides a glimpse into an environment
rich in collaborations, research, and engagement in
and about Africa, highlighting projects that have truly
transformed our engagement with Africa over the last
ten years, and setting a foundation as we envision our way
forward.
Featured events include:
Panels of faculty and African partners representing ASC’s ASC’s 10th-year anniversary
initiatives—African Heritage and Humanities Initiative, African symposium is made possible
with the generous support of
Social Research Initiative, STEM-Africa, Ethiopia-Michigan our cosponsors and donors:
Collaborative Consortium, and the U-M African Presidential
* Center for Research on
Scholars program Learning and Teaching
Poster presentations by current students * Department of
Afroamerican and African
Roundtable featuring U-M alumni living and working Studies
in Africa * International Institute
Presidential Panel with Mark Schlissel, University of Michigan * Institute for Social Research
(current); Mary Sue Coleman, University of Michigan (2002- * LSA Opportunity Hub
2014); Emmet Dennis, University of Liberia (2008-2017); James
* Office of the Provost
Duderstadt, University of Michigan (1988-1996); Uphie Chinje
Melo, University of Ngaoundéré, Cameroon (current); Ophelia * Rackham Graduate School
Weeks, University of Liberia (current)
ALL EVENTS ARE FREE AND
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
Registration requested at:
bit.ly/asc10-register

For full event details:

ii.umich.edu/asc

African Studies Center:

The First Decade and Beyond
March 15-17, 2018
Moses Musaazi (Engineering, 1:15 PM (CSE 1670)
A three-day symposium in
celebration of ASC's 10th year
Makerere University): “Using Appropriate
Technologies to Solve Local Problems Panel J (STEM):
and Develop Skills” Education, Funding and Policy
Environments for Science in Africa

anniversary
Henk de Jager (Dean of Engineering,
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan U.): Chaired by Cinda-Sue Davis
African Social Research
“Challenges Facing Engineering
Education in Africa: A Case Study
(Director, Women in Science and Engineering (WISE), U-M)

of South Africa” Emmet Dennis (President,

University of Liberia): “The Inextricable

Initiative Bi-Annual Conference

Emmanuel Ramde
(Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah
Relevance of Tertiary Scientific
Education to the African Socio-

The symposium provides a

University of Science and Technology): Economic Developmental Agenda,
“Solar Thermal Power Plants in West A Welcome Realization in Liberia”
Africa: Resource Assessment and
O c tober 11-12 , (Applied Physics, U-M):
Site Selection” 2013
Abigail Mechtenberg

UPanel
niv
Rackham
9:00 AM (1013 Dow)
I (STEM):
ersit y o f M ich ig a n , A n n
“Missing Variables in Electricity
Assembly Hall
Optimization Models used in Sub-
A rSaharan
b o rAfrica:
, M ICase Study
glimpse into an environment rich
Mathematical Sciences in Africa Investigations as a Foundation for an

Chaired by Daniel Burns (Mathematics, U-M)

Nkem-Amin Khumbah

Innovative Microgrid Model”

Daniel Wubah
(Vice President and Dean for Undergraduate
in collaborations, research, and
(University of Michigan): “Sustainable
Partnerships with African Institutions”
Education, Virginia Tech U.):
“An Immersive Summer
engagement in and about Africa,
Transnational
Undergraduate Research Experience
Herb Clemens (Ohio State University): in Ghana Focusing on Ecology,

highlighting projects that have truly

“African Mathematics and the Ethnobotany, and Environmental
International Mathematical Biology”
Union (IMU)”
Lamine Ndiaye

transformed our engagement with

Aderemi Kuku (Grambling State/ (Chairperson, Pan African University High

Vulnerabilities
African Mathematical Union): Level Panel):
“Regional and International “The Pan African University, One Major
Collaboration to Strengthen Project of the African Union”

Africa over the last ten years, and

Mathematical Sciences in Africa”
Discussant: Marvin Parnes
Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey (Associate Vice President for Research and
(Director, Institute of Mathematical Executive Director of Research Administration,

setting a foundation as we envision our

Sciences): “The Role of Mathematical U-M)
Sciences in the Socio-Economic
in Governance,
Development of Africa”
Employment,
3:30 PM Coffee break
11:00 AM Coffee break 3:45 PM All Group Session:
Health, and Education:
11:15 PM Working sessions: Engineering and Math

Exploring
Sciences
Integrated
Advancing STEM Research and
Collaborations in Africa

5:00Solutions
PM Walking tour of North Campus for out
way forward.
12:15 PM Lunch of town participants

This conference is free and open to the public.

16 | AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018

for the US and Africa For more information and full list of sponsors
go to http//www.lsa.umich.edu/asc

Sponsors: African Studies Center STEM-Africa Initiative

Office of the President,
Office of the Vice President for Research Launch Conference

NSF-Funded Central African Forests Initiative (CAFI)

Annual Research Meeting
 ASC IN THE News
ASC initiatives and events are frequently covered in the local campus and national news,
faculty research has been profiled in major journals and news outlets, and ASC social media
announcements reach a broad audience. To read more stories, visit ASC’s news page: ii.umich.edu/
asc/aboutus/news

University Record, 10/13/2017. ASC LSA Today, 10/13/2017. Scholarship that

Faculty Member Derek Peterson awarded Comes Across: ASC Welcomes its Tenth
prestigious MacArthur Fellowship Cohort of African Scholars, by Susan Hutton

UMMA & ASC News, 08/18/2017. ASC- Global Michigan, 03/10/2016. Maternal
sponsored exhibit at UMMA. Power Contained: Deaths in Africa: Cutting Down the Distance
The Art of Authority in Central and West Africa that Kills, by William Foreman
on exhibit August 19 - December 31

AudioBoom.com, Investment Perspectives with University Record, 12/08/2015. University

Ed Bowsher and Juliette Foster, 10/25/2016. Designates $90,000 to Program for Ethiopian
Howard Stein on the Effect of China’s Economic Scholars, by Rachel Reed
Slowdown to Many African Countries
AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018 | 17
 Exte��al Funding
ASC has been engaged in fundraising for interdisciplinary research and capacity-
building, leveraging nearly $5 million in external funding for center-driven
initiatives. An additional $1.5 million in funds has been secured as follow-up
grants for research initially seeded by ASC grants to faculty, graduate students,
and UMAPS scholar-mentor teams.

18 | AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018

These funds help to extend our institutional linkages to
Africa; facilitate exchanges of students and faculty; foster
innovative, interdisciplinary research; and strengthen
capacity in African academic institutions.

Institute of International Nkrumah University for

Education and the Science and Technology.
partnership for Higher
Education in Africa (2009) Google Corporation
(2013) grant to catalogue
grant for African Scholars
Summer Research Training the Uganda National Gifts to ASC
enabled our inaugural Archives: Involved
students from School ASC is dedicated to
cohort of UMAPS scholars promoting a broader and
to take summer training of Information, History,
and Anthropology in deeper understanding of
courses at ISR and SPH. the region—its histories,
collaboration with faculty
Mellon Foundation Sawyer and students from cultures, languages, and
Seminar series on Ethnicity Makerere University, peoples—through research,
in Africa (2009-2012), a Uganda. education, and outreach
partnership between DAAS programs. The center is
and ASC entailing three U.S. State Department committed to creating a
international workshops Appropriate Technology supportive environment
exploring a range of for Resource Limited where scholars,
perspectives on ethnicity Settings (2013-2015), a educators, students, and
in Africa, and two post- study-abroad partnership the community have the
doctoral fellowships. between U-M and Kwame opportunity to engage
Nkrumah University for in dialogue and to study
Center for Research Science and Technology current and historical
Libraries (2011-2013) grants (KNUST), Ghana. events related to African
to catalogue and digitize the studies.
Kabarole District Archives, Andrew W. Mellon
Uganda. Foundation (2013- Gifts to ASC will help
2020) collaborative support residencies for
United Nation Population grant between U-M U-M African Presidential
Fund, UNFPA (2011) support and the University of Scholars; science,
for analysis of census and the Witwatersrand, technology, engineering,
survey data for social South Africa on “Joining and mathematics research;
science research. Theory and Empiricism faculty research focused
in the Remaking of the on Africa; strengthening
USAID Excellence in Higher African Humanities: African social research
Education for Liberian A Transcontinental data; advancement of
Development, EHELD (2011- Collaboration.” African studies in U-M’s
2017) grant to rebuild the curriculum; and multilateral
College of Engineering at USAID (2014-2017) partnerships between U-M
University of Liberia and collaborative grant to the and African partners.
College of Agriculture at U-M Medical School and
Cuttington University, in the Navrongo Research If you wish to support the
partnership with Rutgers Centre, Ghana, on African Studies Center, visit
University, North Carolina “Preventing Maternal and ii.umich.edu/asc/donate.
State University, RTI Neonatal Deaths in Rural
International, and Kwame Northern Ghana.”

AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER - IN REVIEW REPORT 2008-2018 | 19

 Weiser Hall, Suite 500
500 Church Street,
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1042

Copyright 2018 KELLY ASKEW

Regents of the University of Michigan ASC Director

Michael J. Behm, Grand Blanc

ANDRIES COETZEE
ASC Associate Director
Mark J. Bernstein, Ann Arbor
Shauna Ryder Diggs, Grosse Pointe STAFF
Denise Ilitch, Bingham Farms
Andrea Fischer Newman, Ann Arbor J. HENRIKE FLORUSBOSCH
ASC Grants Manager and Project
Andrew C. Richner, Grosse Pointe Park Coordinator
Ron Weiser, Ann Arbor
Katherine E. White, Ann Arbor CINDY NGUYEN
ASC Academic Program Specialist
Mark S. Schlissel (ex officio)
SANDIE SCHULZE
ASC Outreach and Program Coordinator
The University of Michigan, as an equal
opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies GLORIA CAUDILL
with all applicable federal and state laws II Global South Cluster Manager
regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action.
The University of Michigan is committed to a policy
KATHY COVERT
of equal opportunity for all persons and does not
II Global South Assistant
discriminate on the basis of race, color, national
origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation,
gender identity, gender expression, disability, RAQUEL RAMOS BUCKLEY
religion, height, weight, or veteran status in II Communications Editor
employment, educational programs and activities,
and admissions. Inquiries or complaints may be
addressed to the Senior Director for Institutional STAY CONNECTED
Equity, and Title IX/Section 504/ADA Coordinator, T: (734) 615-3027
Office for Institutional Equity, 2072 Administrative
E: [email protected]
Services Building, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1432,
734-763-0235, TTY 734-647-1388, institutional. ii.umich.edu/asc
[email protected]. For other University of facebook.com/UMAfricanStudies
Michigan information call 734-764-1817.` twitter.com/UofMAfrica

In Review Report and cover image design by Raquel Ramos Buckley