AEGIS THEMATIC CONFERENCE
- Dialogues with Mozambique -
March 5 – 6, 2010, Trondheim, Norway
Programme of African Studies, NTNU
Africa Network Norway
Convenor: Sheila Khan (Manchester/Coimbra/Minho/NTNU)
Rationale
In spite of the historical turmoil, starting with the Portuguese colonialism, continuing through the sanguine civil war between FRELIMO and RENAMO and its human disaster experience of drought and poverty, Mozambique has witnessed a thriving development during the recent years. Economic data has shown that the relatively stable democracy has pushed Mozambique “into a rising regional star and positioning itself to provide food and energy to a world hungry for both, in defiance of the Afropessimists” (Norbrook, Nicolas: ‘Special Mozambique – The Rising Tide – ‘. The African Report, no. 16, 2009: 58-62).
On an academic level, Mozambique has received a vast visibility from the studies of prominent researchers, professors and top universities’ curricula. By bringing attention to its literary, anthropological, historical and economical richness, Mozambican studies are deemed to play an important role to those who pretend to reach a profound understanding of the southern part of the African continent, as Mozambique from its geographic location, enables a bridge of communication, and trade between Asian, African and European territories and forces.
With this in mind, the present conference aims to bring together well-known professors and researchers on the field of Mozambican studies, to provide students, students, researchers, professors, and practitioners concerned with Mozambique’s development and future challenges with a clear, deep and structured knowledge and insight on contemporary studies on the country. In this regard, this conference intends to call attention to a variety of research topics that will be offered by invited speakers and by selected conference participants.
The conference therefore addresses two main questions:
What are the contemporary debates, reflections and research projects on Mozambican Studies?
- What can we learn from Mozambique as a democratic African country?
Panels
Will cover a multidisciplinary debate and dialogue on the contemporary research projects, reflections and debate on Mozambican studies, from its political, historical, economical, anthropological up to its literary perspectives, as follows:
1. State, Nation and Democracy in Mozambique: looks at a critical reflection on t the formation of the Mozambican nation since its political independence until the process of democratization in Mozambique, including the discussion of themes such as tourism, sustainable development, poverty and micro-credit.
2. Narrating the Nation: aims to call attention to the variety of ways Mozambican nation is perceived and depicted, bearing in mind the dynamics of religion, tradition and modernity.
3. Knowledge, Science and Epistemology: examines the production of knowledge, methodological and epistemological approaches from an African perspective, as an alternative to the hegemonic Global North and European epistemology.
4. Mozambican Literature and Cultural Production: focus on the role played by literature for a better understanding of identity politics and gender in Mozambique, from colonial to postcolonial times.
Invited Keynote Speakers
- Professor Teresa Cruz e Silva, University of Eduardo Mondlane (Maputo) - confirmed
- Professor Anna Maria Gentili, Prof. of African Studies, University of Bologna – confirmed
Invited Panel Chairs
- Professor Hilary Owen (Manchester University, Department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies) - confirmed
- Professor Paula Meneses (Coimbra University, Centre for Social Studies) - confirmed
- Dr Bjørn Enge Bertelsen (Bergen University, Department of Social Anthropology)- confirmed
- Dr Inge Tvedten (CMI, CHR. Michelsen Institute)- confirmed
Registration
By e-mail to ingrid.lehn@svt.ntnu.no. Deadline: 1 February 2010. Regular participants are expected to cover their own travel and accommodation costs, and there is a registration fee of 100 euros to cover meals and other hospitality expenses.
Contact
Dr Sheila Khan, sheila.khan@svt.ntnu.no, +47 73596849; mobile +4745235577, or Lecturer Sigrid Damman, sigrid.damman@svt.ntnu.no, +47 73596342,
Department of Social Anthropology, NTNU, Dragvoll 7491, Trondheim, Norway.
For updated info on the conference, see www.svt.ntnu.no/africanetwork/