Two ASCL researchers have been appointed Visiting Professor abroad. Rahmane Idrissa has been appointed Visiting Professor at the Africa Institute (Sharjah, United Arab Emirates). Annachiara Raia will serve as a Visiting Professor at the University of Torino (UniTo) in May-June. 

Liesbeth Kanis has started as the new Head of the Library, Documentation and Information Department at the ASCL. Kanis has a broad experience in scholarly information that ranges across the globe, including in Africa and Asia. She aims to ensure that the library serves not only academics and the public, but also offers globally accessible, impactful resources.

The ASCL calls for applications for its Visiting Fellowship Programme in 2026. Selected Fellows will be able to make use of our excellent library, collaborate and network with colleagues, and participate in our regular seminars. Applicants must indicate the Collaborative Research Group they want to be linked with. Application deadline: 7 May 2025.

Apply for the Master or Research Master in African Studies at Leiden University! The Research Master is unique in continental Europe for its interdisciplinary approach and the six-months fieldwork in Africa. The Master is an advanced area studies qualification that combines leading Africanist scholarship with practice-based learning.

The abrupt freeze of US Foreign Aid has left many communities in Africa in limbo, undermining the hard-earned trust that took years to build. In a new blog, PhD candidate Tinashe Chimbidzikai, who has actively participated in implementing USAID-programmes in Zimbabwe, observes the fragility of trust in humanitarian efforts.

To mark the retirement of Jos Damen - the ASCL's former Head of the Library, Documentation, and Information Department - the Library staff and Marleen Dekker, director of the ASCL, pay tribute to Jos with the help of a book or a film they associate him with: Jos Damen in 11 books and films!