News & Events

In February, Mohamed Saadouni ( Leiden University Libraries), Elvire Eijkman and Heleen Smits (both ASCL Library) went on an acquistion trip to Morocco. They visited the 22nd Salon International de l’Edition et du Livre in Casablanca. It was a joint mission with the support of the Netherlands Institute in Morocco (NIMAR) in Rabat. Mohamed concentrated on publications in Arabic, Elvire and Heleen focused on French and English. Over 400 books were bought. Heleen Smits reports.

In the autumn of 1912 21-year-old Henrik Stiernspetz embarks on a journey to Africa to seek his fortune. He does not fit in Stockholm’s bourgeois society and dreams of adventure. After the outbreak of the First World War and a failed business in Cape Town, Henrik travels to Kasempa in Northern Rhodesia where he opens a trading post. Around Christmas 1927, all correspondence to his family ceases. In February 1929, his mother is informed that her son has died. Henrik's family never discovered what happened to him. A century later, Elise Killander, journalist, cultural scientist and a distant relative, decides to find out why her great-grand uncle never came back. 'The last letter from Kasempa' is the subject of our latest Library Highlight.

The ASCL congratulates the Leiden African Studies Research Master’s graduates Iorver Ekeseh (Nigeria), Tanja Hendriks (the Netherlands), Michele Portatadino (Italy), Affoh Guenneguez (Côte d’Ivoire), David Drengk (Germany) and Rafael Verbuyst (Belgium), who received their diplomas at Leiden University on 25 February. Two of them have graduated cum laude. Take a look at the pictures!

On 16 February, associated senior researcher Prof. Wim van Binsbergen completed his last PhD supervision as promotor of Pius Mosima. Wim van Binsbergen is an Honorary Fellow of the African Studies Centre Leiden Community. Although retired in 2012, he is still doing research. On the photo: Wim van Binsbergen and Pius Mosima during their first meeting in Cameroon 2005.

ASCL senior researcher Marcel Rutten will give a key note lecture on 19 February for the National Land Commission of Kenya, Directorate of Research, in the 2016 Speakers Series on land Tenure Rights. The title of his lecture is 'Individualization of group ranch land: A 30 years longitudinal overview of effected changes in Kajiado County'. Rutten conducts research notably among Turkana, Orma and Maasai pastoralists. Ongoing projects address the effects of land tenure changes; water innovations and drought coping strategies; and conflicts and co-operation over natural resources (Cocoon Initiative Kenya) together with SEKU-Kitui.