News & Events

In the last ten years, the ASC Library’s collection has developed from focusing on (print) monographs and journals to aiming for a more flexible, hybrid collection which includes open access material. Renewable energy (RE) is a discipline in which vital knowledge is disseminated by free online sources rather than through the classical scientific media. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) 2015 synthesis report on renewable energy potential in Africa has now been added to the ASC's Catalogue. It is the subject of a new Acquisition Highlight.

In March, the ASC organized the 2-day workshop 'Governance and Connections in Africa's Contemporary Conflicts' that explored the connections between conflict zones ranging from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa and from Central Africa to the Great Lakes Region. Prof. Osaghae (Igbinedion University, Nigeria) gave a public lecture about Nigeria’s Boko Haram. Sjoerd Sijsma and Leonie Meester made a film about these events, for which Prof. Osaghae, Prof. Han van Dijk (ASC) and Mark Singleton (International Centre for Counter-Terrorism) were interviewed.

The Congo-Océan railway from Brazzaville was built from 1921 to 1934. Thousands of Africans lost their lives during its construction. Less known is that 800 Chinese men from Guangzhouwan were imported to work on the railway. Chinese authorities disapproved, arguing that the days of the "coolie" trade were over. This ASC/IIAS lunch seminar by joint visiting fellow Julia Martinez on 3 June examines the Chinese experience in the Congo and the controversy over French colonial labour conditions. Bring your own lunch!

The ASC and the Liliane Foundation participate in a new research project: 'Breaking down barriers to exclusion. Building capacity for lobby and advocacy for children with disabilities'. Civil society organizations play an important role in promoting the rights of children with disabilities through lobby and advocacy. But the success factors of lobby and advocacy in this area are as yet poorly understood. The Liliane Foundation has sought cooperation with the ASC to build the knowledge and capacity of its partners in Africa and of itself. For this project, Dr Willem Elbers has been employed as a post-doc at the ASC. Read the interview with Elbers!

The ASC Library recently developed two new subject alerts on inclusive development for INCLUDE: Social protection and Productive employment. Subscribe now!

Did you miss Rijk van Dijk's inaugural address as a Professor of Religion and Sexuality in Africa at the University of Amsterdam on 24 June? You can now read the full text of his address 'Faith in Romance. Toward an Anthropology of Romantic Relationships, Sexuality and Responsibility in African Christianities', published by the UvA.

As a Zimbabwean playwright who lives in South Africa, Pedzisai Maedza, winner of the Africa Thesis Award 2014, in this web article reflects on the recent 'xenophobic' attacks against African immigrants in South Africa. Earlier, Maedza produced a play about the attacks on immigrants in South Africa in 2008. In 2014, he graduated with distinction at the University of Cape Town on a thesis that studies the use of testimonial performances around the concept of asylum.