News & Events

Despite the dawn of a new era with the rise to power of Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed, Jan Abbink sees grounds for deep concern about Ethiopia. The most recent indication is the eruption of armed conflict between the Tigray region armed forces and the federal army on 4 November 2020, provoked by an assault of the Tigray army. PM Abiy Ahmed always deeply resented taking any military action, but it seemed they now crossed a red line. Abiy still has to contend with the forces of the past, Abbink analyses in his latest blog.

Julius Kambarage Nyerere (1922-1999), Tanzania’s first and longest-serving president, was an influential African statesman with an outspoken vision of the development of his nation, and Africa as a whole. This month’s Library Highlight features the most comprehensive biography of his life and politics to date, Development as rebellion: a biography of Julius Nyerere, by Saida Yahya-Othman, Ng’wanza Kamata, and Issa G. Shivji. Read the Highlight!

The ASCL invites applications for a Director African Studies Centre Leiden / Full Professor (1.0 FTE). The African Studies Centre Leiden is a world leading institute of Leiden University that undertakes research and is involved in teaching about Africa and aims to promote a better understanding of and insight into historical, current and future developments in Africa. Candidates must be able to propagate a clear vision on African Studies and its future, and on the role of the ASCL in assuring the prominence of this field of studies in national and international circles.