Congrats to the African Studies graduates!

Thirteen students of the Master and the Research Master African Studies as well as a Bachelor student African Studies received their diplomas on 22 October during a festive ceremony in the Academy Building in Leiden. Some of the graduates started their studies during the COVID-19 pandemic and experienced lockdown, which had an impact e.g. on the timing of their fieldwork and the completing of their theses. 
All graduates gave short presentations about their theses. The subjects of the Research Master graduates ranged from the development of trade and diplomatic relations between Japan and Rhodesia (pre-independence Zimbabwe, thesis by Panashe Madamombe) to the social aspects of a coral reef restoration project at community-level in a coastal village in South-Eastern Kenya (which included diving for data! Thesis by Indy Koster). Master theses' themes ranged from xenophobia in Cape Town’s townships, South Africa (Frieke de Raadt) to enhancing political engagement among youth in Senegal (Alba Koudoro).
Six students graduated cum laude! The graduates traditionally placed their signature in the 'Zweetkamertje' of Leiden University.

The ceremony was co-chaired by Azeb Amha, Chair of the Research Master programme, and Karin Nijenhuis, Chair of the Master Programme, in the presence of Mayke Kaag, Director of Studies at the ASCL, who gave an opening speech, Chibuike Uche, member of the Board of Examiners, and a number of thesis supervisors: Harry Wels, André Leliveld, Annachiara Raia, Walter Nkwi Gam, and Akinyinka Akinyoade, as well as family members and friends of the graduates. The event was organised with the help of Lisah van der Heyden from Education and Student Affairs, Faculty of Humanities.

             Congratulations to all graduates:      

       Adriaan Lucassen (BA), Juliette Verschuur, Léo Ricca, Patricia Dowling, Muzzar Kresna, Frieke de Raadt, Charlotte Bruns Knight, Alba Koudoro de Miguel (all aforementioned MA graduates), Indy Koster, Aude Sathoud, Isabel Remers de Mata (top photo), Panashe Madamombe, Pieter Roden, Amelia Langenohl (all aforementioned Research MA graduates).

All theses are or will become available in the Leiden repository.

See the photos below! Click on a photo below for enlargement: