The African Studies Program sponsors a regular seminar series and annual conferences covering a wide range of topics on Africa. Our conference page contains announcements of future events, along with overviews and material from previous meetings. Events are listed below.
Past Events
FALL 2014
September 18, 2014:
“Voices Unheard? Rising Demand for Democracy in Africa”
Carolyn Logan, Michigan State University
Click for event video
September 24, 2014:
“The Role of Political Parties in an Emerging Democracy: A Nigerian Perspective”
Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila
Click for event video
September 25, 2014:
“Peace Land: Conflict Resolution and the Everyday Politics of International Intervention”
Séverine Autesserre, Columbia University
Click for event video
October 8, 2014:
“Loot, Pillage, and Plunder: Prosecuting Economic War Crimes in the 21st Century”
Panel Discussion
Click for event video
October 29:
“Election Violence in Democratizing States: Africa in Comparative Perspective”
Leonardo Arriola, University of California, Berkeley
Click for event video
November 17:
“Comparing Contemporary Malawi and Zambia”
Boniface Dulani, University of Malawi at the Department of Political & Administrative Studies
Kim Yi Dionne, Smith College at the Department of Government
December 3:
“Ebola: The Intersection of Cultural, Historical and Political Dynamics in West Africa”
Michael McGovern, University of Michigan
Click for event video
December 4:
“Emerging Africa: How the Global Economy’s Last Frontier can Prosper and Matter”
Kingsley Moghalu, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria
SPRING 2014
February 12, 2014:
“Rethinking State-Building in Muslim-Majority States: A Grounded View From Somalia”
William Reno, professor of political science and program director for the Department of African Studies, Northwestern University
February 25, 2014:
“Africa Rising: Challenges and Opportunities for Development”
Sponsored by SAIS Africa Association
Teddy Ruge. Co-founder of UMPG, Hive Colab and Remit.ug in Uganda
Florizelle Lizer, Asst. US Trade Representative for Africa, Professorial Lecturer at SAIS
Kalmongo Coulibaly, Economist, OPIC
March 5, 2014:
“Political Marginality in Nigeria: Exclusion, Dissent, and Election”
Adam Higazi, lecturer in African politics and history at the Centre of African Studies at the University of Cambridge
Click for event video
March 12, 2014:
“Crisis in the Horn of Africa: How Can the U.S. Support a More Stable and Secure Somalia?”
Sponsored by the SAIS Africa Association and the Alexander Hamilton Society
J. Peter Pham, Director of the Ansari Africa Center, Atlantic Council
Harun Maruf, senior editor and international broadcaster, Voice of America
Peter M. Lewis, SAIS African Studies, moderator
March 27, 2014:
“Youth in Burundi: Challenges and Opportunities in the Lead-up to the 2015 Elections”
Marc Sommers, African Studies Center at Boston University
Audace Machado, journalist, Voice of America
Mike Jobbins, senior program manager for Africa at Search for Common Ground
April 2, 2014:
“Betrayed: Politics, Power, and Prosperity”
Seth Kaplan, professorial lecturer in the African Studies Program, will discuss his new book Betrayed: Politics, Power, and Prosperity.
Click for event video
April 3, 2014
“Tunisia’s Transition: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow”
Nacef Belkhiria, VP, BSB Group Tunisia; member, Tunisian American Friendship Association
Click for event video
April 11, 2014:
“The 2015 Nigerian General Elections: Understanding Hopes and Fears”
Usman Bugaje, founding chairman of Network for Justice.
Click for event video
April 14, 2014:
“Constitutional Amendment in an Emerging Democracy: The Nigerian Experience”
Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy President of the Senate of Nigeria.
Click for event video
FALL 2013
September 10, 2013:
“Regional Security Challenges and Nigeria’s Future”
Honorable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria
Click for event video
September 25, 2013:
“Is Democracy the Best Form of Governance in Africa?”
Sponsored by SAIS Africa Association and Afrimind
Pape Samb, President and CEO, Phelps Stokes
Amb. Dhanojok Obongo, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of South Sudan
Julius Agbor, Research Fellow, Stellenbosch University
October 2, 2013:
“Determinants of African Perceptions toward Chinese and American Engagement in Africa: A Hierarchical Approach”
Kristie Inman, CSIR, National Intelligence University
Click for event video
October 3, 2013:
“Shrinking Democratic Space Ahead of the 2015 elections: Re-engaging the International Community to Stabilize Burundi and the Region”
Frédéric Bamvuginyumvira, Vice-Chairman of FRODEBU and Former Vice-President of the Republic of Burundi (1998–2001)
Alice Nzomukunda, Chairwoman of ADR and Former Second Vice-President of the Republic of Burundi (2005–2006)
Marina Barampama, Member of UPD and Former Second Vice-President of the Republic of Burundi (2006-2007)
Alexis Sinduhije, Chairman of MSD, One of 2008 Times 100, Former Journalist, and Founder of Radio Publique Africaine (African Public Radio)
Click for event video
October 15, 2013:
“The Struggle for Freedom in Kenya”
Raila Odinga, Former Prime Minister (2008-2013)
Republic of Kenya
Click for event video
October 16, 2013:
“D.R. Congo: How the Kampala Talks and the Concertations Nationales Undermine the Rule of Law and Fuel Instability”
Albert Moleka, SAIS Alum ‘82
Chief of Staff, Etienne Tshisekedi
October 23, 2013:
“A Coup in Bamako: How Mali’s Government Lost and Regained Political Legitimacy, 2012 – 2013”
Dr. Bruce Whitehouse, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Lehigh University
October 31, 2013:
“The Limits of Institutional Reform in Development: New Ideas, Changing Approaches”
Matt Andrews, Harvard Kennedy School
November 7, 2013:
“The African Growth Story: The GE Perspective”
Todd Johnson, SAIS Alum
General Electric Africa
Click for event video
November 18, 2013:
“’I am Here Until Development Comes’: Displacement, Demolitions and Property Rights in Urbanizing Abuja”
Carl LeVan, American University
Josiah Olubowale, University of the West Indies
November 20, 2013:
“Inside South Africa’s Transition: Challenges of Post-Liberation Governance”
Barry Gilder, Mapungubwe Institute
Click for event video
November 25, 2013:
“Everyday Religious Encounters and Gendered Identities in Southwest Nigeria”
Dr. Insa Nolte
University of Birmingham