African Studies Department
Newsletter
October 18 - 23, 2005
If you have information that you would like to be sent out in the newsletter please email
msiakibona@hotmail.com. Please try to send all requests by no later than Monday at 8am. Use
the above address if you have names to add or remove.
African Studies Graduate Student Association
Monday, October 31, 2005 – ASGSA Meeting – Graduate Lounge
4pm in the Graduate Lounge on the 4th floor of the Howard Center
Department/University News and Events
Wednesday, October 19, 2005 – Zimbabwe: A Model for the Future of Africa? – Blackburn
Center
7-9pm @ the Gallery Lounge Blackburn Center
A Positive Action Educational Forum
Invited Speaker: A representative from the Embassy of Zimbabwe
Other Panelists: Representatives from A-APRP, Pan-African Liberation Organization (PALO),
SALSA, African Studies Department and HUASA
Sponsored by the Howard University African Students Association and the All African People’s
Revolutionary Party
Saturday, October 29, 2005 – African Fashion Show – Blackburn Center
2-4pm @ the Ballroom, Blackburn Center
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Hurricane Katrina Relief
For ticket information please call: 301-257-6176 or 240-398-9927
Events
Friday, October 21, 2005 - Special Briefing with the U.N. Commission on HIV/AIDS and
Governance in Africa – Woodrow Wilson Center
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. @ Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, 1300 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW
The Wilson Center you to a Special Briefing by members of the United Nations' Commission on
HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa (CHGA). This forum is a first-ever opportunity to have an
informal discussion of findings and proposed recommendations from the CHGA, who will publish
their final report late next month.
The CHGA represents the first instance in which the continent most affected by the HIV/AIDS
pandemic has taken the lead in an effort to assess the long-term impact of the AIDS pandemic on
African government capacity and economic development; to sensitize African governments and
their citizens, and their international partners to the scale, gravity and nature of this threat; and to
mobilize political will among all African stakeholders for the policy decisions and programs
required to address human resource capacity requirements and the scaling up of effective
treatment.
Participants will include K.Y. Amoako, Chairman of the CHGA and former Executive Secretary of
the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, H.E. Pascoal Mocumbi, Patron of the CHGA
and former Prime Minister of Mozambique, and economist and CGHA Research Director Nana
Poku.
Friday, October 21, 2005 - "Africa Cultural Day" – University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
5:30 PM - 8:00 PM @ UPENN. Hamilton Rooftop Lounge. 3901 Locust Walk
Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 1st Annual African Against Cancer "5K Walk-a-Thon " Wheaton, MD
9:00 AM @ Wheaton Regional Park. 2000 Shorefield Park, Wheaton, MD
Presented by African Women's Cancer Awareness Association (AWCAA)
9:00 am Pre-registration check in and event Day registration begin.
10:00 a.m. WALKATHON begins
Cost: Event Day registration is $10 for all
Pre-register online or by mail until FRIDAY OCTOBER 21st, @ 5pm
For more info, please visit www.awcaa.org
"Event planning courtesy of NenyéProductions"
Click here to see the graphics: www.fiezta.mzia.net/v.aspx?n=17
Event promotion courtesy of Fiezta International Group of Companies: www.fiezta.com.
Saturday, October 22, 2005 – Global Gulu Walk for Children of Northern Uganda –
Washington, DC
In northern Uganda, 40,000 children walk up to 10 miles nightly from their homes in camps for the
displaced to the relative safety of towns, where they sleep on sidewalks, in parks, and in tents to
avoid nighttime attacks by the rebel Lord's Resistance Army. If these "night commuters" stayed in
their homes, they would risk abduction by the LRA. The rebel group has abducted more than
30,000 children and forced them to become child soldiers over the last two decades of this war.
Called the world's "worst neglected humanitarian crisis" by the UN, finding peace in northern
Uganda has been elusive due to a lack of focus from the international community. The GuluWalk
is the first step to changing that.
On October 22nd, tens of thousands of people will march in more than 40 cities around the globe-from Seattle to Ottawa to London to Beijing to Uganda itself--to participate in this Global
GuluWalk to call for an end to this tragic war.
In Washington, DC, walkers will meet at the Ugandan Embassy at 3:30, walk 4 miles to Lafayette
Park across from the White House, and hold a vigil from 6:30-7:30. Staying overnight to walk
back to the embassy at 5AM the following morning--as the children do every morning--is optional.
Check the website for more details.
The many speakers at the event will include members of Congress, human rights advocates who
have just returned from northern Uganda, and children who will read testimonies from their peers
in northern Uganda. Participants will also be able to learn more about how to contribute to
peacebuilding and relief for the children in Uganda.
Directions: Several Metrobus lines serve the 16th and 14th Street corridors. Check
www.wmata.com to find more.
If you drive, feel free to use Carter Barron pavilion in Rock Creek Park at the 5400 block of 16th
Street to park.
URL: http://www.guluwalk.com/washington
Sunday, October 23, 2005 - Fashion Fundraiser for Africa - University of Maryland Inn &
Conference Center (Adelphi, MD)
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM @ the University of Maryland Inn & Conference Center, 3501 University
Boulevard, Adelphi, MD The African & American Women’s Association (AAWA) hosts a delicious
luncheon program to raise funds in an effort to continue its local and international charitable work.
The fundraiser celebrates the theme "Honoring The Past Today By Preparing For The Future".
Tickets are $50 and available through AAWA members August 15th.
The African and American Women's Association is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to
the establishment of closer relationships and understanding between women of Africa and the
Americas through cultural, educational, charitable, and social activities. AAWA enjoys a
longstanding relationship in the Washington, DC community and African communities and has
won praise for its social and charitable activities, particularly its support of other non-profit
organizations. AAWA members who include Ambassadors wives, museum curators, educators,
physicians, lawyers, business professionals, and community leaders look forward to guests
joining their caring spirit at their 2005 Luncheon Fundraiser.
Guests will be serenaded by the breezy sounds of a Caribbean steel drum, while enjoying a
delectable meal of Yellowtail Snapper, Chicken Tuscany, or Angel Hair Pasta with a Fresh Sliced
Tomato Sauce. The luncheon program continues with the magnificent Ambassador Shirley
Barnes as Guest Speaker. The esteemed Dr. Wilma Bonner, Assistant Superintendent of
Curriculum & Instruction for DC Public Schools, will be the afternoon's MC. Distinguished guests
include Ambassador Barbara Masekela of the U.S. Embassy of South Africa, Candice Cason,
wife of TransAfrica Forum President Bill Fletcher, and Mrs. Michelle Fenty, wife of DC Ward 4
Councilmember and Mayoral Candidate Adrian Fenty.
Among the afternoon's activities is the Raffle Spectacular. First prize is four hours of luxury
limousine service, courtesy of LA Executive Services. Second prize is an African Ornament
Basket from Zawadi's Fine Gifts. The third prize is a pair of tickets to "Born Yesterday", Arena
Stage's play about scandalous, Washington, DC. Fourth prize is the Got It Goin' On
Empowerment Series for Girls by Essence Award winning author, Janice Ferebee. Raffle
Spectacular proceeds go towards famine relief in Niger.
The Luncheon Fundraiser's finale presents a haute couture tea room fashion show, produced by
vibrant designer, Dana Greaves, featuring Micmac Bis, Artistic Aya, Target featuring Isaac
Mizrahi, Pape Aw, Nuven DaSilva, Khismet Wearable Art, Corjor International, Stella Bleu,
Mezuri, and Eliam Arts, all encompassing the program's theme. Following the show, guests can
shop at over 15 unique boutiques, and parting gifts include CD's by world-renowned South
African entertainer, Jonathan Butler, Warm Spirit spa products, world music CD's, Universal
Colors cosmetics with posh Cultural medical spa services, and mementos.
Generous participants in the African & American Women's Association's 2005 Luncheon
Fundraiser are Saks Fifth Avenue, Rendezvous Entertainment, Where Dreams Come True,
Roger Miller Restaurant, Aleysha R. Proctor - Warm Spirit Executive, Sankofa International, and
DC MD & VA Operation Crossroads Africa Alumni Association.
Contact an AAWA member or the following for tickets: Elizabeth Banks (202) 882-8263 June
Bland (202) 723-4986 Rosita Ellis (202) 291-4518 Eleanor Neal-Ehanire (410) 381-9987 Odessa
Woods-Mathews (301) 596-4462
Monday, October 24 2005 - New Scholarship in Race and Ethnicity: African-American
Women’s Mental Health and Politics – Woodrow Wilson Center
3:00 – 5:00 p.m. @ Woodrow Wilson Center, Conference Room, 5th floor. 1300 Pennsylvania
Avenue, N.W.
Melissa Harris Lacewell, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Center of the Study of Race,
Politics and Culture, University of Chicago, speaker; commentators Beverly Guy-Sheftall,
Director, Women’s Research & Resource Center, Spelman College; Julia Boyd, Clinical
Psychotherapist and Author.
Saturday, October 29, 2005 - Miss Africa International Pageant - Warner Theatre
8 p.m. @ Warner Theatre, 1299 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
http://www.missafricainternational.com/main_home.htm
Information: 202-397-7328
Saturday, November 5th, 2005 - 2ND Annual African Women's Cancer Awareness Gala Greenbelt, MD
7pm-12am @ Martin's Crosswinds. 7400 Greenway Center Drive, Greenbelt, MD
Hosted by Angelique Shofar, Executive Producer of 89.3fm's "AFRICA MEETS AFRICA" &
ATTORNEY Margaret Dureke
2005 guests of honor include:
Mrs. Onyeka Owenuh, Dr. Dora Nkem Akunyili, Director General (NAFDAC), African
Ambassadors Wives Club, Bishop Darlingston G. Johnson, Mass international media, and most
importantly, CANCER SURVIVORS !!
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO VIEW THE FLYER:
http://www.nenyeproductions.com/images/awcaa_animatedflyer.html
Thursday, November 10, 2005 – Graduate School Fair - George Washington University
4:00 to 7:00 @ George Washington University, on the 3rd floor of the Marvin Center, 800 21st
Street, NW.
At this fair you'll have the opportunity to meet with admission staff from a variety of graduate
programs oriented toward the public good.
These include Master's and PhDs in Social Work, Public Administration, International Affairs,
Education, Public Policy, Public Health, and Public Interest Law.
For more information, and to register (it's free), please go to: http://www.idealist.org/gradfairs.html
Workshops/Lectures
2005 –2006 – Ubuntu: The Essence of South Africa – Philadelphia, PA
An International House Philadelphia Celebration
Ubuntu is a South African ethic or ideology focusing on people's allegiances and relations with
each other. Just as ubuntu is seen as one of the founding principles of the new republic of South
Africa, so too could it be used to describe the mission and practices of International House
Philadelphia. Thus Ubuntu is a fitting title for our year long celebration of the people, history and
culture of South Africa.
Friday, October 21 at 7:00pm - Siliva the Zulu
dir. Attilio Gatti, Italy/Zululand, 1927, BetaSP, 60 mins, b/w, silent w/ live musical accompaniment
Musical accompaniment by Themba Tana
In the annals of African cinema, Siliva the Zulu is a landmark. In 1927, Italian director and
explorer Attilio Gatti traveled to Zululand, where he devised a script filled with love, hate, intrigue
and adventure. He chose to shoot in a rural community, and as a result, Siliva stands virtually
alone as an authentic record of Zulu life and culture at that time. Siliva will be presented with live
music composed and performed by Themba Tana, a South African Canadian.
$7.00 General Admission; $5.00 Members, Students and Seniors. Available in advance at
www.ticketweb.com or one hour before showtime at the Box Office.
Saturday, October 22 at 11:00am - African Drumming Workshop with Themba Tana
Explore the rhythms of South Africa and the world beyond in this intimate workshop with
international recording artist Themba Tana. Originally from South Africa Tana has trekked all over
the world, collecting stories, instruments and music. Tana will be performing live on Friday,
October 21, accompanying Siliva the Zulu.
Free Admission; participation will be limited.
To reserve your space, call 215.895.6543 or email simone@ihphilly.org
Sunday, October 23 at 2:00pm - In Darkest Hollywood: Cinema and Apartheid
dir. Peter Davis, Canada, 1994, BetaSP, 112 mins, color and b/w
Introduced by director Peter Davis
Almost from the beginning of cinema, filmmakers have looked at the continent of Africa with a
mixture of fear and fascination, prejudice and contempt. South Africa, with its fabulous mineral
wealth, exotic locations, and white settlers, attracted scores of movie makers. Now, with the era
of white rule finished, In Darkest Hollywood asks, “What was the role of cinema during the 45
year reign of apartheid?” Through a mosaic of feature, documentary, and propaganda films, with
commentary by writers, directors and actors, some of whom supported apartheid, and others who
fought to destroy it, Peter Davis award winning film turns the lens towards the filmmakers and the
society they so often misunderstood and misrepresented.
Preceded by
Sangoma
dir. Peter Davis, Canada/South Africa, 1997, BetaSP, 54 mins, color
One of the legacies of apartheid is a two-tiered health system that heavily favors the white
population. Inyangas and sangomas – the traditional healers – have always been regarded with
suspicion by practitioners of Western medicine. New efforts to integrate traditional healers into
primary health care, nutritional education, and AIDS work holds some promise for a public health
system under siege. Sangoma explores how homeopathy and holistic healing are gaining
acceptance in South Africa as therapeutic concepts which make no distinction between mind and
body, individual and society.
$7.00 General Admission; $5.00 Members, Students and Seniors. Available in advance at
www.ticketweb.com or one hour before showtime at the Box Office.
Thursday, October 27 at 6:30pm - Memoirs
Ahmed Kathrada, Nelson Mandela prison confidante debuts Memoirs at the National Constitution
Center
Arrested and charged with treason in South Africa, Ahmed Kathrada spent nearly 27 years
imprisoned on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela. Kathrada will speak about his autobiography,
Memoirs, and hold a book signing in an event co-sponsored by International House Philadelphia.
Free Admission. The National Constitution Center is located at 525 Arch Street, Independence
Mall, Philadelphia.
Wednesday, November 16 at 7:00pm - Growing up Under Apartheid
Moderated by Richard Stengel, President & CEO of the National Constitution Center
Join us as we hear from three South Africans – white, black and colored – on what it meant to
grow up under apartheid, what daily life was like, and how life has changed since the system was
dismantled.
Free admission.
For more information: http://www.ihousephilly.org/ubuntu.htm
Films
Beginning October 14, 2005 - The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till – Landmark E-Street &
Loews Magic Johnson
Keith A. Beauchamp's extraordinary film is the culmination of a 10-year investigation to uncover
the details behind the nightmarish 1955 Mississippi murder of Emmett Louis Till, a 14-year-old
black Chicago youth who was slain by two white men for allegedly whistling at a white woman.
Abducted, severely beaten, and finally thrown into the Tallahatchie River with a weight fastened
around his neck with barbed wire, Emmett Till's murder sparked the black resistance of the
South, better known to many as the American Civil Rights Movement. The film has led to a
national effort to investigate new evidence and witnesses to the murder.
http://www.emmetttillstory.com/
Thursday, October 20, 2005 - Film Screening: "Desert Ark" - SAIS
4:30 p.m. @ SAIS, Rome Building Auditorium. 1619 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
Members of the SAIS community and the public are invited to a screening of the film "Desert Ark."
The film has English and Arabic subtitles. For more information, contact Shawnetta Jackson at
202.663.5676.
Sunday, October 30, 2005 - Ndeysaan (The Price of Forgiveness) – Museum of African Art
2 p.m. @ The National Museum of African Art, 950 Independence Avenue, SW. Lecture Hall,
Sublevel 2
Director Mansour Sora Wade adapts Mbissane Ngom´s novel to explore the uneasy coexistence
of past and present felt by many Africans in the 21st century (Senegal, 2002, 90 min., in Lébou
with English subtitles).
Film Festivals
November 17-20, 2005 - New African Films Festival – Busboys & Poets
BUSBOYS AND POETS, 2021 14th Street, NW
TransAfrica Forum, afrikafé, and BET Jazz present: New African Films Festival
*Featuring new documentaries and dramas from Africa.*
Call 202.223.1960 ext. 137
For more information to come.
February 9 - 20, 2006 - 14th Annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival - Baldwin Hills
Crenshaw Plaza (California)
The 14th Annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) will take place from at the Baldwin Hills
Crenshaw Plaza (BHCP). Situated at the intersection of Crenshaw and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Boulevards, the 820,000 square foot, art deco, regional mall is located in the heart of the Los
Angeles, middle-class Black community. Anchor stores include Sears, Robinson-May and WalMart. The Magic Johnson Theatres are also on the Plaza grounds. There is ample free parking.
PAFF is the largest Black History Month event in the United States. The Artist Market will
showcase only fine art, sculpture and photography, unique handmade crafts, home furnishings,
designer jewelry, designer fashions and accessories that highlight the artistry and beauty of the
African aesthetic. In addition to the Artist Market, the Pan African Film Festival is the largest and
most prestigious Black Film Festival in North America. Over one hundred fifty (150) new black
films from around the world will be exhibited. PAFF also features musical performers, poets and
performance artists. Past Art Market have attracted over 150,000 people over the 12-day event.
Online www.paff.org
Call for Papers
The Developmental State in Africa
The Center for Policy Studies of Johannesburg and Partners -in-Development, Cairo are very
pleased to announce the launching of a research project entitled "The Developmental State in
Africa" which examines challenges, successes and failures of the attempts by African states to
pursue goals of democracy, economic development and nation-building. The concept of the
developmental state is the central organizing concept in this research program as outlined in the
research document available at : www.pid.eg.net/activities.html or at PID Research Manager's
website : www.chsbs.cmich.edu/fattah/pid/index.html
We would appreciate very much expression of interest from African scholars in joining this
program by writing or forming a team to write one of the papers identified in this document. Paper
writers will be invited to present their papers in regional conferences as well as in the concluding
conference of this project, expected to last for two years. All contributions to this project will be
reviewed by eminent African scholars before they are accepted for participation. Papers should
be of 9000-12000 words of length, very well documented and of such a good quality as to be
published in credible scholarly journals.
Thanks to a generous grant of Ford Foundation, the sponsors of this project would offer a decent
honorarium for each paper writer upon acceptance of his( her) paper. Organizers of the research
project are committed to cover necessary research expenses. Those interested in joining this
project should consult the research document available at the websites above and send an
outline for the paper they intended to write dealing with one of the issues identified in the
research document. The outline should clarify the methodology, major issues they would deal
with as well as a tentative bibliography. The deadline for the receipt of outlines is October
31,2005. We would inform writers of selected outline by the end of November of the decision of
the Reviewing Committee.
Conferences
November 11-12, 2005 - Black Diaspora Performance: A global circuitry of creativity,
communication, and citizenship - Northwestern University, Evanston Campus
Symposium is FREE and OPEN to the public. Please register in advance with Meida McNeal at
isis@northwestern.edu
In the contemporary moment, the concept of the Black diaspora is undergoing radical shifts in
definition and critical use. The Black diaspora performs as a subject and space with multiple
signifiers. Its conceptual dimensions include imagining it as historical narrative and process, as a
marker for twentieth and twenty-first century identities, and as an evolution of pan-Africanist, postcolonial and decolonization discourses. Black Diaspora Performance: A global circuitry of
creativity, communication, and citizenship is a two-day symposium featuring presentations by
emergent scholars of Black diaspora research and remarks by established scholars in the field.
The symposium seeks to explore these facets through the persistent themes of "dispersal" and
"connection" which continue to shape the contours of the contemporary Black diaspora as an
ever-changing paradigm. In his groundbreaking essay, "Performance Studies Interventions and
Radical Research," critical ethnographer and performance theorist Dwight Conquergood defined
the field of performance studies using the three c's: creativity (artistry), communication (analysis),
and citizenship (activism). What analytic, conceptual and/or methodological tools does
performance scholarship bring to the study of the Black Diaspora and its people? How does the
Black diaspora create knowledge outside the realm of conventional analyses and therefore
necessitate new frames of shaping and transmitting "knowledge"? Do particular diasporic
communities favor performance centered epistemologies, and if so, why? How do expressive
genres such as storytelling, dance, music, and art as well as cultural forms (and ideologies) such
as hip hop, reggaeton, reggae, capoiera, Afrobeat, Rastafarianism and folk performance
practices create spaces to think about knowledge beyond logocentric frames? How do diasporic
cultural productions use performance and embodiment as kinetic modes of knowledge creation?
How has the Black diaspora shifted in definition, use and paradigmatic shape from the era of
maritime commerce to digital networks of travel, trade and communication?
The conceptual strands under consideration include envisioning the Black Diaspora as:
Historical experiences and narratives marked by dispersal, displacement and loss; Cultural and
formative "identity" experiences informed by creolization processes, adaptations, transfers and
exchanges; A series of transnational networks focusing on the shifts various African diasporic
communities have employed to imagine "connection" in the past versus how they imagine
"connection" in today's world.
While each of these approaches to the African diaspora highlight different concerns, they are
woven together by the common thread of "power." In each formulation, overarching issues exist
including negotiating Afro-Euro-Asian-Arab intercultural encounters; understanding patterns of
inequity stemming from slavery and discrimination practices, and readjusting culture to fit the
social, economic, political and cultural frame of the moment.
Productively blurring the boundaries between conventional and artistic analysis and expression,
Black Diaspora Performance aims to bring together various discussions, methods and modes of
representation relative to contemporary issues of the Black diaspora, as well as the variegated
citizenry who conceptualize and experience their diasporic affiliations and citizenship in everyday
life.
Contact: Meida McNeal at isis@northwestern.edu for more information
International Conferences/Events
March 14-18, 2006 - Global Summit on HIV/AIDS, Traditional Medicine & Indigenous
Knowledge - Ghana
Africa First, LLC of Minnesota, USA, in association with the Government of Ghana, local and
foreign health organizations and practitioners of indigenous and modern medicine, cordially
invites all the citizens of the world to a Global Summit On HIV/AIDS, Traditional Medicine &
Indigenous Knowledge, at the Accra International Conference Centre, Ghana, from March 14,
2006 through March 18, 2006.
The objectives of the conference are:
1. To serve as a forum for the identification and testing of potentially beneficial low-cost naturallyderived medicinal products;
2. To promote partnerships between indigenous healers, conventional medical practitioners and
corporate institutions for sharing their indigenous knowledge of plants of medicinal value for
future development and production of drugs and herbal products; and
3. To encourage governments to adopt and enforce laws to protect and conserve plants of
medicinal value; and to protect the rights of indigenous practitioners.
Additional details can be viewed at http://www.africa-first.com/gsaidstmik2006/default.aspx
J.William Danquah, President/CEO
Africa First, LLC,
517 Asbury Street 11,
St. Paul, MN 55104 USA
Tel: +1-651-646-4721
Fax: +1-651-644-3235
mailto:info@africa-first.com
http://www.africa-first.com
Job Postings
Program Assistant, Central and West Africa – NDI – Washington, DC
NDI seeks a Program Assistant to support its democracy development programs in Central and
West Africa. The program assistant will work with the members of the CEWA team in the
planning, design and implementation of democracy support programs with political parties, civic
organizations and legislatures. The position will be based in Washington, DC and will require
occasional travel overseas.
Primary Responsibilities
Help write proposals, reports, memos, updates, work plans, newsletter articles.
Assist in organizing local program conferences and workshops.
Monitor political events throughout region.
Monitor and reconcile program budgets/expenditures.
Provide administrative and logistical support to field offices and DC.
Maintain communication with field offices and NDI partner organizations overseas.
Back-up other team members.
Help recruit qualified international consultants for projects.
Compile briefing material for staff and consultants travel to the field.
Provide administrative and occasionally logistical support to field offices and assigned regional
staff.
Act as back-up to team members not present.
Qualifications
Bachelors Degree, preferably in International Relations or related subject. Masters preferred.
Minimum of one (1) year of international development, community organizing, organizational
development or legislative affairs experience.
Portuguese language required and French language skills strongly preferred.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
High level of oral and written communication skills to effectively present information and respond
to questions.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Experience living and working overseas (preferably in Africa).
Capacity to work both independently and as a member of a team.
Demonstrated interest in the region and its politics.
Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
Working knowledge of PC-based word processing and spreadsheet applications.
Good interpersonal skills to effectively interact with all levels of staff, US and foreign government
personnel, and NGO community.
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
Working knowledge of basic budget and accounting procedures.
All applicants for internships and regular full-time employment in the U.S. must possess work
authorization which does not require employer sponsorship.
Application Instructions: Interested applicants can apply now using our on-line resume tool.
Please cite the exact position title in the cover letter.
http://sh.webhire.com/servlet/resp/grf?acctid=401
Researcher on Angola – Human Rights Watch – Washington, DC or New York
Since its founding in 1978, Human Rights Watch has become the largest U.S.-based international
human rights monitoring and advocacy organization, known for its in-depth investigations, its
incisive and timely reporting, its innovative and high-profile advocacy campaigns, and its success
in changing the human rights-related policies of the U.S., the E.U., and other influential
governments and international institutions.
The Researcher on Angola will be based in one of Human Right Watch's offices, either in New
York, Washington D.C. or Brussels, and will monitor, document and investigate human rights
developments in Angola in order to publicize and curtail human rights abuses through writing and
advocacy. Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to: conducting fact-finding trips to the
country; writing reports, briefing memos, letters, op-eds, newsletters, articles and press releases,
as well as submissions to international bodies, on human rights concerns in Angola; developing
local and international advocacy strategies for improving respect for human rights in Angola to be
directed at government bodies in Angola, the region and the international community as well as
intergovernmental organizations and international institutions; responding promptly to queries
from the international press, the public and colleagues in the human rights community; collecting
and analyzing information on human rights developments from a wide variety of sources including
the local media, NGOs, journalists, diplomats and others in the field; and capacity building with
national colleagues, as well as writing with them to ensure that the work of HRW in Angola
complements and enhances their own work without jeopardizing their security.
Qualifications: The successful applicant must have strong research and documentation skills and
the ability to produce excellent written material under tight deadlines. S/he must also be flexible
and able to respond quickly to human rights developments as they may occur. An advanced
degree in international relations, journalism, law or the social sciences or comparable extensive
experience in human rights work is required. Candidates should have a background in human
rights concerns in Angola and southern Africa generally. Excellent oral and written
communications skills in English and Portuguese are essential. Experience living or working in
Angola is also an asset. The ideal candidate will be highly motivated, well organized, able to work
quickly and well under pressure both independently and as a member of a team, and
demonstrate a commitment to international human rights.
Salary and Benefits: Human Rights Watch seeks exceptional candidates and offers competitive
compensation and generous employer-paid benefits. HRW will pay reasonable relocation
expenses and will assist employees with obtaining necessary work authorization.
PLEASE APPLY IMMEDIATELY (no calls or email inquiries, please) by emailing together a letter
of interest, resume, references, and a brief writing sample (unedited by others) to
galletn@hrw.org. Please use "Angola Researcher" as the subject of your email. Only complete
applications will be reviewed. It is preferred that all materials be submitted via email. If emailing is
not possible, send materials (please do not split a submission between email and regular post) to:
Human Rights Watch
Attn: Search Committee (Angola Researcher)
1630 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 500
Washington, DC 20009
Fax: +1-202-612-4333
UN - Vacancies (USA)
Our Mission: The U.S. Committee for the U.N. supports the work of the United Nations to improve
the quality of life for millions of people around the world by promoting democratic governance,
poverty reduction, rural development, crisis prevention and recovery, energy and environmental
issues, and reducing the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. It accomplishes these aims by
building a broad-based American constituency that educates for international development and
by identifying U.S. resources for specific UN projects that support U.S. national interests.
US COMMITTE FOR THE U.N. New Entry Professional Program
The NEW ENTRY PROFESSIONAL (NEP) PROGRAM is the Agency's program for bringing well
qualified applicants into the Agency's Foreign Service. UN-USA's Foreign Service provides
successful applicants with a career-long system of rotational assignments in Washington D.C.
and overseas. Promotion is based upon merit with selections being made for promotion at various
established points in an employee's career. Unlike the competitive U.S. Civil Service and most
private industry, pay is set based upon a person's grade level regardless of duty assignments.
Like the U.S. Department of State and other agencies employing Foreign Service personnel,
successful applicants are offered a clear path for planning their career from the intake level
through the most senior executive positions.
I. SELECTION
Selection for the NEP program is based upon a highly competitive screening process.
Consequently, applicants meeting the basic requirements may not go through the entire
screening/interview/selection process. Candidates are evaluated on the basis of academic
credentials, related overseas and/or domestic development professional experience, and other
relevant factors.
Applications are screened for basic eligibility, such as: education, and experience which
demonstrates the applicant's ability to accomplish professional development work. Following the
screening, the successful applicants for each occupational category are invited to come to
Washington at their own expense for training although all Expenses made are reimbursed along
with salary.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS/SELECTION
Applicants are selected on the basis of academic credentials, experience andother relevant
factors. Successful Applicants are invited to come to Washington for Training Candidates are
interviewed on their related knowledge, skills and abilities. Application is open to all interested
applicants from any nationality.
II. SPECIALIZED REQUIREMENTS
Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a supplemental statement with their application
addressing the specific knowledge, skills and abilities listed in the announcement.
Computer Skills: Computer skills is also used as selection criteria.
III. PROFESSIONAL TARGET DISCIPLINES
A. Democracy and Governance Officers (Salary:$152,678.00) Responsible for development,
oversight, management (staff, financial, and technical resources), and evaluation of Mission
democracy and governance programs that may include any or all of the following areas: Rule of
Law and human rights programs, civil society, media and labor programs to promote democratic
pluralism, improved governance, competitive political processes and elections, and strategic
planning for political development. Democracy and Governance Officers apply both a technical
knowledge of their program area and a variety of management and program evaluation expertise
in order to ensure that projects meet the needs of UN-USA's partners and customers in a costeffective manner.
B. Environment Officers (Salary:$162,678.00) Responsible for development oversight,
management, and evaluation of programs in the following areas: bio-diversity conservation,
forestry, wildlife management, water and coastal resources management, environmental
education, environmental policy, environmentally sustainable agriculture, community based
natural resources management, urban and industrial pollution reduction, urban planning and
management (including such areas as housing, water and sanitation), urban and housing finance,
energy efficiency and conservation, renewable energy applications, clean energy technologies,
energy sector planning and global climate change. Environment Officers apply both a technical
knowledge of their program area and a variety of management and program evaluation
knowledge in order to ensure that projects meet the needs of UN-USA's partners and customers
in a cost-effective manner.
C. Financial Management Officers (Salary:$152,678.00) Direct the accounting and payment
operations in UN-USA missions worldwide. In addition, they provide significant levels of advisory
services to all levels of the mission and host country governments. This includes administrative,
operational and program matters concerning financial, budgetary and resource management and
implementation issues.
D. Program/Project Development Officers (Salary:$182,678.00) Responsible for strategy
development, policy formulation, performance reporting, programming/budgeting of resources,
coordinating with other donor assistance and USG agencies, project management, and, public
outreach. They are looked upon to ensure that the Mission's operational procedures are designed
to elicit teamwork, emphasize shared values, make known programming priorities, and reward
innovation. Program/Project development officers must be able to apply leadership and
management skills in order to ensure that program activities are designed and implemented to
achieve stated objectives, within resource constraints and in a timely manner.
E. Agriculture/Rural Development Officers (Salary:$152,678.00) Advise senior UN-USA and host
government officials on agriculture and rural development projects. They identify problems and
propose solutions, participate in project design and development, and manage and evaluate
programs. Duties include coordinating the flow of resources for projects, analyzing the effects of
proposed policies, legislation, and programs and advising on interdisciplinary rural development
programs.
F. Food for Peace Officers (Salary:$122,678.00) Assist in the planning, analysis, negotiation and
implementation of UN-USA food and emergency projects/programs. They are responsible for
programming and monitoring all uses of UN-USA supplied food. They provide assistance to host
government authorities and to Private Voluntary Organizations (PVOs) and Non-Governmental
Organizations (NGOs) on technical and financial aspects of project/program design,
accountability, monitoring and reporting. Duties include ensuring that proposed projects/programs
meet UN-USA criteria and are properly documented.
G. Program Economists (Salary:$178,678.00) serve as advisors to missions on all economic
factors related to all mission programs and as advisors to the cooperating government on all
aspects of economic development analysis and planning. They conduct analyses of both the
macroeconomic conditions of host countries and the microeconomic feasibility of individual
projects. The main purpose of these studies and analyses is to provide a basis for sound
decisions for U.S. assistance within the framework of U.S. objective and cooperating country
needs and capabilities and to help determine the economic feasibility and justification of specific
projects within the overall country, mission or regional development strategy.
New Entrants at both levels are evaluated yearly by their supervisor. These evaluations are then
reviewed by Selection
Boards which rank all Foreign Service Officers by class and functional group for promotion based
upon relative performance standing.
HOW TO APPLY
Send your resume/CV to: recruitment@un-usa.gr.st
Dr. David Cameron
Recruitment Officer
U.S. Committee for UN
Two UN Plaza, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017
FAX -1-206-984-9418
Assistant Professor African American History - Georgia College & State University Milledgeville, Georgia
History: The Department of History, Geography, and Philosophy at Georgia College & State
University (GC&SU) invites applications for a tenure-track, academic-year position in African
American history at the rank of Assistant Professor. Special consideration will be given to
candidates with a secondary field in Africa and /or gender. A.B.D. considered but Ph.D. is
preferred at the time of appointment. The successful applicant will teach four courses per
semester, including World Civilization courses in the core curriculum and upper level/graduate
courses in area(s) of expertise. Evidence of excellence in teaching and scholarship is required.
Collegiality, willingness to engage in professional service, and a strong commitment to studentfaculty interaction within a liberal arts environment is expected.
Submit letter of application, curriuculum vitae, copies of undergraduate and graduate transcripts,
and three current letters of recommendation to Dr. Craig S. Pascoe, CBX 047, Department of
History, Geography, and Philosophy, Georgia College & State University, Milledgeville, Georgia
31061. Review of applications will begin November 15, 2005. Applications should be received by
that date to assure consideration. GC&SU is Georgia's Public Liberal Arts University, with a
strong commitment to student-centered education in a residential setting. Current enrollment is
approximately 5,800. The campus is located in historic Milledgeville, a community of 20,000
located within easy reach of Atlanta, Macon, and Athens. For more information, please visit our
Web page at http://www.gcsu.edu.
Director of Regional Programs - Oxfam America – Boston, MA
Oxfam America, one of the leading international development organizations in the world, seeks a
senior level executive to oversee its regional offices and the community finance unit. The Director
of Regional Programs (DRP) is responsible for the strategic management and direction of
programs including staff supervision, advocacy, and grant making in seven regions. These
regions include West Africa, South Africa, Ethiopia, Central and South America, East Asia, and
the US. Each regional office works with partners around issues of livelihoods, natural resource
management, equality, trade, security and sustainable development. With employees on the
ground in 30 different countries, the Director of
Regional Programs has the opportunity to drive innovative solutions to development issues
around the world.
The DRP is tasked with managing strategic grantmaking across regions and setting regional
agendas that reflect
Oxfam’s mission and support a rights based approach. The DRP supervises seven Regional
Directors and serves as a member of the Program Management team, seeking to integrate the
different parts of the organization’s program work including grant making, humanitarian relief,
public communications and education, campaigning, advocacy, and corporate engagement. The
DRP is also responsible for building alliances across organizations and regions through advocacy
and outreach.
About Oxfam America: Oxfam America is a Boston-based international development and relief
agency and an affiliate of Oxfam International. Working with local partners, Oxfam delivers
development programs and emergency relief services, and campaigns for change in global
practices and policies that keep people in poverty.
Qualifications:
Ideal candidate will have:
• Minimum of 10 years of international development experience, including five years in a
developing country;
• Master’s degree in a development-related discipline;
• Ability to communicate (both orally and in writing) and think critically about the issues facing
developing
countries;
• Experience managing diverse teams remotely;
• Familiarity with one or more of the regions, as well as headquarters experience at an NGO;
• Proven ability to be a strategic thinker;
• Capability to manage competing interests and handle emerging issues in a practical way;
• Experience dealing with political risk, humanitarian crises, or “failed states.”
To Apply : Please send resume and cover letter to Attention: Katie Bouton at
katie@koyaconsulting.com or fax to 978-255-1571. Please include Director of Regional Programs
in the subject line.
International Job Postings
Researcher on Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – Human Rights Watch – Central
Africa
Since its founding in 1978, Human Rights Watch has become the largest U.S.-based international
human rights monitoring and advocacy organization, known for its in-depth investigations, its
incisive and timely reporting, its innovative and high-profile advocacy campaigns, and its success
in changing the human rights-related policies of the U.S., the E.U., and other influential
governments and international institutions.
Description: This Africa Division researcher will be based in Goma (after an initial period of
orientation in New York, Washington, D.C., Brussels or London) and monitor violations of human
rights and international humanitarian law in DRC. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to,
monitoring, investigating and documenting human rights violations in DRC, and developing local
and international advocacy strategies to bring violations to the attention of the government and
the international community; working with local groups to enhance their efficiency in gathering,
analyzing and presenting information, building their advocacy capacity, and obtaining training and
other support from international resources; applying sound judgment to investigation, reporting
and advocacy work; writing concise and accurate briefing memos, short reports and press
releases as needed, with a quick turnaround time; advising on new research and advocacy
opportunities; effectively advocating for improvement of human rights with regional governments,
the African Union, the United States, the European Union, and intergovernmental organizations;
organizing and supervising the field office; and responding to inquiries from the press, public, and
colleagues in the human rights community.
Qualifications: The person in this position must be flexible and able to respond quickly to crises
and conflicts as they may occur, producing excellent written material under tight deadlines in
coordination with the Africa Division's Senior Advisor on the Great Lakes and other HRW staff. An
advanced degree in international relations, journalism, law, history and/or the social sciences is
required. Candidates should have a background in human rights concerns in DRC and the Great
Lakes generally. Excellent oral and written communications skills in English and French are
mandatory. Experience in human rights work and living or working in the region is an asset. The
ideal candidate will be highly motivated, well organized, and able to work quickly and well under
pressure both independently and as a member of a team, and demonstrate a commitment to
international human rights.
Salary and Benefits: Human Rights Watch seeks exceptional candidates and offers competitive
compensation and generous employer-paid benefits. HRW will pay reasonable relocation
expenses and will assist employees with obtaining necessary work authorization; non-U.S.
citizens are encouraged to apply.
PLEASE APPLY IMMEDIATELY (no calls or email inquiries, please) by emailing together a letter
of interest, resume, references, and a brief writing sample (unedited by others) to
parsonl@hrw.org. Please use "DRC Researcher" as the subject of your email. Only complete
applications will be reviewed. It is preferred that all materials be submitted via email. If emailing is
not possible, send materials (please do not split a submission between email and regular post) to:
Human Rights Watch
Attn: Search Committee (DRC Researcher)
2nd Floor, 2-12 Pentonville Road
London N1 9HF UK
Fax: + 44 20 7713 1800
Fellowships/Scholarships/Other Funding
2006 International Dissertation Field Research Fellowship Competition (IDRF)
The Social Science Research Council and the American Council of Learned Societies are
pleased to announce the 2006 competition of the International Dissertation Field Research
Fellowship (IDRF) program, which is designed to support distinguished graduate students in the
humanities and social sciences conducting dissertation field research in all areas and regions of
the world. Fifty fellowships of approximately $20,000 will be awarded in 2006 with funds provided
by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
The IDRF Program is committed to scholarship that advances knowledge about cultures,
societies, aesthetics, economics and/or polities outside the United States. The program promotes
work that is relevant to a particular discipline while resonating across other fields and area
specializations. The program is open to full-time graduate students in the humanities and social
sciences – regardless of citizenship – enrolled in doctoral programs in the United States.
Applicants must have completed all Ph.D. requirements except fieldwork and dissertation by the
time the fellowship begins or by December 2006, whichever comes first. Fellowships will provide
support for nine to twelve months in the field, plus travel expenses. The fellowship must be held
for a single continuous period within the eighteen months between July 2006 and December
2007.
Applications for the IDRF program must be submitted electronically using the SSRC’s Online
Application Portal. For detailed information on application procedures, visit the IDRF website at
www.ssrc.org/programs/idrf or contact program staff at idrf@ssrc.org.
Deadline: November 10, 2005.
Social Science Research Council
IDRF Program
810 Seventh Avenue, 31st Floor
New York, NY 10019
P: 212-377-2700
F: 212-377-2727
Email: idrf@ssrc.org
Visit the website at http://www.ssrc.org/programs/idrf
2006-08 Carter G. Woodson Institute for African-American & African Studies Pre-Doctoral
Fellowship
The Carter G. Woodson Institute for African-American and African Studies at the University of
Virginia invites scholars whose work focuses on Africa and/or the African Diaspora to apply for
the Institute's predoctoral fellowship, with a two-year term beginning August 15, 2006. This
fellowship, open to qualified ABDs, is designed to facilitate the completion of dissertations in
African-American and African Studies and related fields; preference is given to applicants whose
research is substantially completed. The fellowship carries an annual stipend of $20,000, plus
health insurance. Competition is open to qualified candidates without restriction as to citizenship
or current residence. Applications must be postmarked no later than Friday, Dec. 2, 2005; all
materials (including letters of reference mailed under separate cover) must be received by Friday,
Dec. 9, 2005. For guidelines and application forms, visit the Woodson Fellowships web page:
http://www.virginia.edu/woodson/programs/fellowships.html
CGWI Pre-Doctoral Fellowship
c/o Carter G. Woodson Institute
University of Virginia
McCormick Road-Minor Hall 108
P.O. Box 400162
Charlottesville, VA 22904
ATTN: Octavia Phillips
Office: (434) 924-3109
Fax: (434) 924-8820
Email: cgwi@virginia.edu
Inviting Applications for Graduate Program in African History at the University of
California, Davis
Graduate Program in African History at the University of California, Davis.
The History Department of the University of California, Davis, invites applications for the degree
of Doctor of Philosophy with a focus on Africa for the academic year 2006-07.
The History Department admits a select pool of graduate student candidates for the degree and is
now in its third year of offering a doctoral program focusing on Africa. The successful
candidate(s) would participate in general graduate classes in history as well as tutorial and
graduate classes in African history. There will be opportunities to serve as a teaching assistant for
the two Africanist faculty members.
Students will study and write under the supervision of Professors Cynthia Brantley and Benjamin
Lawrance, and can anticipate that they will proceed to conduct independent research in Africa.
Candidates will also benefit from the experience and guidance of faculty in the History
Department at UC Davis, take advantage of the rich expertise of the thirty-five Africanist faculty at
UC Davis and the emerging African Studies designated emphasis within the African American
and African Studies Program, and the large pool of African historians in the University of
California system. Foreign language training assistance may be available. Applications are
particularly welcomed from candidates from diverse backgrounds, whose research interests
intersect with those of current faculty, particularly applied research models that incorporate or
relate to the history of colonialism and contemporary development trends.
For further information please direct questions to Professor Benjamin Lawrance
http://history.ucdavis.edu/grad/
UC Davis History Department
2216 Social Sciences and Humanities
1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616
Tel: (530) 752-0776
Announcements
Upcoming Book Release
Dr. Kasahun Woldemariam of Howard University’s African Studies Department will release his
new book: Myths and Realities in the Distribution of Socioeconomic Resources and Political
Power in Ethiopia (ISBN: 076 183 3609) with Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. The book is
scheduled for release on February 15, 2006. www.rowmanlittlefield.com
June 18 - August 11, 2006 - Summer Cooperative African Language Institute (SCALI) Indiana University; Bloomington, Indiana
Call for _Expression of Interest from Students
Indiana University is pleased to host the national Summer Cooperative African Language Institute
(SCALI) during summer 2006. SCALI offers intensive instruction in a variety of African languages
for 4 hours per day for 8 weeks, for a total of 156 hours. This intensive institute provides
performance based language instruction and exposes learners to the culture and traditions
associated with the chosen language. Students will earn credits equivalent to one academic year
of language instruction. Classroom instruction will be complemented by extra-curricular activities
designed to enhance language learning.
Language offerings:
The following languages were offered during SCALI 2005 and will be offered again in 2006 if
there is sufficient enrollment: Afrikaans, Amharic, Arabic (North African), Akan/Twi, Hausa,
Kiswahili, Luganda, Setswana, Wolof, Yoruba, Xhosa, and Zulu.
Languages other than those listed above may be offered if sufficient interest is expressed and
qualified instructors are available. Such languages may include (but are not limited to): Bamana
/ Bambara, Chichewa, Chitonga, Igbo, Kikongo, Kinyarwanda, Lingala, Pulaar, Shona, Somali,
Songhay, and Tigrinya.
Instruction is available at the elementary, intermediate, or advanced level, depending on
enrollment.
Please complete our _expression of interest form indicating which language you intend to study
and at what level. Send forms and enquiries to:
Dr. Alwiya S. Omar
SCALI Director
African Studies Program
Indiana University
221 Woodburn Hall
Bloomington, IN 47405
Tel: (812) 855-3323 Fax: (812) 855-6734
E-mail: iuscali@indiana.edu
SCALI web page: http://www.indiana.edu/~afrist/scali/
Sundays - Africa Meets Africa – WPFW 89.3
Tune in on Sundays at 9:00pm to 89.3 FM WPFW or listen on the Internet at www.wpfw.org.
"Africa Meets Africa" is a progressive hour long, weekly radio magazine that showcases the
diversity and resources of the continent of Africa and its Diaspora.
We would love to air commentaries from African students and others. We welcome your show
ideas!!! Visit www.africameetsafrica.com