Research

Major Reseach Initiatives

National Research Institute on African Affairs

The National Research Institute on African Affairs housed at ASC and the Africa Society's Washington D.C. headquarters, will feature research, analysis, and publications undertaken by African scholars, research scientists and experienced practitioners on critical issues pertaining to the continent. The topics will include health care, drought/famine, socio-economic development, political transition to more open and pluralistic societies, governance, civil conflict and resolution, resource management and agriculture. The Institute will play a central role in forging links with African universities and think tanks. The Institute will draw upon ASC's faculty, faculty in African institutions, as well as fellows and interns.

Indian Ocean World Research Initiative

Launched in 2002 the Indian Ocean World is a research project that explores the commonalities of the cultures that boarder the Indian Ocean. Geographically, it stretches from southern Africa through the coast of eastern African and the horn to southern Arabia and the southern reaches of central Asia to India. The project explores various issues and vehicles for cultural, political, and economic exchange in the area.

West African Research Node

ASC in partnership with the Institute for the environment is initiating a "research node"-i.e. an institutional exchange-in Cameroon that would provide internship opportunities for US students and capacity building for Cameroonian grad education, while developing courses, library resources, and other infrastructure for an MS/MA degree program in African Studies and environmental studies.

Trans-Saharan Research Initiative

Launched in 2004, the Saharan Crossroads Initiative will explore the common history of Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Project will stimulate exchanges among US, North and W. African scholars on how best to promote "trans-Saharan scholarship" and its diffusion. Project will also develop secondary-school teacher training workshop on "Islam and the Trans-Sahara" and a web based curriculum.

Projects

  • The UCLA Globalization Research Center-Africa
    The Globalization Research Center-Africa (GRCA) conducts research on the dynamics and effects of globalization, with particular emphasis on impacts within Africa. The overall aim of the Center is to engage in research on ways global forces impact upon African societies; the ways in which African societies have an impact upon the globalization process; and the comparative, cross national and cross cultural comparison of global processes as they relate to Africa.
  • The Marcus Garvey Papers Project
    The Marcus Garvey Papers Project housed in ASC is devoted to research on the noted Pan Africanist Marcus Garvey. The project has compiled volumes on the life and work of Marcus Garvey throughout the history of his movement.
  • UCLA Language Materials Project
    The Language Materials Project (LMP) is an on-line bibliographic database of teaching and learning materials for over 100 Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs). The LMP, which is funded by the US Department of Education International Education and Graduate Program Service, was created in 1992.
  • University of California African Languages Directory
    The University of California African Language Directory is an online database of UC faculty with expertise in African languages. The site contains faculty web sites on languages as well as special projects and African language resources.
  • Swahili Poetry Project
    The Swahili Poetry Project is a web based project devoted to dissemination of information about Swahili poetry, to its collection and archiving, and for providing tools, which will allow students and scholars to access, read, and understand this rich heritage. It is under construction and its content and design frequently change.
  • Hausa Language Research
    The Hausa Language Research project is committed to research and assembling information on the Hausa language.
  • The Yobe Languages Research Project
    The Yobe Language Research Project, funded by the National Science Foundation, is engaged in assembling data on Yoba, a seldom published yet largely used language in northern Nigeria. Drawing on the lack of documentation, plus interest in the communities in seeing their languages developed through publications in and on them, the project was launched to conduct a broad linguistic investigation, which, on the one hand, assembles data from the languages, and on the other hand, has output of interest and value to the speakers of those languages.