Call for Papers for the 7th International Interdisciplinary Conference, to be held in Nairobi, Kenya on June 28 to 30, 2017

 

General conference theme: “Africa at Development Crossroads”

Conference Venue: Nairobi, Kenya

 

Sponsors: African Interdisciplinary Studies Association (AISA), Kenya Scholars and Studies Association (KESSA) and AIDAL

 

After the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and various strategies under NEPAD and various national development plans, Africa is still at development crossroads. Africa has been at the centre of many and sometimes competing and experimental development paradigms, both from within and outside. Democratic revival has created some hope in some African countries. Despite this hope, many African societies are still gripped in gender, patriarchal and regional tensions. Women, youth, children and minority groups have been marginalised in some countries. Paper presenters will be expected to look from within in order to interrogate the success and some of the challenges these development paradigms have faced in light of external influence. Some government have created inclusive constitutions that incorporate gender mainstreaming. Researchers are expected to critically examine models and approaches presented for development in health, education, tourism, mining, agriculture, water, livestock development, roads, railway and air transport, development of arid and semi arid lands, science and technology, engineering, environment, urban and rural development, vulnerable groups, minorities, women and children. How sound are development plans developed by African governments? In what ways have they been successful? Whose development and in whose interest?  How should development in Africa proceed? Who should be involved in Africa’s development and why? Are Africa’s development partners genuine? What projects should Africa pursue? These are the type of questions that participants are invited to explore.

 

Organized and hosted by African Interdisciplinary Studies Association (AISA), this 7th International Interdisciplinary Conference will be held on June 28 to 29, 2017 at Nairobi, Kenya. The conference will bring together scholars from all over the world to make presentations on matters that touch on Africa. Submission of abstracts: Send abstracts of between 250 and 500 words, including full contact details (title, name, address, email-address, and telephone) as well as institutional affiliation by March 30, 2017 to Prof. Maurice N. Amutabi at africanstudiesassociaiton@gmail.com or mauriceamutabi@gmail.com or hlinnet@yahoo.com or Amutabi@yahoo.com

 

The deadline for submission of full papers is May 30, 2017. Most papers presented at the conference will be selected and published in edited volumes and journals affiliated to African Interdisciplinary Studies Association (AISA). The official language of the conference is English. The conference will consist of ten colloquia organized along themes.

 

Important dates

Deadline for submission of abstracts – March 30, 2017

Deadline for submission of PowerPoint presentation or full papers May 30, 2017

Conference dates – June 28-30, 2017

Colloquium 1: Africa and Sectoral Development

Sub Themes:

1. Energy, Water, Agriculture and Development in Africa
2. Politics and Development in Africa
3. Health and Development
4. Heritage, Culture and Development
5. Urban and Rural Development
6. Gender Dynamics and Women in Africa
7. Democracy and Governance in Africa
8. Hollywood, Bollywood, Nollywood, Kenywood, hip hop, etc
9. The language question in Africa
10. Poverty, Deprivation and Vulnerability
11. Peace, Conflict and Security issues
12. IDPs and Refugee Crisis in Africa
13. Economic Development in Africa
14. Civil Society, NGOs and Social Movements in Africa
15. Abstracts on any other relevant topic are welcome.

 

Colloquium 2: Economics and Management of Resources in Africa

Sub-Themes:

1. Economic Models, Development Plans and Development in Africa
2. Minerals, International Trade, Commerce, e-Commerce and e-Baking
3. Industry and Manufacturing in Africa
4. Outsourcing and Africa’s ‘Silicon Valleys’ and ‘Industrial Parks’
5. Global Finance and Development
6. Environment, Climate Change and E-waste Management
7. Planning and Management of Strategic Natural Resources
8. Business Management, Human Resource and Entrepreneurship
9. The Cooperative Movement, Women Groups and Savings Societies in Africa
10. Media, Transport and Communication in Africa
11. Regional Blocs, Integration and Regional Trade in Africa
12. Global Business Management
13. Abstracts on any other relevant topic are welcome.

 

Colloquium 3: Education and Development in Africa

Sub-Themes:

1. University Education, Research, Science and Development
2. Open and Distance Learning, e-learning and e-resources in Africa
3. Curriculum Reforms and New Pedagogies in Higher Education in Africa
4. Higher Education, Linkages, Partnerships and Publishing
5. Exchange Programmes and Collaborations
6. Evaluation, Education Reforms, Research Repositories and Archives
7. ICT, teleconferencing, webminars, networking and e-Learning
8. Gender mainstreaming in Education in Africa
9. Lifelong Learning and Adult Education in Africa
10. Industry, Technology and Education
11. Private Education, Early Childhood Education and Special Education
12. Technical and Vocational Education in Africa
13. Primary Education, Education, Poverty Alleviation and Marginalization
14. Abstracts on any other relevant topic are welcome

Colloquium 4: Judiciary, Constitutionalism and Human Rights

Sub-Themes:

1. Judicial Reforms and Human Rights in Africa
2. International Trade and New Maritime Laws
3. Indigenous, Local, National and Global Legal Systems
4. Cohesion and Integration Issues
5. New Constitutional reforms
6. The role of women and minorities in legal issues
7. ICT and Law
8. Gender, Environment and Alternative Legal Systems in Africa
9. Environmental Law and Conservation
10. Alternative Dispute Resolution in Africa
11. Global Legal Education
12. Land, Environment, Civic and Citizen Education
13. Special Courts and Small Claims Courts
14. Global Recruitment Firms in Africa
15. Illegal and Forced Migration
16. Treaties, Accords and Agreements
17. Abstracts on any other relevant topic are welcome

 

Colloquium 5: Engineering, Science and Technology in Africa

Sub-Themes:

1. Engineering and Training in Science and Technology
2. Science, Technology and Development
3. Agriculture, livestock and fisheries
4. Science and Natural Resource Management
5. Patents, Trademarks, Technology and Innovation
6. Industry and University Collaboration
7. Research and Development (R&D)
8. Industrial Parks and Innovation Villages
9. Innovation, Science, Technology and Environment
10. ICT, Science and Technology
11. Science, Technology and Gender
12. Science, Children and Youth
13. Health, Medicine HIV and AIDS
14. Health Tourism and Foreign Aid
15. Abstracts on any other relevant topic are welcome

 

Colloquium 6: Religion, NGOs and non-State Agencies in Development in Africa

Sub-Themes:

1. Radicalization, Islam and Christianity in Africa
2. Radical Religious Groups in Africa
3. Media and the Church in Africa
4. Ethics and Development in Africa
5. Theology and Development in Africa
6. Faith-Based NGOs
7. Religious Institutions and Development
8. Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, Al Shabaab and global peace and security
9. Global Mega Evangelists
10. Religion and Environmental Issues
11. Religion, Gender and Women in Africa
12. Abstracts on any other relevant topic are welcome

 

Colloquium 7: Security, Peace and Conflict in Africa

Sub-Themes:

1. Africa Security Architecture
2. Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, Al Shabaab and global peace and security
3. Conflict, Rebel activities, War and Violence in Africa
4. The UN, African Union, Gender and Human Rights
5. Peace and Security in the Great Lakes Region
6. Conflict Management
7. War and Refugees in Africa
8. Ethical Issues in Development
9. Democracy, Leadership and Governance in Africa
10. Dictatorship, term limits and Corruption in Africa
11. Regional Bodies and peace in Africa
12. Displacement, Refugees and International Affairs
13. Failed and near-failed states in Africa
14. Abstracts on any other relevant topic are welcome

 

Colloquium 8: Library, Information and Communication Technology

Sub-Themes:

1. a) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Africa
2. b) The nature and state of ICT in Africa
3. c) Mobile Libraries, Dissemination and publishing
4. d) Library resources in Africa
5. e) E-Library/Virtual library
6. f) E- books/E-Journals
7. g) Internet Research and online publishing
8. h) Communication and Journalism
9. i) Language, Radio and TV stations in Africa
10. Gender and ICT in Africa
11. ICT and environment in Africa
12. Business innovations in ICT – m-pesa, m-kopa, etc
13. Oral literature and oral narratives and texts
14. Abstracts on any other relevant topic are welcome

 

Colloquium 9: Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Research in Africa

Sub-Themes:

1. Challenges of invention of states and ethnic groups in Africa
2. Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Development in Africa
3. Gender, Women and Development in Africa
4. Corporate Social Responsibility
5. Aid and Sectoral Development
6. New Paradigms of Development
7. Minority Groups and Tensions
8. Interdisciplinary Research and Development
9. Public Policy and Ecology
10. Entrepreneurship and Development
11. Minorities and Development
12. Integrated Rural Urban Development
13. Funding Interdisciplinary Research and Development
14. Social, Economic and Political Research
15. Research Regimes
16. Opinion polls, surveys and mapping in Africa
17. Abstracts on any other relevant topic are welcome

 

Colloquium 10: Roundtables, independent panels and association meetings

Sub-Themes:

1. Open for any panels or roundtables or association meetings
2. Any relevant topic

 

Registration Fees:

1. Staff from East African Universities and Organizations US$ 60 (KES 6,000)
2. Rest of Africa US$ 150
3. Rest of the World – Europe, North America, Asia, etc US$ 200
4. Exhibition and advertising stand – US$ 200

 

Registration fee payments to: African Interdisciplinary Studies Association (AISA), Nairobi, Kenya

 

Members of AISA Executive Advisory Committee:

Prof. Maurice N. Amutabi, President, AISA

Prof. Justus Mbae, VC, The Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA), Kenya

Prof. Mary Walingo, VC, Maasai Mara University, Kenya

Prof. Kenneth Inyani Simala, Executive Secretary, Kiswahili Council EA, Arusha, Tanzania

Prof. Ruth Otunga, University of Eldoret, Kenya

Prof. Winston Akala Jumba, University of Nairobi, Kenya

Prof. Rose Hellen Sigali, Moi University, Kenya

Prof. Elinami Veraeli Swai, Open University of Tanzania, Tanzania

Prof. Mayaka, Multimedia University of Kenya, Kenya

Prof. Shadrack Wanjala Nasongo, Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Prof. Henrik Nordvall, Linkoping University, Sweden

 

Members of AISA Organizing Committee

Prof. Maurice N. Amutabi, Chair and Convenor

Dr. Linnet Hamasi, Kisii University, Kenya and Executive Director and Treasurer

Dr. Kakai Wanyonyi, Member, Kenyatta University, Kenya

Dr. Pamela Akinyi Waddende, Organizing Secretary, Kisii University, Kenya

Dr. Godwin Murunga, Member, University of Nairobi

Dr. Edmond Maloba Were, Member, Kisii University

Dr. Lilian Omutoko Otieno, University of Nairobi

Dr. Mumo Nzau, Member, Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA)

Dr. George Ndemo, Member, Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA)

Dr. Ruth J. Choge, Maasai Mara University, Kenya

 

AISA Secretariat

Dominic Chungo Oyaro

Alexander Jackan

Abigael Asiko Kutwa

Eliud Opwoche

Livingston Jonanga

Mercy Olimba

Donald Amugune

Jane Nambiri

Sr. Lucy Achieng’

Julia Enoi

Morris Sianje Simala

Magdalene Ndeto

Alma Sikanga

Lydia Mutua

 

ALL GENERAL ENQUIRIES TO BE ADDRESSED TO:

Prof. Maurice N. Amutabi, Convenor and Chair

African Interdisciplinary Studies Association (AISA), Nairobi, Kenya

P.O. Box 13447-00400,

Nairobi, Kenya

E-mail: africanstudiesassociaiton@gmail.com or mauriceamutabi@gmail.com or hlinnet@yahoo.com or Amutabi@yahoo.com