News from African History
New article by Prof. Joël Glasman 27.09.2023
Petit manuel d'auto-défense à l'usage des volontaires.
Humanitarian action involves difficult choices. Should you accept the conditions of access imposed by jihadists? Should you leave refugee camps when aid is diverted? Can you accept donations from any private company? Should humanitarian organisations make the fight against global warming their priority?
The first Humanitarian Humanities textbook offers a time of reflection. From the history of humanitarian action to the anthropology of global health and the sociology of massacres, this textbook offers an overview of the most useful research for thinking in emergency situations. An introduction to the humanities for those who help others to save their lives and dignities.
The introduction is open access here.
New Article by Prof. Joël Glasman and Brendan Lawson:
14.09.2023
Ten Things We Know about Humanitarian Numbers
The modern humanitarian sector is gripped by a data frenzy. How can we take a step back and critically engage with what datafication means?
After outlining three broad theoretical positions within the literature, this introduction to the special section points to ‘ten things we know about humanitarian numbers’. These points, taken together, offer different springboards from which academics can launch into critiques of data in the humanitarian sector.
In: in Journal of Humanitarian Affairs, Volume 5, Issue 1.
Online available here.
Neuerscheinung von Prof. Dr. Joël Glasman und Marcia C. Schenck:
14.09.2023
Nehmt endlich die Welt in den Blick!
Ein Vorschlag, wie die provinziellen deutschen Geschichtswissenschaften globaler werden können
"China hat die größte Armee der Welt, Afrika das schnellste Wirtschaftswachstum, Indien ist die bevölkerungsreichste Demokratie. Es ist an der Zeit, das Studium dieser Gesellschaften als strategische Priorität zu definieren. Um zu entscheiden, wie man zu unserer Welt stehen möchte, muss man sie kennen. Das ist keine Option, es ist unabdingbar im 21. Jahrhundert."
In: Die Zeit N°39, S. 36.
Kostenlos online hier zugänglich.
New exhibition opening
The exhibition opens on the 12th May at 9pm in the Erika Fuchs Haus in Schwarzenbach an der Saale. The exhibition presents great pieces of African storytelling through comics and art. The exhibition was developped in cooperation with students of the University of Bayreuth in the context of a seminar lead by Robin Frisch.
New bookreview by Perseverence Madhuku: 05.04.2023
The Political Life of an Epidemic: Cholera, Crisis and Citizenship in Zimbabwe. By Siukai Chigudu.
New Article by Prof. Joël Glasman: 07.03.2023
What do Europeans do when they hear the war waged by the government of Ethiopia has killed more people than the war in Ukraine?
Dr. Jochen Lingelbach at the conference "Africa's Mobility Struggles" (Feb 22 - 23)
20.02.2023
Dr. Jochen Lingelbach from the Chair of African History will give a workshop/panel on "Mobility Control" at the conference "Africa's Mobility Struggles" on February 23.
The conference is organized by the research group "Mobilities" within the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence of the University of Bayreuth. It will take place at Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya. Moi University is an African Cluster Center (ACC); the ACCs are partner institutions of the Bayreuth Cluster of Excellence "Africa Multiple" and serve as nodes for joint research initiatives and networks within the cluster.
The conference is open to the public online via Zoom, the program and the Zoom link can be found here.
New Article by Prof. Joël Glasman: 20.02.2023
White Saviourism is a Colonial Legacy. But White Indifference is the Larger One.
The discussion on decolonizing humanitarian aid is important. But it may well feed into false understandings of postcolonial discrimination. The main legacy of colonialism is not compassion. It's indifference.
Successful Dissertation Defense 02.02.2023 Catheline Bosibori Nyabwengi finished her doctoral defense successfully on the 2nd of February 2023 with Magna Cum Laude. After the Presentation of her study “Women Fighters in Kenya; 1952-2019” she championed the enquiry by the committee, led by Prof. Behrends.
Congratulations!
This project explores race inequalities and power relations in the humanitarian sector. There has been barely any academic work on the sociological and practical realities of racial inequalities in emergency aid. This project will offer one of the first historical sociology of racial inequalities of a leading humanitarian organization.