March 13th, 2014 at the University of Toronto, St. George Campus

 

The University of Toronto Comparative Politics Study Group (CPSG) invites current graduate students and faculty from across all disciplines to submit papers for its inaugural area studies conference on Sub-Saharan Africa.

 

Post-Colonial sub-Saharan Africa has faced a number of obstacles in its pursuit for political, economic, and social development. More than other regions of the world, it has been challenged by high rates of poverty, political violence, unemployment, HIV/AIDS, and corruption that have contributed to underdevelopment and insecurity. These challenges have been addressed to varying degrees of success by government institutions, non-governmental organizations, the international community, and other social actors in the region.

 

This conference aims to encourage dialogue among researchers on how to understand socio-economic and political transformation in the region. Interested participants should submit papers exploring the following themes in the sub-Saharan African context:

 

• Democracy and governance

• Security, conflict, and post-conflict reconstruction

• Gender and cultural politics

• Globalization, labour, and natural resource exploitation

• Public policy and social welfare

• The politics of HIV/AIDS

• Contentious politics and social change

• International aid, investment, and economic development

• Justice, law, and human rights

• African Union and humanitarian intervention

• Regional cooperation and integration

• Religion and politics

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The keynote speaker will be Professor Rita Abrahamsen of the University of Ottawa.

 

Dimensions of Conflict, Political Institutions, and Social Change in Sub-Saharan Africa is part of the Academic Exchange Seminar Series organized and presented by the Comparative Politics Student Group in collaboration with The Peace By Peace Initiative Student Group.

 

 

Organizers:

 

Gerald Bareebe, Michael Braun, Karol Czuba

Department of Political Science, University of Toronto