http://www.hosafa.com/ HOSAFA, a house of africanity, is a service for anyone to share, learn and invest in African life worldwide. en-us Thu, 09 Feb 2012: London, United Kingdom: Kenya: Between Hope and Despair Date: Thursday 9th February 2012, 7-9PM Venue: Room G2, SOAS Panel discussion with authors Daniel Branch (Kenya: Between Hope and Despair 1963-2011) and Charles Honrsby (Kenya: A History since Independence); Eusebio Waweru, Philosophy PhD Student at the University of Edinburgh; and freelance journalist Charlotte Njeru. Chair: Professor John Lonsdale, Trinity College, Cambridge University (TBC). Daniel Branch and Charles Honrsby’s recently publi... Royal African Society Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:01:54 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182494 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182494 Tue, 07 Feb 2012: London, United Kingdom: Getting Somalia Wrong? Faith, War and Hope in a Shattered State Date: Tuesday 7th February 2012, 6-8PM Venue: Brunei Suite, SOAS Book launch with author Mary Harper and journalists Mohammed Adow and Rageh Omaar responding. Chair: Professor Ioan Lewis Somalia is the world’s most comprehensively failed state, representing a threat to itself, its neighbours and the wider world. In recent years, it has become notorious for the piracy off its coast and the rise of Islamic extre... Royal African Society Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:56:12 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182493 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182493 Thu, 19 Jan 2012: London, United Kingdom: Date: Thursday 19th January, 6-8pm Venue: Brunei Suite, SOAS Speakers: Author Mike Gould, Kaye Whiteman, Frederick Forsyth, Dipo Salimonu and Professor Dennis Judge (chair). In the summer of 1968, reports of starvation in the West African secessionist Republic of Biafra transformed the Nigerian Civil War into an international media event. Using recently discovered archival records and the personal recollections of the key players, Michael Gould challenges many of the views and perc... Royal African Society Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:53:45 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182492 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182492 Tue, 17 Jan 2012: London, United Kingdom: Date: Tuesday 17th January, 6-8pm Venue: Brunei Suite, SOAS The Ghost of Sani Abacha is a humorous collection of short stories from a master ironist. These incisively observed tales are all set in a post-autocratic country whose indigenous peoples have varying levels of Post Traumat­ic Stress Disorders from three decades of military occupation. In the title story, a fledgling politi­cian walks a tightrope between a conscience and the inspiration of Dictator Sani Abacha’s lifestyle, dete... Royal African Society Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:51:05 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182491 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182491 Wed, 11 Jan 2012: Bristol, United Kingdom: Anthropology and Africa RAS Bristol Branch 11th Jan 2011 12:15 for 12:30, Bristol Commonwealth Society, 14 Whiteladies Road, Bristol, BS8 1PD Cost: £12:50 per person (inc. coffee) Presentation by Anthropologists Roddy and Rachel Bray – experiences in Africa (particular focus on research in Mount Kenya region, Kenya). Please confirm attendance with Janet Kirk – janetmarykirk@hotmail.com/01179735316 Royal African Society Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:46:49 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182490 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182490 Wed, 26 Oct 2011: London, United Kingdom: Date: Wednesday 26th October, 6:30-8:30pm Venue: Brunei Gallery Suite, SOAS Join us for this book launch with author Binyavanga Wainaina In this classic of African autobiography for a new generation, Wainaina takes us through his school days, his failed attempt to study in South Africa, a moving family reunion in Uganda, and his travels around Kenya. The landscape in front of him always claims his main attention, but he also evokes the shifting political scene that unsettles his view... Royal African Society Sun, 23 Oct 2011 21:48:49 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182482 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182482 Wed, 07 Sep 2011: London, United Kingdom: Date: Wednesday 7th September, 6-8pm Venue: Parliament, committee room 16 Description Since the UN finally declared an official famine in Southern Somalia in Bakool and Lower Shabelle, the international response to the food crisis in East Africa has been ratcheted up a notch. But despite the aid, many feel that the international community has resoundingly failed to ensure food security. Given the unmistakable early warning signs – two seasons of poor rainfall – why did the world take... Royal African Society Sun, 04 Sep 2011 21:15:23 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182467 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182467 Wed, 13 Jul 2011: London, United Kingdom: In collaboration with the Centre of African Studies, the Institute of English Studies and the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London and the Caine Prize. The Caine Prize is awarded every year to a short story in English by an African writer. The Prize is now in its 12th year, and previous winners include Binyavanga Wainaina and Brian Chikwava. At this event, the Caine Prize shortlisted writers will be joined by expert commentators in a seminar on African writing. C... Royal African Society Tue, 12 Jul 2011 12:42:07 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182425 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182425 Thu, 23 Jun 2011: London, United Kingdom: ZAMBIA 2011 GENERAL ELECTIONS DIASPORA ZAMBIANS & STAKEHOLDER INTERACTIVE FORUM A Discussion for Peaceful, Free, and Fair Elections in Zambia 6-8pm, Thursday 23rd June 2011 Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG, UKZAMBIANS are pleased to invite you to the Diaspora and Stakeholder Interactive Forum to discuss the dynamics surrounding the forthcoming 2011 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Zambia. The forum will ensure that ... Royal African Society Sun, 05 Jun 2011 18:27:29 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182417 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182417 Tue, 07 Jun 2011: London, United Kingdom: The Royal African Society invites you to the launch of Stephen Ellis’ Seasons of Rain: Africa in the World, 6pm, 7th June. The Author Stephen Ellis is a historian, with a broad range of interests in contemporary history and politics. He is the author of Season of Rains: Africa in the World and co-authored of Worlds of Power: Religious Thought and Political Practice in Africa Respondent William Wallis - Africa editor, Financial Times Chair Richard Dowden – Director of the Roy... Royal African Society Sun, 05 Jun 2011 18:23:09 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182415 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182415 Thu, 16 Jun 2011: London, United Kingdom: Date/venue Thursday 16th June, SOAS, G2, 6pm Description Across Africa homosexuals are persecuted for their sexuality; they are frequently condemned by the church, vilified in the media and punished by the law. Only South Africa has legalised gay marriage, and constitutionally banned all anti-gay discrimination. In several countries, same-sex sexual activity is still punishable with the death penalty. In Uganda, MP David Bahati is continuing his attempt to put through his infamous a... Royal African Society Sun, 05 Jun 2011 18:21:02 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182416 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182416 Mon, 07 Mar 2011: London, United Kingdom: Speakers Peter Harris (Author - A Just Defiance) Respondent Rt. Hon Peter Hain MP Chair Richard Dowden (Director, Royal African Society) Event description 1987, Pretoria four young black men have just been arrested for a horrific string of political murders. There’s no doubt that they’re guilty of everything they’re accused of – and more. But in a society driven by brutal repression and racial tensions, are they assassins or freedom fighters? Peter Harris i... Royal African Society Sat, 26 Feb 2011 23:50:42 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182314 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182314 Mon, 07 Mar 2011: Oxford, United Kingdom: Dev Kar, Lead Economist, Global Financial Integrity By 2008 Africa had lost upwards of $854bn in illicit capital outflows – twice as much as its inflows of development aid. According to some estimates, the actual figure may be as high as $1.8 trillion. Mispricing and transfer pricing by companies are among the main culprits, finds Dev Kar, author of the report. Dev Kar is the Lead Economist at Global Financial Integrity, a Washington DC-based think tank, and former Senior... Royal African Society Tue, 15 Feb 2011 22:48:19 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182306 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182306 Tue, 08 Mar 2011: London, United Kingdom: Speakers Dev Kar (Global Financial Integrity) Event description By 2008 Africa had lost upwards of $854bn in illicit capital outflows – twice as much as its inflows of development aid. According to some estimates, the actual figure may be as high as $1.8 trillion. Mispricing and transfer pricing by companies are among the main culprits, finds Dev Kar, author of the report. Dev Kar is the Lead Economist at Global Financial Integrity, a Washington DC-based think tank, and for... Royal African Society Tue, 15 Feb 2011 22:40:32 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182305 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182305 Tue, 15 Feb 2011: London, United Kingdom: African writers and writing forms an integral part of Granta 114: Aliens. Whether it’s the closely observed ecology of married life or the violent acts of criminals operating from afar, Granta 114 draws into focus one of the most pressing issues of our time: Who do we call outsiders? Aliens includes three factual pieces from writers on African topics. Mark Gevisser – South African journalist and author of Thabo Mbeki: The Dream Deferred -writes in Edenvale of five decades ... Royal African Society Sun, 30 Jan 2011 23:35:53 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182286 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182286 Tue, 08 Feb 2011: London, United Kingdom: The Africa-Asia Centre Venue Room T102, SOAS The year 2010 marks the fiftieth anniversary of China’s launch of education programs in native African languages, which have constantly achieved outstanding results. The teaching of, and research on, native African languages has played a significant role as a window to African cultures and a bridge of Sino-African cultural exchanges. This paper combs through the history of China’s native African language programs over t... Royal African Society Sun, 30 Jan 2011 23:30:56 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182285 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182285 Fri, 04 Feb 2011: London, United Kingdom: Speakers Aly Verjee - political analyst, writer (Rift Valley Institute) Mawan Murotat - South Sudanese journalist/commentator Dr. Douglas Johnson – Scholar / resource person in the 2003 Sudan Comprehensive Peace Agreement negotiations Chair Prof. Justin Willis – Professor of History, University of Durham Venue Lecture theatre G3, SOAS Event description Since January 9th, 2011 South Sudanese people have been voting on Independence. By mid February we shoul... Royal African Society Sun, 30 Jan 2011 23:26:36 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182283 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182283 Wed, 02 Feb 2011: London, United Kingdom: The Gulf of Guinea supplies fifteen per cent of America's oil and has recently experienced an immense inflow of investment. But why are American, European, and Asian oil companies enthusiastically committing tens of billions of dollars of long-term investment to the Gulf of Guinea's failing states, which are characterized by ruthless elites, recurrent warfare, and some of the world's most detrimental development practices? This meeting will investigate the relationship between oil ... Royal African Society Fri, 31 Dec 2010 14:57:05 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182244 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182244 Thu, 20 Jan 2011: London, United Kingdom: SpeakersOrla Ryan (Author of Chocolate Nations: Living and Dying for Cocoa in West Africa, Journalist, Financial Times) Respondent Professor Chris Cramer (SOAS, author of Civil War is Not a Stupid Thing) Chair Adrian Hewitt (ODI) Event description The UK consumed 605, 000 tonnes of chocolate and spent £4.3bn on chocolate in 2005. We eat chocolate and we obviously love chocolate, but do you ever wonder how a compact 40g chocolate bar lands on a supermarket... Royal African Society Fri, 31 Dec 2010 14:54:50 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182243 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182243 Tue, 18 Jan 2011: London, United Kingdom: Speakers Estelle Kokot (South African Jazz Musician) Dr Sam Kasule (University of Derby) Rikki Stein (Fela's long-time manager) Chair DJ Rita Ray (DJ, Producer, Founding member of The Shrine club night) In Africa music and politics have a long history together. While politicians use music to reach the masses, various artists have used their art forms to speak about the current political climate. Fela Kuti, Nigerian pioneer of afrobeat, used his ... Royal African Society Fri, 31 Dec 2010 14:52:25 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182242 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182242 Fri, 14 Jan 2011: London, United Kingdom: You are invited to the launch of Zimbabwe's Land Reform: myths and realities - a panel discussion followed by a drinks reception In the year 2000 large areas of Zimbabwe’s commercial farm land were invaded by land-hungry villagers, led by war veterans. These invasions were backed by the state in the wake of contested elections and a constitutional referendum, and formalised as the ‘fast-track land reform programme’. This book challenges five myths of Land Reform M... Royal African Society Wed, 15 Dec 2010 22:56:48 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182217 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182217 Wed, 01 Dec 2010: London, United Kingdom: Action Against Hunger report launch The food security crisis in the Western Sahel has reached catastrophic proportions. Yet what is truly appalling is that this crisis has been allowed to grow for decades. Droughts, policy failures and volatile food markets have created deep structural problems that could have been prevented and still can be ended with appropriate interventions. The recent scale-up of aid in the region provides an opportunity to make deep, durable positive changes an... Royal African Society Sat, 27 Nov 2010 00:16:12 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182179 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182179 Tue, 16 Nov 2010: London, United Kingdom: A panel discussion and launch of ‘Chinese and African Perspectives on China in Africa’ (Pambazuka Press) Speakers Sanou Mbaye is a Senegalese economist, a former member of the senior management team of the African Development Bank, and the author of L'Afrique au secours de l'Afrique (Africa to the rescue of Africa). He is a contributing author to Chinese and African Perspectives on China in Africa Stephen Marks is an editor of Chinese and African Perspectives on China in Af... Royal African Society Sat, 30 Oct 2010 20:38:03 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182119 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182119 Mon, 15 Nov 2010: London, United Kingdom: he Royal African Society’s ‘West Africa in Focus’ seminar series is a new venture taking a national perspective on complex regional issues. Aimed at students, researchers, policy makers and business interests, we will present the latest in scholarly and specialist interest on these national examples. Drawing in regional and continental themes, the seminars are also intended to stimulate vigorous dialogue amongst participants. Guinea Bissau –coups, drugs, and internationa... Royal African Society Sat, 30 Oct 2010 20:32:54 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182118 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182118 Tue, 09 Nov 2010: London, United Kingdom: Speakers Richard Dowden (Director, The Royal African Society) Dr Matteo Rizzo (Cambridge University) Andrew Mushi (Tanzanian activist) Tanzania is known for political stability but this election doesn’t follow the past. Willbrod Slaa of the Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema), a first time opposition candidate has thrown the race wide open. There is now talk of rigging and fear of violence. ‘Electoral corruption has never reached this level: There are politi... Royal African Society Sat, 30 Oct 2010 20:26:52 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182117 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182117 Sat, 27 Nov 2010: London, United Kingdom: THE CENTRE OF AFRICAN STUDIES, SOAS, Lecture theatre G2in association with The Britain -Tanzania and The Royal African Society Andrew Coulson, University of Birmingham (University of Dar es Salaam) Simon Maziku, Reading University Price: £10 (including lunch) Students: £5 (including lunch) / £1.50 (without lunch) Royal African Society Sun, 17 Oct 2010 22:44:10 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182089 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182089 Mon, 25 Oct 2010: London, United Kingdom: In collaboration with Business Council for Africa Speakers: Jonathan Lawley Chair: TBC Event description Since the heady days of decolonisation the story seems to be one of unrelenting disaster - dictatorship, ethnic conflict, civil war, and economic failure. All this has been compounded by natural disasters - including the scourge of AIDS. But there is another, less reported, story of Africa; throwing off the colonial past, gaining in pride and embraci... Royal African Society Sat, 25 Sep 2010 19:57:34 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182050 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182050 Thu, 21 Oct 2010: London, United Kingdom: Thursday 21st October 6pm Museum of London Docklands, Wilberforce Theatre Speakers Professor Chris Cramer (Professor of the Political Economy of Development) Dr. Firoze Manji (founder and executive director of Fahamu and editor of Pambazuka News) Event Description International development commentator, Dr. Firoze Manji, and Professor Chris Cramer from SOAS ask what fair trade might mean for Africa. In partnership with the Royal African Society, th... Royal African Society Tue, 21 Sep 2010 13:26:49 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182048 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182048 Mon, 18 Oct 2010: London, United Kingdom: In collaboration with Centre Of African Studies Speakers: Koen Vlassenroot & Tim Allen (Editors of The Lord’s Resistance Army: Myth and Reality) Chair: Chris Cramer Professor Tim Allen and Professor Koen Vlassenroot will speak on the origins on the roots this strange, violent movement in northern Uganda and the failure of the Uganda government to defeat it or make peace. What caused this war and why did it last more than 20 years? What is life like for the survivors?... Royal African Society Tue, 21 Sep 2010 13:21:17 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182047 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182047 Mon, 11 Oct 2010: London, United Kingdom: Speakers Dr. David Turton (Senior Research Fellow, AHRC Omo Valley Project at the University of Oxford/Author) David Anderson (Professor African Politics at the University of Oxford/Author/Executive Editor of the Journal of Eastern African Studies) Dr Sarah Vaughan (Author, Research Consultant, Professor of African Politicsand Social Theory) Chair: Camilla Toulmin The Environmental Impact Study is a requirement of virtually all western funders of large constru... Royal African Society Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:55:36 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182046 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182046 Mon, 04 Oct 2010: London, United Kingdom: Speakers Peter Cunliffe – Jones (Author of My Nigeria: Five decades of Independence Oladipo Salimonu (Africa Confidential) Bronwen Manby (Open Society Foundation) Chair: Michael Peel (Financial Times Journalist and Author) Event description As Nigeria marks its 50th anniversary of independence, AFP journalist, Peter Cunliffe–Jones will be launching his book - My Nigeria: Five decades of Independence - part family memoir, part history... Royal African Society Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:51:23 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182045 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182045 Wed, 29 Sep 2010: London, United Kingdom: The 2010 World Cup in South Africa was a tournament infused with social commentary. Doubts were raised over South Africa's capacity and suitability to host the event - some fearing an explosion of criminal activity against fans or a failure of infrastructure. Others viewed the tournament as a logistical triumph in the face of a crippling global recession, and an important victory over the unenlightened voices of the 'Afro-pessimists;' now going so far as to place the event amongst the most su... Royal African Society Thu, 09 Sep 2010 14:31:08 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182024 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182024 Tue, 14 Sep 2010: London, United Kingdom: African Women Writing Resistance is the first transnational anthology to focus on women’s strategies of resistance to the challenges they face in Africa today. The anthology brings together personal narratives, testimony, interviews, short stories, poetry, performance scripts, folktales, and lyrics. Contributors include internationally recognised authors and activists such as Wangari Maathai and Nawal El Saadawi, as well as a host of vibrant new voices from all over the African continent ... Royal African Society Thu, 09 Sep 2010 14:22:35 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182022 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182022 Thu, 23 Sep 2010: London, United Kingdom: John Githongo has had a varied career as journalist, civil society activist and most famously Kenya’s anti-corruption tsar. Appointed in 2002 by President Mwai Kibaki John uncovered large-scale corruption up to the highest levels of the administration. After making these revelations John fled Kenya. His controversial story was recounted in Michela Wrong’s book It’s our turn to eat: the story of a Kenyan whistle-blower. Having now returned to Kenya John heads Inuka, a grassroots advocacy gr... Royal African Society Thu, 09 Sep 2010 14:13:16 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182021 http://www.hosafa.com/story/182021 Tue, 08 Jun 2010: London, United Kingdom: Speaker: Lord Mark Malloch Brown (Chair; Royal African Society, Former Minister of State for Africa, Asia and the UN, Former UN Deputy Secretary-General) will discuss possibilities for a new approach to policy making between Africa and the UK. Royal African Society Mon, 07 Jun 2010 09:42:55 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/181794 http://www.hosafa.com/story/181794 Thu, 06 May 2010: London, United Kingdom: Evening discussion with Governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers State), Dr Timipre Sylva(Bayelsa State), and Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta State) A discussion chaired by Professor Stephen Chan (SOAS) on the Niger Delta Governors’ recent role in the implementation of the government programme of amnesty in the region. Please check our website and your emails for updates about this meeting. Royal African Society Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:54:24 +0000 http://www.hosafa.com/story/181653 http://www.hosafa.com/story/181653