Call for papers

Palacký University Olomouc in cooperation with University of Hradec Králové, Metropolitan University Prague.
Under the auspices of The Czech Association of African Studies (Associated member of Africa-Europe Group for Interdisciplinary Studies)

Theme : Multiple entanglements in African politics

The conference provides a discussion platform that aims to dis- and re-entangle the multiple forces and dynamics that are part of African politics. Overcoming definitions of African states as a set of political institutions that govern within a sovereign territory, this conference provides a far more complex space for researchers who see any type of political aspect to their work. In other words, not only “high politics” but also the “politics” at the grassroots – arts and culture, ethno-linguistic activities, (social) media, religious and spiritual practices, gender and LGBT+ movements, etc. are all relevant to our discussion.
The bi-annual Viva Africa conference held 2019 in Olomouc, Czech Republic, welcomes all African Studies scholars, those in (comparative) political science, as well as (social, cultural, linguistic) anthropology, history, religious studies, economics, socio-political geography, international relations, cultural and postcolonial studies, etc. We will set out to discuss challenges, gains and setbacks in Africa´s political and economic landscape and we aim to capture contemporary trends and challenges.
Relevant questions for discussion are, for instance : What is the nature of current political activities both on institutional level and on civil society level in specific African countries ? Which comparative analyses might be useful ? How do ethnicity and religion affect society and governments in specific African countries ? In which ways do African democracies differ from those in the West ? How can developments and activities on the African continent contribute to theory making and advancement in the fields of political science and international studies ?
The aim is to cover a wide range of issues such as (post-)colonialism, nationalism, nativism, social class, generational conflicts, the relationship between civil society and the state, linguistic and cultural heterogeneity as well as a diversity of political activities and their (dis-) entanglement with the “high politics” of the state.

REGISTRATION
Please, send your abstract of max. 300 words before 30 June 2019 to :
viva.africa.conference@gmail.com