The African continent and its societies are changing continuously under
the influence of global, continental, national and local forces. Such forces
range from the by now familiar aspects of globalization and climate change
to technological innovations like the cell phone. These changes require
continuous research and new research questions. To keep up with these
challenges, the ASC formulates a new research programme every five years,
facing the developments on the African continent and at the same time
building on the results of the Centre’s previous research.
Research at the ASC is organized in so-called theme groups. Each group
consists of a number of ASC researchers and some affiliated members from
other academic institutions in the Netherlands and Africa. Researchers in
each group have different disciplinary backgrounds, so the theme groups are
by definition of a multi-disciplinary character. They are built around a
major research theme and these together form the ASC’s research programme.
Since the start of the theme group structure in 1997, there have been three
such groups but because research themes change, the theme groups also change
in terms of personnel, at least in principle. With the start of a new
research programme, three new theme groups are launched at the same time.
Read further In order to be able to respond to developments in Africa and
African studies, theme groups run for a period of five years. At the
end of this term discussions are held, external advice is sought and
new theme groups are formed.
The ASC's three current theme groups, which run from 2007 to
2011, are in alphabetical order:
Connections and
Transformations: The Social Construction of Linking Technologies in
Africa and Beyond (C&T)
Economy, Environment and Exploitation (EEE)
Social Movements and Political Culture (SMPC)
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Connections
and Transformations
Economy, Environment and Exploitation
Social
Movements and Political Culture |
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