How do mining activities affect the communities that live around them? In what ways have mineral resources defined Africa and her people? How does the history of mining influence contemporary mining practices? These questions will be explored during a student-organised conference from 25 to 27 March.

Describing almost 1400 Africa maps in three months: it’s no small task that student assistants Artemis Mantheakis and Beatriz Veiga have been working on within the joint ASCL-UBL Africa Maps Project. The aim is to describe a 20th-century map collection of the library of the African Studies Centre, that is housed in the Leiden University Libraries (UBL).

The jury of the Africa Thesis Award is delighted to announce that the 2025 prize has been awarded to Yonwaba Matshobotiyana of the University of the Free State, South Africa, with a thesis on Black women's poetry in South Africa. The jury was blown away by this strong scholarly contribution to Black feminist thought and the field of decolonial literature studies. 

On 2–3 March, the 'Green Hydrogen South–South Dialogue from Below' took place in Namibia. This event brought together community representatives, indigenous leaders, and civil society organisations from Namibia, South Africa, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia.

In this special section of the journal Conflict and Society, the authors call for attention to 'conflict continuities' to understand contemporary violence. They argue that past violent conflict may serve to generate new conflict, in reworked forms. The special section was initiated by the CRG ‘Conflict continuities’.

The session on the Master African Studies was well attended during the university’s Master’s Open Day on 6 February. Current students and alumni shared their experiences on the study programme and research project in Africa. Are you also interested in the Master African Studies? Apply now!