On the occasion of Jan-Bart Gewald’s selection as a fellow at Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), we interviewed him about the research project The 'Big Hole', Kimberley South Africa, 1870-1920 which he will conduct there. ‘Without “the Big Hole”, southern Africa wouldn’t exist as it is now.' 

A new paper by Tycho van der Hoog explores the largely unknown history of North Korean development aid in Africa. In the twentieth century, Pyongyang was an important partner for recently liberated African countries and actively used development aid as a tool for its foreign policy, aiming to gain international recognition.

The African Studies Centre Leiden proudly presents its new logo! It depicts a frame through which the ASCL observes, researches and aims to understand diverse African realities. With the new logo comes a new website with a fresh look, which we will continue to work on in the coming months.

The new photo exhibition 'Born Free - Mandela's Generation of Hope' by Ilvy Njiokiktjien can be seen in the corridors of the ASCL (third floor) and on the first floor of the Pieter de la Court Building until 31 July 2022. During her work in South Africa, photo journalist Ilvy Njiokiktjien became intrigued by the 'born-frees', born after the end of apartheid.

Annachiara Raia has received funding from the Dutch Research Council (NWO) for the research project 'Forging Transoceanic Muslim Histories: Swahili Literary Networks on the 20th-Century Indian Ocean Coast'. From the 1930s in East Africa, a massive print production of Swahili religious pocket literature started.

The war in Ukraine also has an impact on Africa: 45 of the 54 African countries depend for more than a third on grain from Ukraine and Russia. Ton Dietz was interviewed about the consequences of this war on the African continent, in the 'Africast' podcast.