In this seminar on 31 May, Wayne Modest (Director of Content of the National Museum of World Culture) will explore the demands to decolonise museums and other heritage institutions, and the museums’ responses. He remains close to his own experience, focusing on the Tropenmuseum.

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

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.