News & Events

Dieudo Hamadi belongs to a new generation of contemporary African filmmakers. Born in 1984 in Kisangani, the Democratic Republic of Congo is still his home. Initially studying medicine, he later learned filmmaking through various documentary and editing workshops in Brussels and Paris. Hamadi now has his own production company, Kiripifilms. The ASCL Library recently acquired his two most recent documentary films. They are the subject of our latest Library Highlight!

For his research project focusing on the governance of security in informal urban settlements in Luanda, Angola, PhD candidate Antonio Frank travelled to Luanda in 2017 to make a documentary. In the slums he met young artists who make a living from selling their art and in other innovative ways, thereby influencing the neighbourhoods in a positive way. These young artists set a good example for other young people, showing them an alternative to a violent or criminal way of life.

The ASCL Library recently acquired three books that constitute interesting sources for the colonial history of the Equatorial region. All three involve writings by Alfons Vermeulen, an employee of the ‘Nieuwe Afrikaansche Handels-Vennootschap’ (NAHV), the Dutch trading house active in the wider Congo region in the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th. Vermeulen's memoirs have now been published, edited and annotated by a member of his family, Fred van den Hoek. ASCL researcher Klaas van Walraven wrote a paper about these acquisitions.

Registration for the two Leiden-Delft-Erasmus (LDE) minors that the ASCL co-organises will be open until 15 April. The minors African Dynamics and Frugal Innovation for Sustainable Global Development are accessible for third-year bachelor students from Leiden University, TU Delft and Erasmus University Rotterdam. These are selection minors: only 40 students can be accommodated per minor. Registration for both minors will close on 15 April 2021. NB On registering for these minors, a message will pop up indicating that the course is full and you will be placed on a waiting list. Please ignore this message and continue with your registration! The selections will be made after registration has closed (deadline: 15 April).

Registration for the two Leiden-Delft-Erasmus (LDE) minors that the ASCL co-organises will be open until 15 April. It concerns the minor African Dynamics and the minor Frugal Innovation for Sustainable Global Development. The minors are only accessible for third-year bachelor students from Leiden University, TU Delft and Erasmus University Rotterdam. These are selection minors: only 40 students can be accommodated per minor. Registration for both minors will close on 15 April 2021.