For more than a dozen years, Critical Investigations into Humanitarianism in Africa (CIHA) has produced a blog (www.cihablog.com), run workshops, and shared online courses. All these undertakings have been guided by our mission statement, which is: “to transform the phenomenon of aid to Africa into egalitarian and respectful relationships that challenge unequal power relations, paternalism and victimization. Their research and commentaries lean both on critical voices but also religious one so as to explore the connections that exist between issues of faith, governance, gender, and race in colonial and post-colonial contexts. Using critical thinking and open exchanges, we strive for equality, justice and, ultimately, respect for others’ desires, beliefs and practices” (CIHA Mission Statement).
Their research and work with numerous African scholars and NGOs’ representatives, have reinforced our agreement with current calls across the African continent, Europe and beyond, to “decolonize” humanitarianism and aid in general.
But what might “decolonization” mean? And how to ensure that decolonization does not reproduce the pitfalls of previous attempts to equalize relations between powerful external aid organizations and African states and societies?
To explore these questions, the CIHA Project is holding their next workshop from October 27 to November 2, 2024, in Accra, Ghana, in partnership with the Global Africa program’s Junior Researchers’ Institute. The Global Africa Junior Researchers’ Institute integrates emerging African researchers into social scientific communities, enabling them to play an active part in shaping knowledge production about Africa and the world. In addition to the goals of mentoring and inclusion in scholarly communities, selected works derived from the JRI/CIHA Workshop are going to be eligible for publication in a special issue of Global Africa to be published in December 2025.
We invite junior researchers to submit projects in line with the topic and concept note outlined below.
Humanitarian Relationships and
the Reinvention of Africa's Futures:
Genealogies, Current Practices, and the Decolonial Imperative
GLOBAL AFRICA – ISSUE 12, DECEMBER 2025
Practical information:
The October 2024 workshop will bring together participants from Africa and its diasporas. Priority will be given to advanced degree students, post-doctoral scholars, and artists/practitioners whose research involve in-depth empirical or conceptual work, and who have shown a capacity to engage critically with their research topics and the concepts highlighted in this Concept Note.
The selection of applications will be based on the candidates' ability to identify and justify their research theme in relation to the theme of this session of the Doctoral School, to explain their problematic and their questions, and to detail the methods they intend to use. In addition to the suggested Review Essays, a particular attention will be given to themes that require fieldwork [that is almost-finished or completed], and to dossiers describing how this fieldwork was or will be] carried out.
The dossier must include:
A note (5-7 pages maximum) clearly indicating (1) the research’s theme; (2) the existing body of knowledge/literature on the theme; (3) the problematic or main questions the research seeks to give an answer to; (4) the methods chosen.
A letter of recommendation from your supervisor, if you have not yet completed your PhD thesis or research/creation thesis.
Proof of registration into a PhD thesis or research/creation thesis program.
Schedule:
Receipt of submissions:
until July 15, 2024; 12.00 am (UTC) at redaction@globalafricasciences.org
Responses to applicants: August 15, 2024
Mentoring : August 20-October 20 2024
Doctoral School : October 27 – November 2, 2024 (arrival in Accra on October 26)