The Freiburg Africa Talks as a lecture forum of the to establish Africa Centre for Transregional Research at the University of Freiburg aims to present a differentiated picture of African reality to the general public, the city society of Freiburg and beyond. African and European experts from politics and business as well as science and society will be invited to selected topics and questions in order to present their findings to the public in various dialogue formats and to make controversial offers for discussion.
Official opening of the Africa Centre for Transregional Research
The official opening of ACT, scheduled for Monday, May 4th, 2020, will now take place virtually. All announced speakers have recorded their contributions.
"ACT aims to afford African scholars the opportunity to study others besides themselves. Rarely do African scholars have the resources to conduct research in other African countries, let alone beyond Africa. Becoming researchers of countries and peoples outside Africa is much more than extending the geographical boundaries of knowledge production in Africa. It goes to the very heart of the politics of knowledge production in normalising Africans as scientists and knowers who may come from elsewhere, but are grappling with similar questions regarding what it means to be human. It would also contribute to acknowledging and normalising the multi-directional of flow of ideas. As things stand, the knowledge about Africa that is propagated around the globe and within Africa, is produced and published mostly by European and American scholars. Africa is the only continent in this particular predicament, which entrenches understandings of Africa shaped by knowledge systems and research priorities not rooted in African realities." Prof. Dzodzi Tsikata, University of Ghana Speech (pdf)
Video: Keynote: Prof. Dr. Horst Köhler, Former German Federal President
"The Corona pandemic is currently making it brutally clear just how interconnected the human existence on our planet is. Transregional research is urgently needed. We need more knowledge and more awareness of the global interdependencies that shape all our lives. The new Africa Centre in Freiburg wants (...) to contribute to making those interdependencies visible and reducing global knowledge asymmetries. And it wants to carry out research not only on Africa, but with Africa." Prof. Dr. Horst Köhler, Former Federal President Speech (pdf)
Video: Greetings: Theresia Bauer, State Minister for Science, Research and Art (in German)
Video: Greetings: Martin Horn, Lord Mayor of the City of Freiburg (in German)
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The following lectures have taken place so far within the framework of the series:
- Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul (former Federal Minister): Europa und Afrika: Ein Friedensprojekt auf Grundlage gemeinsamer Interessen und Werte, 6th June 2019, recording of the lecture
- Prof. Dr. Abena D. Oduro (MIASA, University of Gahna: The gender gap in asset ownership in Ghana, 2th July 2019, recording of the lecture
- Prof. Dr. André du Pisani (University of Namibia) und Prof. Dr. Reinhart Kößler (Arnold-Bergstraesser-Institut) Namibia and Germany: Problematic heritage and current challenges, 11th November 2019
- Professor Roger Southall (Wits University Johannesburg) und Professor Joseph Diescho (Visiting Professor at the University of Bonn): Southern Africa after the Election Year - A further step towards deepening democracy or a missed opportunity?, 10th December 2019
- Prof. Dr. Susanne Kuß (Pädagogische Hochschule Freiburg, Institut für Politik- und Geschichtswissenschaft): Die großen deutschen Kolonialkriege, 12th December 2019
- Dr. Franzisca Zanker (ABI), Judith Altrogge (Institut für Migrationsforschung und Interkulturelle Studien und ABI), Gerald Knaus (European Stability Initiative), Yahya Sonko (Gambian Refugees Association – Europe Branch), Yorck Wurms (ehem. EU Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs) Gambische Migrationspolitik am Scheideweg?, 8th January 2020
- Prof. Dr. Bénédicte Savoy, TU Berlin: Zurück in die Zukunft. Die Restitution afrikanischer Kulturgüter aus historischer Sicht, 22th January 2020, recording of the lecture
The events take place in cooperation with the Colloquium politicum of the University of Freiburg.
* modifi ed Adinkra symbol ‘knowledge’; the ‘C’ out of the ACT Logo has been added in the middle