10th Toyin Falola Annual International Conference on Africa and the African Diaspora (TOFAC) 2020
NOTE: Proposals will be accepted via email only: tofac2020@nust.na.
Kindly copy Professor Alinah Segobye at asegobye@nust.na and Dr Richard Iroanya at riroanya@unam.na
Contact Us
Enquiries
Conference coordinators:
Professor Alinah K Segobye (NUST) Dr Richard O Iroanya (UNAM)
Dean: Faculty of Human Sciences Associate Dean: School of Military Science
E: asegobye@nust.na E: riroanya@unam.na
About the 10th TOFAC 2020 Conference
Africa has the unique position of being a continent with a wealth of natural resources. However, this places Africa in a complex developmental situation. Some note that ‘the resources curse’ of the continent is the cause of its trajectory of negative development.
Others perceive the resources endowment as an opportunity to conquer the 21st century. The relationship between resources, democracy and development, is highlighted by the system of effective or ineffective democracies of the continent’s 54 states.
The 2020 TOFAC intends to critically examine the highly intricate and contested processes of resource development and democracy building in Africa. Furthermore, the conference will reflect on the construction of effective and ineffective political systems that are intimately linked to movements of colonialisation, coloniality and de-colonialisation.
The primary aim of TOFAC is to reflect on the multifaceted relationship between resources, development and democracy, as well as their effects on contemporary Africa and African societies.
The questions will also focus on how resources can be recast, in respect to the continent’s future. Simultaneously, the conference intends to create an intellectual space for examining the complex economies that exist in the region, including informal, illegal and foreign ones. Beyond the specific emphasis on Africa, the overarching focus of the conference is to engage with the effects of the global political economy and Africa’s role within that context.
Additionally, the histories of resources and resource development,
by both indigenous and non-indigenous populations, will be explored.
Scholars are invited to examine diverse aspects of foreign aid and investment channels that flow into the continent’s politics and
businesses. This includes tackling conversations surrounding dead
aid and corrupt governments that hold unsavoury positions within
African economies.
Critical topics of how political unrest, terrorism, extreme terror
formations and civil wars relate to the extraction and exploitation
of resources and the impact on Africa’s safety and security, will be
addressed. Participants are invited to critically analyse the role
of pan-African campaigns in the process to democratisation and
facilitation of inter-regional trade.
From the viewpoint of Africa’s economy and development, issues relating to aviation, and marine resources exploitation will be interrogated particularly in view of the losses to the economies of resources rich countries. Further, themes of gender and diversity, especially the role of women and youth in the economy and their access or lack thereof to microloans and other financing systems, will be interrogated.
This further correlates with the role of women in the political sphere and democracy building, both as voters and leaders. The objective of these dialogues is to pluralise the narratives on certain assumed and ambiguous positionalities.
Following the tradition of past years, the conference will provide a platform for scholars from various disciplines and geographical locations to interact, exchange ideas, and receive feedback.
Submitted papers will be assigned to various panels according to theme, topic, discipline, or geographical focus. Thematically focused panel proposals (with 3-5 participants) are encouraged.
TOFAC 2020 will particularly welcome postgraduate students and emerging scholars to attend and present their work. TOFAC aims to support publications from this conference and selected papers will be published in a series of book volumes.