African Languages and Societies Commons^™

Reacting To Electronic Literature In Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, Faith Samuel Bassey

ELO (un)supervised 2026

Electronic literature is still quite new in our country, and we do not have enough manpower to drive a literary or scholarly movement.  We need to introduce these concepts to many people; however, we do not have the people we need who know the field well enough to pass on their passion and prowess to get others enthused about electronic literature.

In this talk, I will describe the ways that I have presented my work, The Water Seller, Mai Ruwa, with Deena Larsen. In October 2025,  I presented this work in an in-person conference in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra …

Duramazwi Digital System (Modules Integration), Laiza Mumiriki, Surprise Prosper Chikotsi, Tafadzwa Muchaiwa

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

This research paper explores the development of the Duramazwi Digital System, a comprehensive platform that integrates digital tools and technologies to enhance the experience of linguists and language learners. By combining the use of a dashboard, API, mobile app, and chatbot to provide users with seamless and interactive language learning experience. The study adopted the Activity Theory as its guiding theory for theoretical insights on natural language processing systems, language and learning. The methodology employed in this research follows the Design Science Research approach. The study utilizes various data collection techniques. The paper presents the system design and implementation details, …

Crowdsourcing The Translation Of Technological Terms To Tigrinya, Tigre And Blien., Kokob Weldetensae

Symposium on Tigrinya Language, Literature, and Culture

This event is on crowdsourcing the translation of technological terms, words and phrases to Tigrinya, Tigre and Blien using a web based solution at https://meaditranslation.org. This event will showcase the efforts, reasons and benefits behind translating technological terms in to some of native African languages such as Tigrinya, Tigre and Blien. Moreover, there will be an update on the current progress made by MeadiTranslation community who contributed in translating around 3000 technology terms by submitting a translation as well as voting on other candidate submissions.

11th International Conference On Business, Technology And Innovation 2022, University For Business And Technology - Ubt

UBT International Conference

Welcome to IC – UBT 2022

UBT Annual International Conference is the 11th international interdisciplinary peer reviewed conference which publishes works of the scientists as well as practitioners in the area where UBT is active in Education, Research and Development. The UBT aims to implement an integrated strategy to establish itself as an internationally competitive, research-intensive university, committed to the transfer of knowledge and the provision of a world-class education to the most talented students from all background. The main perspective of the conference is to connect the scientists and practitioners from different disciplines in the same place and make …

Understanding Humanity: Demarginalizing The Intersection Of Black Masculinity And Feminity For The Psyche, Kandice Fowlkes

Symposium of Student Scholars

As the intersection of race and gender is a feat for the strong Black man and strong Black woman, the double edged sword is the deterioration of mental health overlooked by the need to maintain the guise of perfection. The social disadvantages of this intersection include a myriad of traumas such as financial stability, violence and oppression, and the internal stigma of judgment, which causes Black men and Women to delay or go undiagnosed for mental health disorders. In turn, this enables an unstable community to unite for mental health reform. Aside from seeking medical help, the conversation of mental …

Songs Of The Sea And The Sailor: Demystifying The Mythology Of British Sailing Culture, Henry Strobel

Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Symposium

Sea shanties have generally been accepted as the main relic of the culture of British sailors: a mythology that permeates the 19th and 20th century describing the harsh, unforgiving and yet in many ways romanticized life at sea. The repertoire of this time was eventually written down and catalogued by folk music collectors such as Cecil J. Sharp, who were hoping to record and preserve the British identity for generations to come. However, in researching the etymology of these songs as well as the first-hand accounts of sailors, there is a significantly greater layer of complexity to this history than …

The Rainbow Nation Vision: (Re)Constructing & (Re)Imagining South Africanness, Riley Crouthamel

Capstone Showcase

“Rainbowism” or the new form of nationalism inspired by Mandela’s “Rainbow Nation vision” emphasizes unity, equality, and non-racialism, and has become the dominant myth and metaphor by which South Africa is recognized in the post-apartheid era. Through an application of a theoretical framework that emphasizes the mythological and imaginative aspects of constructive nationalism and an analysis of Rainbowism’s rise to mythical dominance and evolution in the South African imaginary over the span of the past three decades of democracy using ANC “Rainbowist” discourses in both explicit and inexplicit ways, this thesis argues that Rainbowism arose as a counter myth in …

Roots Of African American Christianity, Homer Jones

Georgia College Student Research Events

The basis of African American Christianity is influenced by African religion and the Gullah Geechee Corridor. This study is explored in a performance arts structure of choreography and dramaturgy. This is because there is a strong sense of arts presented in Africa as well as African American religion. This research is explored in Crowns by Regina Taylor. Crowns is important for this research because of the African American culture that is presented specifically at Georgia College and State University. Crowns is the first African American musical that emphasizes the idea of black culture and religion and how African religion is …

Grassroots Activism In Resolving Intractable Human Rights Problems: Theory And Case Studies From Ghana And Barcelona, Mette Brogden, Phyllis Taoua, Rashid Abubakar Iddrisu, Durado Brooks Jr, Francis M. Abugbilla

Biennial Conference: The Social Practice of Human Rights

Five presentations comprise this panel discussing grassroots activism in resolving intractable human rights problems. Presenters will provide case studies, theoretical framings, and practical steps to create salutogenic trajectories toward healthy societies and communities where marginalized people can realize human rights and freedoms to attain lives "they have reason to value" (cf. Amartya Sen). The Ghanaian and U.S. presenters include academic researchers, human rights practitioners, and independent artist/filmmakers.

Katanga Secession: The Growth And Manipulation Of Ethnic Associations, Hannah L. Mohtadi

Young Historians Conference

The Katanga province in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains one of the most minerally rich regions in the world, leading to many political and social interferences by foreign powers hoping to secure a part of the wealth. Following decades of oppressive colonial rule, the Democratic Republic of Congo gained independence from Belgium in 1960, sparking a violent political shift and allowing a secessionist movement to take place in Katanga. While it is commonly held that foreign powers manipulated indigenous leaders in order to remain a powerful source within the community, this assertion is inaccurate. Although external powers undoubtedly shaped …

"Returning To My Father" : A Decolonial Reading Of Lk 15:11-32 Towards A Reconstruction Of African Theological Anthropology For Authentic Sacramental Ethics Via Indigenous Divinity Graduate Schools., Besem Etchi

Graduate Student Research Symposium

This paper makes three hermeneutical contributions: (1) By uncovering the Indigenous Norse zero-point subtext structuring today's Catholic liturgy, the paper constructs ancestral primacy as the delinking methodology for indigeniztion; (2) By emphasizing ritual as transformative technology for identity and relationship, in its wielding of neurolinguistic programming, the paper establishes indigenous epistemology as the proper spatial locus for any symbolic exchange that emerges authentic sacramental ethics; (3) By discussing the possibilities that creating indigenous Divinity graduate schools in African countries offers, a path of realizing sociopolitical stability and harmony in African states as a communal body is systematized.

With the ritual …

A Study Of Precolonial Urban Africa, Molly Cooper

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

Africa’s precolonial era of urban development lasted from approximately 3000 BC until the colonial era began in the sixteenth century AD. During this period, urban centers were built in regions of high ecological and economic potential, such as the Mediterranean coast, the Nile towns of Nubia, West Africa, and the Sub-Saharan region of Africa. Studying key cities in each of these areas demonstrates the rich history of precolonial Africa as well as the continued influence of these sophisticated cultures. Using historical records, archeological findings, and analysis of urban trends of cities such as Carthage, Meroe, Djenne, and the Great Zimbabwe, …

Neocolonialism And Globalization: The Dual Phenomena Of Exploitation And Underdevelopment In Modern Africa, Jack Riegert

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

Since the 1960s till date, African independence has been a mirage. Real freedom for African countries had been redefined by the impact of neo-colonialism and globalization. While neo-colonialism simply means indirect hegemonic control of former colonies or developing countries by former European colonizers and Western powers, globalization is the integration of global economy marked by free trade, free flow of capital, and the exploitation of cheaper foreign labor and raw material markets. Under neo-colonialism and the globalized world, though presumed independent, Africa is still dominated and exploited. Kwame Nkrumah, perhaps one of the most influential African leaders of history, aptly …

Gdr Involvement In South Africa: When Does Solidarity Become Engagement?, Edward Vaughan

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

The German Democratic Republic (GDR) was one of the most influential forces during the Cold War in Southern Africa. Thanks to their assistance, revolutionary groups such as the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) and the African National Congress (ANC) were able to stand up against the Apartheid government in South Africa aided by the United States. This project examines the GDR support and solidarity measures during the Cold War and if the GDR‘s involvement in this area constitutes active engagement with the conflict. Since the German reunification, research into the specific policies of the GDR and its connection to …

The African American Political Party Flip, Shanna Riley

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

My paper discusses the African American political party flip during the 1930s-1960s. Throughout my research, I found that there were many factors in the African American political party flip which began in the 1930s and continued into the 1960s. After analyzing the origin of the Democratic and Republican parties, I found that the latter supported freeing slaves during the 1800s. I will discuss how presidents Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson each handled Civil Rights during their times in office, and how this impacted the African American vote. Each president saw the power of African American voters, and knew that …

Reframing Aesthetic Theory In The Caribbean Through Derrida’S Theory Of Deconstruction, Micaela Deogracias

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

There has been an ongoing struggle to pinpoint the definition of Caribbean aesthetic. Although still framed through Western values of beauty and significance, the Caribbean has been making strides towards breaking out of the artistic definitions of the Eurocentric art history canon. A means of doing so is evident in the works of Livia Ortiz Ríos, a Puerto Rican abstract expressionist artist who frames her art through the Chaos Theory and Derrida's Theory of Deconstruction. The latter's discussion of binary comparisons beautifully mirrors the present binary comparison of Caribbean art to Western art. This work will focus on Derrida's Theory …

A Modern Mother: Harriet Powers, Alyssa Johnson

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

The proposed presentation, “A Modern Mother: Harriet Powers (1837-1911),” was inspired by Linda Nochlin’s provocative question, “Why have there been no great women artists?” While the question is simple and concise, it enlists a number of responses. The most common response to this question, as pointed out by the contemporary group of artists known as the Guerilla Girls, is to counter with the question: “Why haven’t more women been considered great artists throughout Western history?” The reframing of Nochlin’s question implies the presence of greatness among the female ranks of artists, and allows for discovery and celebration of those forgotten. …

Colorism: The Effect Of Interracial Racism, Hannah Mcdermott

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

It is clear that issues involving race have plagued the growth of the United States since the early stages of the land's development. However, through Wallace Thurman's novel The Blacker the Berry, he is able to illustrate the struggles of racism within the African American society, having detrimental effects on the psychological aspect of racism as well. My paper focuses on the main character, Emma Lou, who faces both public and personal racism throughout her upbringing. Focusing on the problems that discrimination brings forward, the novel hones in on African Americans in education, family, the work place, and even …

Haitian Carnival: The Art Of Resistance, Kari Boroff

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

This paper explores the different characters that are represented during Haitian Carnival, where participants mask their identities in order to act out mythological and political tales, emphasizing the corruption, politics, and social issues of Haiti through costume and drama. These characters which can appear bizarre, comical, or terrifying, embody subjects such as Haiti’s successful slave revolt in 1791, elements of Vodou, satirical representations of political figures, and social issues such as AIDS. Moreover, this raw, powerful, expressive side of Haitian Carnival can be compared to the artwork of André Eugène, whose work is characterized by and embodies the haunting, provocative …

A Passage To Bowling Green: A Chronological Exploration Of James Baldwin’S Connection To Bgsu’S Ethnic Studies Department, Blaze Campbell

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

James Baldwin became connected to Bowling Green State University’s (BGSU) Ethnic Studies Department starting in the late 1970s, making four visits to campus, once as a guest speaker, once as a Write-in-Residence, and twice as a Distinguished Visiting Professor. The purpose of this paper is to understand how the relationship between BGSU and Baldwin developed. I constructed a historical, chronological narrative utilizing primary sources including various documents from BGSU’s archival collection to understand Baldwin’s affiliation with the university.

Baldwin’s 1977 visit to BGSU was his first public lecture in the United Sates since his departure to France years prior. Additionally, …

Solidarity Between Women In Chimamanda Adichie's Purple Hibiscus, Michael Eniola Oshindoro

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

Adichie presents a complex reality of the Nigerian society, with particular focus on the Igbo, a tribal majority in the country. The novel details a woman’s ordeal and how she breaks free from her husband’s abusive grip, which does not spare their two children either. Mr. Eugene Achike, mostly referred to as Papa in the novel, sets the rules in the house and makes Beatrice Achike, also known as Mama, and their teenage children, Kambili and Jaja, follow them; regularly he uses physical torture to enforce the rules. While in public he fights for human rights and freedom of speech …

"Unite Yourselves In The Name Of Anywaa": Music And Anywaa Ethnic Identity In Gambella, Ethiopia, Sarah Bishop

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

Ethnicity is highly politicized in northeast Africa and has been implicated in conflicts, tensions, and protests in different countries throughout the region. Various, complex factors play a role in this: political marginalization and cultural denigration of certain ethno-linguistic groups within nation-states, unequal access to resources, increasingly ethnicized cycles of violence, and overall rise in identity politics around the globe are a few. This paper aims to expand our understanding of ethnicity by examining how ethnic phenomena are manifested in expressive culture and how expressive culture reflects, shapes, and informs ethnic consciousness. I do so by exploring local music-making amongst members …

Racism, Prejudice, And Democratization: The Westernization Of Japan Under U.S. Occupation, 1945-52, Jasmine Mitchell

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

Following the unconditional surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945, the Allied forces set out to establish a military occupation in Japan to instill democratic ideals upon the nation and rid Japan of its militarist and fascist sentiments. In facilitating Japan’s transformation into a democratic nation with values of freedom, liberty, and equality, there was also an influx of cultural exchanges between the American occupation forces and Japanese citizens. In fact, the issue of race revealed itself as a major component of American democracy that created a strain on the interactions and relationships between African American GIs, white GIs and …

Giving A Voice To The Voiceless And Women's Education In Kenya, Lyndah Wasike

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

Social stratification in any given capitalistic society leaves the poor voiceless. Moreover, children from well-off families attend prestigious schools, they are more informed and have resources to make meaningful life decisions. On the other hand, their poor counterparts attend low-cost schools and as if that is not enough, lots of problems claim a share of their lives. How can we make a safe learning environment for teenage girls from humble families? Meekers, Gage, & Zhan (1995) cites that in many cases, adolescents are insufficiently or incorrectly informed about their changing sexuality, and about the consequences and responsibilities associated with sexual …

Blended Styles Of African American Folk Music, Joseph Johnson

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

From childhood to the present, I have heard stories from my grandmother of growing up as an African American in rural North Carolina. As a young girl, she experienced a great deal of racial injustice, but she also told me of many of her most memorable experiences, mainly in relation to the church and old-time string band music. Through the musicological study of Rhiannon Giddens and The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Jake Blount, and Valerie June, I will show how these performing artists in the U.S. keep the tradition of African American old-time music alive while blending it with other contemporary …

The Imagined Nation, Yohannes Tesfamichael

Symposium on Eritrean Literature

No abstract provided.

The Witty And Hilarious Stories Of Shum Fre-Hans - ተረካብ ዘረባ ሽም ፍረሓንስ, Abraham Negash

Symposium on Eritrean Literature

Before the beginning of written literature, the stories told by people known for their wisdom and intellect in their villages were passed from generation to generation by word of mouth.

However, as time went by and the tellers of Eritrean folklore passed away and the rest of society became nonchalant, the meaning and pleasurable messages started to fade away from the memory of society. If those stories had been written down, they would have enriched and contributed immensely to the development of Eritrean language, culture, and literature.

Considering that a lot has been said and narrated in different regions on …

Challenges For Eritrean Literary Work: A Personal Experience - ብድሆታት ስነ ጽሑፍ ብትግርኛ፤ ርእሰ ተመክሮ, Eskias Ghebreyohannes

Symposium on Eritrean Literature

Abstract: Potential Eritrean writers in the diasporas face formidable technical and marketing challenges in bringing their literary works in Tigrigna to printing. The purpose of this presentation is to qualitatively discuss these challenges. I will touch upon the problems encountered in editing, publishing/printing, marketing and distributing the literary work.

Parental Care On Perspective Of Eritrean Customary Laws - ሕግታት እንዳባ ብዛዕባ ምእላይ ወላዲ, Mussie Tesfagiorgis Ph.D

Symposium on Eritrean Literature

ኣብ ምምዕባል ኣብ ዝርከቡ ሕብረተባት፡ ሕቶ ምእላይ ኣረጋውያን ወለዲ፡ ሓደ ካብቶም ቍባውን፡ ባህላውን ስነምግባራውን ብድሆታት እዩ። ኣብ ሕብረተሰባት ኤርትራ፡ ሕቶ ምእላይ ወለዲ፡ ናይ ነፍሲ ወከፍ ኣባል ስድራቤት ስነምግባራዊ ሓላፍነት ምዃኑ ከም ርዱእ ዝውሰድ እኳ እንተዀነ፡ ዳርጋ ኵሎም ሕግታት እንዳባ፡ ንኣተጋገብርኡ ብዝምልከት፡ ከም ኣካል ሕጊ ኣስፊሮሞ ይርከቡ፡፡ እዚ ጽሑፍ እዚ፡ ንምእላይ ወለዲ መንጽር ሕግታት እንዳባ ብዕሙቕ ዝበለ መንገዲ ዝድህስስ ክኸውን እዩ። መወከሲ እዚ ጽሑፍ እዚ እቶም ኣብ 1937 ክሳብ 1938 ተሓቲሞም ዝተዓቀቡ ሕግታት እንዳባ ኤርትራን፡ ገለ ብኣፈታሪኽ ዝተረኽቡ ሓበሬታትን ክኾኑ እዮም።

The Relevance Of The Message To Time And Space: President Barack Hussein Obama Speaking, Michael A. Nkansah

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

This paper adopts the traditional perspective of rhetorical criticism by Aristotle to analyze the speech that is said to have made Barrack Hussein Obama, the President of United States of America. The traditional perspective has been used to explain advertisements, novels, films and for the most part speeches. Concepts that form the construct of the traditional criticism are used to describe, interpret, evaluate and make subtle judgments about the rhetorical artifact. In order to achieve this, Aristotle proposed three elements for rhetorical analysis of an individual’s performance to a target audience within a span of time: (i) the speaker or …