Africana Studies Commons^™

Women’S Peace Agency: Reading Africae Munus In The Framework Of Emilie Townes’ Womanist Ethics And The Cultural Production Of Evil, Leonard N. Zifac

Graduate Student Research Symposium

This paper employs Emilie M. Townes's womanist ethical framework—particularly her concept of the "cultural production of evil"—to critically examine Pope Benedict XVI's post-synodal exhortation Africae Munus (2011) and its treatment of African women's agency in peacebuilding. While Africae Munus calls the Church in Africa to serve reconciliation, justice, and peace, and acknowledges women's dignity and contributions to family and community life, the document largely confines women's roles to maternal, supportive, and domestic spheres without adequately challenging the patriarchal structures that systematically marginalize women from strategic leadership and formal peace processes. Drawing on Townes's analysis of how cultural narratives, religious discourse, …

Deforestation Affecting Developing Nations, Nicole Villa

Sustainability Conference

Deforestation continues to be a growing problem around the globe, while it is affecting wildlife what can be overlooked is the challenges it’s creating for the livelihood of nations. This goes beyond losing the biodiversity of our ecosystems but social consequences with the scarcity of water in Malawi, rise in health risks in Democratic Republic of Congo and negative effects of agricultural expansion in Belize. Overall social conflict in these areas that are suffering to grow. Furthermore, I aim to cover the major challenges previously mentioned followed by counteracts of deforestation including action plan in Brazil, efforts of other countries …

Blerds Of A Feather, Nerd Out Together: Exploring Sociological Intersections Of Black Identity And Nerd Culture, Nikki Keating

Research Symposium

Black nerds, or “Blerds,” exist at the intersection of nerd identity and Black racial identity. In recent years, however, Blerds have built communities and events that celebrate both aspects of their identity. However, mainstream (predominantly white) nerd culture and societal stereotypes of Blackness often position these identities as conflicting, leaving Blerds to navigate a unique middle ground. This study explores how Blerds embrace both identities despite these tensions. Based on semi-structured interviews with 18 self-identified Blerds, the research examines how they negotiate their racial and nerd identities, how other identities intersect, and how they challenge norms around race and nerd …

Africanizing Manifestos: The Political Economics Of Sincerity In The Democratic Republic Of Congo And Tanzania, Amélie Fournier

Research Symposium

In May 1967, Joseph Mobutu, the dictator of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and his political party the Movement Populaire de la Révolution (MPR), published the Manifesto of N’sele, the backbone of his Authentécité ideology. That same year, Tanzania’s president, Julius Nyerere released his Arusha Declaration, officially establishing African Socialism in the country through Ujamaa. Both texts outline a plan to Africanize their respective countries as the primary strategy to develop beyond the legacies of colonialism. Despite the similarities– both emphasize the creation of a unified national identity, and the goal of economic stability through increased government involvement– the …

Exploring Alternative Approaches To Peace: Traditions, Beliefs And Memories In The Democratic Republic Of Congo, Yvon Muya Cimanga

Peace and Conflict Studies Journal Conference

This paper examines alternative dispute resolution mechanisms that stakeholders could address. In countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the political agreements reached in recent years with drums beating have not ceased to show their limits (Autesserre, 2006; Kibisswa, 2015). In addition to the wars that have continued between the different actors, tensions remain persistent between some communities. How can these traditional peace agreements be strengthened and foster lasting peace for the benefit of society as a whole? The research draws on the richness of social and cultural practices within Congolese communities and suggests original models of conflict …

Exploring Alternative Approaches To Peace: Traditions, Beliefs And Memories In The Democratic Republic Of Congo, Yvon Muya Cimanga

Peace and Conflict Studies Journal Conference

The paper discusses alternative conflict resolution mechanisms that researchers, conflict management practitioners and policy makers could consider. In countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, political agreements reached in recent years to the sound of drums have continued to show their limits (Autesserre, 2006; Kibisswa, 2015). In addition to the ongoing wars, tensions remain high between some ethnic communities. How can these traditional peace agreements be strengthened, and sustainable peace fostered for the benefit of society as a whole? The research draws on the richness of social and cultural practices within Congolese communities and suggests original models of …

Mourning The Marathon: Black Men Rappers, Homicide Survivorship Bereavement, And The Rap Tribute Of Nipsey Hussle, Melvin L. Williams, Justin K. Winley, Justin Causey

Far West Popular Culture Association Annual Conference

Eritrean-American rapper Ermias “Nipsey Hussle” Asghedom’s murder represented a cultural cataclysmic event that startled the hip-hop community and triggered previous memories of Black men’s homicidal deaths in rap and Black American urban communities. Nipsey Hussle’s death inspired touching rap tribute songs by Black men rappers, who sought to commemorate his cultural legacy and express their bereavement pains as homicide survivors. Rap tribute songs occupy a significant history, as rappers historically employed them to honor hip-hop’s fallen soldiers, communicate their homicide survivorship bereavement processes, and speak about social perils in the Black community. Framed by critical race (CRT) and gender role …

Black Culture And Community In Good Times, Angela Nelson

Far West Popular Culture Association Annual Conference

The situation comedy Good Times broadcast on the CBS network from February 8, 1974 to August 1, 1979, is a television milestone because it was the first series to feature a recurring, intact Black two-parent nuclear family, the Evanses, on American primetime television. In the conventions of seventies “TV World,” the “intact Black nuclear family” is a married, heterosexual, two-parent African American family with children all living in a single dwelling at the same time. David Marc in Demographic Vistas notes the focus of American situation comedies up to 1974: “The sitcom is a representational form, and its subject is …

The Material Wealth Of Slaves In The South, India Daniel

Symposium of Student Scholars

Since its beginning, enslavement of African peoples in the New World has been a topic of great interest. There are many different routes to go, in terms of researching that era and what went along with it. However, because of its extent and variation in different places, there is a great amount of information and stories that have gone untold. This research will help to unpack some of those stories, particularly as it relates to the slaves of the Conner-Field house in Cartersville, Georgia, whose possessions were not typical “slave possessions”. Their possessions help to shed a light on their …

Utilizing Art & Culture To Support The Success Sequence, Kelvin M. Walston, Tarita Johnson

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This presentation will demonstrate how Hip Hop and African American History are used as educational teaching tools in our evidenced based program to promote social, emotional, and violence prevention skills. Explorations from the African diaspora, historical trauma, slavery, post traumatic slave syndrome to decoding and deconstructing hip hop elements all intersect to provide the basis of violence prevention, and more profoundly social and emotional balance.

#Aminext: The Link Between European Colonization And Gender-Based Violence In Contemporary South Africa, Jenna Meredith Pagel

Capstone Showcase

Alarmingly, the female murder rate in South Africa is five times the global average (BBC News 2019). According to data from 2017 and 2018, a woman is murdered every four hours in South Africa (Wilkinson 2019). More than 30 women were killed by their spouses in August 2019, and at least 137 sexual offenses are committed per day in South Africa (Francke 2019).

For this thesis, and in order to understand why South Africa has some of the highest rates of violence against women in the world, I consult a number of scholars who conclude that the overall issue of …

Get Out: Schooling As Spirit Possession, Amiri Mahnzili

The Annual Black Intersections Conference

In this chapter, the authors propose that education, which historically has been mainly under the jurisdiction of religious institutions and has been administered by spiritual leaders and attendants, is a sacred and spiritual transaction. Thus, churches and schools are equivalent and have the same spiritual obligation , which is to create in an individual a new spirit. Given the spiritual nature of education, we see the colonial schooling system as a conduit for spirit infusion that provides the opportunity for not only “acting White” but also for the possibility of becoming White by spirit possession. This line of thought leads …

Dignifying Suffering: Reparations And Restorative Justice In Deeply Divided Societies, Jermaine Mccalpin

Symposium on Genocide and Human Rights Research in Africa and the Diaspora

In this talk, McCalpin argues that until reparations and restorative justice models are engaged and enacted, the genocide persists.

6th Annual Symposium On Genocide And Human Rights Research In Africa And The Diaspora Conference Program, African And African American Studies Department

Symposium on Genocide and Human Rights Research in Africa and the Diaspora

No abstract provided.

Whatsapp And Mobile Money Towards Successful Crowdfunding And Social Change: A Kenyan Case., Frankline Bradly Matanji

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

Use of WhatsApp as a social media technology and M-pesa, a mobile money service for crowdfunding in Kenya are proliferating at an incredible pace. Crowdfunding helps communities organize for effective participation in social and economic development and empowerment by making sure that members of the community get to benefit from services such as access to social amenities and better infrastructure which would not have been available if the community members were to wait for the government to provide the services. This method is popularly being used at Kisii University for students’ retention and providing social welfare to students, their parents …

A Mixed-Methods Approach To Social Media Uses In Health Communication: A Case Study Of Infertility Among Cancer Patients, Alter Chemotherapy Radiation Treatments, Margaret Githua

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

Health communication is one of the fastest developing areas of communication and health communication researchers have maintained an abiding and persistent interest in examining the intersections of people's uses of media and the resulting influences on their behaviors. In this new age of widespread uses of social media, particularly Facebook, considerable attention has been directed to how the new media platforms are used for heath communication purposes, especially weight loss management. Our presentation is based on a mixed methods research aimed at using a multiplicity of research methods to examine how cancer patients who are conscious of the health implications …

Africana Studies Student Research Conference 2019 Flyer, Bowling Green State University

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

Flyer for the 2019 Africana Studies Student Research Conference & Luncheon.

Africana Studies Student Research Conference 2019 Program, Bowling Green State University

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

Program from the 21st Annual Africana Studies Student Research Conference & Luncheon.

Africana Studies Student Research Conference: Uploading Your Paper, Bowling Green State University

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

Instructions for students submitting proposals for the 2019 Africana Studies Student Research Conference & Luncheon.

Africana Studies Student Research Conference 2019 Call For Papers, Bowling Green State University

Africana Studies Student Research Conference (2013-2019)

Call for papers for the 2019 Africana Studies Student Research Conference & Luncheon.