"We do not fundamentally reject applied research, but believe it should rest on a solid basis.”
Prof. Mamadou Diawara and Prof. Elísio Macamo, initiators of the PAPA Pilot Project and the “Africa’s Contribution to Scholarship” lecture series

Not only in Africa is there a discernible trend to evaluate research in the humanities and social sciences in terms of its political and economic relevance. In particular, in Francophone Africa the pre-eminence of applied research leads, however, to the humanities and social sciences there not performing as well on a global comparison. In order to counter this tendency, one year ago the “Pilot African Postgraduate Academy (PAPA)” opened in Bamako, Mali. There, scholarship holders interact closely with their mentors to conduct basic international-class research. The Gerda Henkel Foundation is supporting the project. Now, in the form of the “Africa’s Contribution to Scholarship” lecture series renowned African academics are taking up the idea of the academy: On the Gerda Henkel Foundation’s L.I.S.A. science portal they offer insights into their research. An initial discussion with the initiators and the first lecture are now available as downloads. The other contributions will follow at 14-day intervals (https://lisa.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de).

Topics such as racism and (de-)colonialism do not predominate in the lectures, Prof. Elísio Macamo explains. Instead, the focus of the new series is on the universal contribution of the scholarship being presented: “Scholarship is a conversation. We wish to participate in that conversation – a conversation in which the focus is not on Africa’s problems but on the problems of humanity as a whole.”

Download now:
"In our own words"
Prof. Mamadou Diawara (Institute for Ethnology, Goethe University Frankfurt/Main) and Prof. Elísio Macamo (Centre for Africa Studies, University of Basel) introduce the series in conversation with the Gerda Henkel Foundation’s Georgios Chatzoudis and discuss what contribution Africa can and should make to scholarship.
https://lisa.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/lecture_inourownwords_idea

Lecture “African Studies”
Prof. Elísio Macamo, University of Basel
https://lisa.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/lecture_inourownwords_africanstudies

Coming soon online:
Lecture “Geography and Migration”
Prof. Inês Raimundo, Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mosambique
Monday, 14 June 2021, from 11 a.m.

Lecture “Decoloniality”
Prof. Sabelo Ndlovu-Gatsheni, University of Bayreuth
Monday, 28 June 2021, from 11 a.m.

Lecture “History”
Prof. Shamil Jeppie, University of Cape Town
Monday, 12 July 2021, from 11 a.m.

Other lectures from different disciplines to follow.

Additional information
on the “Pilot African Postgraduate Academy (PAPA)”: http://pointsud.org/pilot-african-postgraduate-academy-papa/?lang=en

Contact:
Gerda Henkel Foundation press office
Dr Sybille Wüstemann
Telephone +49 211 93 65 24 - 19
Telefax +49 211 93 65 24 44
wuestemann@gerda-henkel-stiftung.de