African Studies Centre Leiden
The African Studies Centre Leiden of @unileiden.bsky.social is the only research centre on Africa in the Netherlands. African Library. Master and Graduate Programme. Seminars. Publications. Visiting fellows.
- 𝗡𝗩𝗔𝗦 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲. 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 💦 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 The Netherlands Association of African Studies (NVAS) & IHE Delft Institute for Water Education will organise a conference in Delft on 11 and 12 September. The organisers invite contributions! 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: 𝟮𝟬 𝗙𝗲𝗯
- How do African-based start-ups build sustainable business models in complex and dynamic contexts? In a new podcast series, students from the 2025–2026 LDE minor African Dynamics dive into this question by exploring four innovative African start-up companies. 1/3
- 📢 ASCL Seminar Reminder “The politics of net zero in Africa. Insights from ongoing work”. What politics are shaping engagement with net zero in African countries? 🗓 5 February 🕐 16:00 - 17:30 📍 Room 0.31 Herta Mohr Building 🎙️ Jessica Omukuti @oxfordnetzero.bsky.social 🔗 ascleiden.nl/news/ascl-se...
- 📢 Just published! Gaping Holes: Towards Multispecies Histories and Ethnographies of Mining in Southern Africa 🦓 This new volume contains histories and ethnographies of mining in southern Africa focusing on animals and plants in relation to mining. Open Access! 👉 ascleiden.nl/news/gaping-...
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- 🌍 Off to Nairobi: LDE Thesis Lab on Just and Sustainable Urban Transitions In February, a new cohort of master’s students will travel to Nairobi for the LDE Thesis Lab on Just and Sustainable Urban and Energy Transitions in Kenya. 1/5
- 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲! 🔜 On Friday 6 February, you can find out all about the master programmes and ask your questions to students, alumni and lecturers. 👉 Master African Studies will be presented from 11:15 - 12:00 in Herta Mohr Building, room 1.80. More info: buff.ly/cnYC0qJ
- 📣 Join us for the ASCL seminar “The politics of net zero in Africa. Insights from ongoing work” to explore what politics are shaping engagement with net zero in African countries. 🗓 5 February 🕐 16:00 - 17:30 📍 Room 0.31 Herta Mohr Building 🎙️ Jessica Omukuti 🔗 ascleiden.nl/news/ascl-se...
- (1/2) 🆕 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭! 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 '𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞'𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦' 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐤𝐚-𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. buff.ly/MkBR1ke Michael Glover's book is a rare and unique history of how colonialism in Southern Africa impacted cattle's subjective historical experiences. 👇
- 📢 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐙𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐚! (1/2) The B2D project will host the workshop 'Mines, Meat and Maize. The Environmental History of Mining in Southern Africa' at Mulungushi University, Zambia, on 25-27 August. buff.ly/O9VH2h 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: 15 February
- (1/3) Upcoming PhD defence! Gitty Petit will defend her dissertation 'Unbefitting healing objects? Relations to health and protection among young middle-class adults, indigenous healers and religious leaders in Dodoma, Tanzania'. Her thesis focuses on: 👇
- Joost Bastmeijer, correspondent for Africa at the Volkskrant, highlights in his farewell the flourishing comic book industry in Africa. On a recent acquisition trip, our Heleen Smits found a selection of Beninese comic books which have been added to our collection. Explore it today! bit.ly/4qLUoZX
- 🎉 Congratulations to INCLUDE and postdoctoral researcher @eric-cezne.bsky.social, who have won a grant from the IDRC for the project 'Making green hydrogen work in Africa: Addressing the skills gap and employment prospects for youth and women'. Read all about it 👇 ascleiden.nl/news/include...
- 📢 Another post in the Boom2Dust Blog! Walker Swindell describes a month of fieldwork in Kabwe #Zambia, where decades of #mining waste are still very present in everyday life. Dust rises in clouds with every step, settling on houses, schools, people, animals. Read it👇 www.boom2dust.nl/blog/dust-de...
- To all our #AfricanStudies #ResearchMaster & #PhDstudents @unileiden.bsky.social: Develop your research, collaboration, and writing skills, check out the 'Methodologies in the Social Sciences and the Humanities' course. Registration deadline: 15 January!
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- "A haven of peace and happiness where treasures are carefully kept, only to be placed in our hands with immense generosity and kindness", writes visiting fellow Ouafa Messous. Have you visited the #AfricanLibrary yet? Find out about our services! ascleiden.nl/content/libr... #Ourlibrary #Ourstories
- 🎉 Congrats to PhD candidate Carlien Donkor for being awarded a scholarship by the Gerda Henkel Foundation, for her project ‘Navigating the Dualities of Inclusive Development within Living Heritage Sites in Sub-Saharan Africa: Nzulezo, Ghana’. More information: ascleiden.nl/news/carlien...
- Last Thursday we had a lively Stephen Ellis Debate! Pascah Mungwini, Professor of Philosophy (UNISA) gave the keynote. 'Considering what we are witnessing around the world today, this topic could not have come at a better time', he noted. Read the report/watch video: 🔗 ascleiden.nl/news/lively-...
- 💥Last chance!! Register for the Stephen Ellis Debate and learn about how African philosophy can shape the future of peace, security, and conflict resolution on the continent. 🕓 16:00–18:00, followed by drinks 📍 Pieter de la Court building, Leiden, 1A20 and online 🔗https://shorturl.at/1v102
- 🆕 New post in the ASCL Africanist Blog! PhD candidate Winnie Nakatudde shares the voices of young urban refugee girls in Uganda who question the labels placed on them. The term ‘refugee’ can stigmatise in classrooms, while the girls show ambition and agency. Read it! 👉 ascleiden.nl/content/ascl...
- 🤩 Proud! An impressive total of 21 graduates of the Bachelor, Master and Research Master African Studies received their diplomas last week during a festive ceremony in the Academy Building in Leiden. Congratulations to all graduates! 🎉https://bit.ly/3Mla1sg #AfricanStudies #GraduationCeremony
- 📝Reminder for the Stephen Ellis Debate on the role of African philosophy in the future of peace and security. With Prof. Mungwini, John Kegel, Angela Roothaan, Irma Specht and Jos Hummelen (Africast). ➡️ 4 December 2025 / 16:00–18:00 / Pieter de la Court Building, 1A20 🔗 ascleiden.nl/news/stephen...
- 🎬 Keeping up with the African Philosophy Month, we will screen 'I am not a witch' by R. Nyoni, followed by a discussion with Dr. Louise F. Müller, researcher in African and feminist philosophy and film. 📆 25 November 2025 🕐 18:15-21:00 📍 Lipsius Building - Room 0.28 🔗 ascleiden.nl/news/filmscr...
- 🥳 Congratulations to Sara de Wit and Miriam Waltz on winning a Leiden University Global Seed Fund! Their visionary project 'Climate Talks' fosters equitable exchange between Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Climate Science. ➡️ Find out more about their project: ascleiden.nl/news/leiden-...
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- 🗣️ “During my fellowship at the ASCL, I have found the African Library to be an exceptional space for research and learning, providing equitable access that makes scholarship thoroughly global”, says Eric Lawer, visiting Research Fellow at the ASCL. ➡️ Learn more: ascleiden.nl/content/libr...
- ❓What if West African unity started with people, not politics? Join our CRG Seminar to explore how Edward Blyden's people-centred vision of Pan-African unity still shapes West Africa today. 🗓️ 19/11/2025 🕐 15:00-17:00 📍 Room 0.31, Herta Mohr Building 🔗 Register: ascleiden.nl/news/crg-sem...
- As part of the ASCL's African Philosophy Month, we're celebrating the release of two new books: 📖 'Afrikaanse filosofie' 📖 'African Philosophy and the Politics of Food Systems' 🗓 13 November 2025 🕐 15:45-17:30 📍 Room 0.31 Herta Mohr Building Leiden 🔗 Register here: ascleiden.nl/news/book-pr...
- Double Seminar at the ASCL! 1️⃣Examining the ethnic dimension of the jihadist insurgency in Northern Mozambique - Borges Nhamirre 2️⃣My neighbour matters: Forgiveness in post-genocide Rwanda - Emmanuel Sarabwe 🗓 10-11-2025 / 13-15h 📍 Room 0.31 Herta Mohr Building, Leiden 🔗 ascleiden.nl/news/double-...
- 📣Reminder to join this Thursday's ASCL Seminar 'When Africans speak'! 🔗Information and registration: ascleiden.nl/news/ascl-se... 💭In preparation, read Madi Ditmars' blog about African philosophies and the interdependence of humans as social and collective beings: ascleiden.nl/content/ascl...
- 📖The African Library's newly updated African Philosophy web dossier invites you to explore the vibrant traditions, influential thinkers, political voices, and artistic expressions that shape this rich field.🧠 Curious to learn more? Check the web dossier today! ➡️🔗 ascleiden.nl/content/webd...
- 📢 The XI edition of the Stephen Ellis Annual Event is coming up on 4 December! How can African philosophy shape the future of security & conflict resolution on the continent? 🌍 📅 4 December 🕓 16:00–18:00 📍 Pieter de la Court Building, 1A20. 🔗 Learn more & register: ascleiden.nl/news/stephen...
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- 🎥 Film Screening & Discussion: 'Soundtrack to a Coup d’État' (2024) Join us for an evening where jazz meets politics, film meets history, and art meets resistance. 📅 30 October 2025 🕔 17:15–21:30 📍 Amare, Den Haag (Conservatoriumzaal) 🎟️ Free tickets available now! ascleiden.nl/news/screeni...
- 📣 Join us for the ASCL seminar “When Africans Speak” to explore the impact of African anti‑colonial critique and question whether Western universal principles are truly applied globally. 🗓 6 November 🕐 16:00 - 17:30 📍 Room 0.31 Herta Mohr Building 🎙️ Grâce Ndjako 🔗 ascleiden.nl/news/ascl-se...
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- 🎉November is ASCL's African Philosophy Month! At the centre, we recognise the importance of amplifying intellectual traditions and ensuring that African philosophy is given the space it deserves in global academia. ➡️ All the events, information and registration here: ascleiden.nl/news/novembe...
- Last week, the ASCL organised a panel discussion on the little media coverage of wars in Africa (focus: Sudan and DRC). It was an insightful and engaging discussion, proving that many people care about these often so-called ‘forgotten’ conflicts. ➡️ Read the report: www.ascleiden.nl/news/report-...
- “As an Art History Master’s student, I have benefited greatly from using the African Library's materials", says Tiyani Rikhotso, student at Leiden University. Is there something in our collection for you? View our catalogue or visit us at the #AfricanLibrary: catalogue.leidenuniv.nl/discovery/se...
