Deadline: 9 February 2011
Call for Papers: Migration, Gender and Diversity in Eastern Africa
An International Conference by invitation at Ahfad University for Women, Omdurman, Sudan
3 to 5 May 2011
Background
Eastern Africa is strongly affected by internal displacements and forced migration. The region experienced various forms of migration, flight and refuge, historically as well as contemporary, including permanent, internal and external, documented and un-documented, conflict-induced and labour transitory migration. The Sudan in particular is strongly affected by internal displacement related to conflicts in Darfur and the long-lasting north/south divide of the country. In this regard, issues of political exclusion/citizenship, the incorporation of certain groups into a particular national entity and culturalisation of conflict are of outstanding importance.
Still – and although global interest in migration processes is rising – African migration processes are underrepresented in migration research and in the global migration discourse. Migration, despite its critical relevance to Africa’s development, is often hardly recognized in academic contexts. Theorizing migration and challenging predominant images of the migrant from African perspectives, by African scholars, is not yet prevalent.
Besides, apart from the humanitarian concern for women being the main victims of forced migration related to armed conflicts and natural disasters, the gender dimension of the issue is still unaccounted for. Gender relations and women’s rights are contested areas in contemporary societies and they are at the core of discourses on modernity and tradition. On an international and national level, the state of gender equality is closely linked to development and increasingly considered one of its key indicators.
Objective
The conference aims at contributing to further develop the agenda for research accounting for knowledge and capacity building in the field of African migration research and gender studies as intersecting areas. We especially welcome papers that focus on:
Review of the development of theoretical and methodological approaches to African migration, including the gender dimension,
The review of prevalent research paradigms and research findings on Migration in Africa,
Population Mobility Dynamics and Impact,
Gender and Migration,
Challenges of Multiculturalism, Diversity and Nation/State Building
We are pleased to announce our Call for Papers, any original research on migration in sub-Saharan Africa will be considered, preference is given to contributions on Eastern Africa and contributions addressing gender issues.
This is the final in a series of three conferences on African Migration and Gender, organized by the EDULINK partnership IMMIS. The conference will take place in Omdurman, Sudan, from 3 to 5 May 2011. For more information on the project please visit www.regionalgenderinst.edu.sd or www.immis.org. We specifically encourage young and/or international academics to apply. Conference organizers try to subsidize travel costs, accommodation and meals.
Abstracts in English, measuring 300 – 500 words, should be accompanied by a short CV including contact details. Please send your files to abstracts@regionalgenderinst.edu.sd or abstracts@immis.org until 9 February 2011. Applicants will be notified in March, full papers are due 20 April 2011.
Contact Information
RIG/DPR, Dr. Omeima Scheikh-Eldin
Ahfad University for Women, Omdurman, Sudan
omeima@regionalgenderinst.edu.sd
The conference is hosted by the EDULINK Project IMMIS (African Migration and Gender in Global Context – Implementing Migration Studies) – a joint project by Ahfad University for Women (Sudan), Humboldt University Berlin (Germany), Makerere University (Uganda), Mbarara University of Science and Technology (Uganda), Oldenburg University (Germany) and Stavanger University (Norway).