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ANU Africa Network
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This website was established in 2013 by David Lucas, and renovated and relaunched in 2020 as part of a project to increase awareness of Africa and African studies in the ANU and the ACT, funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Another outcome of that project was a major research report, published in August 2021, African Studies at the Australian National University and in the Australian Capital Territory, analyzing the past, present and future of the study of Africa at the Australian National University and the wider Australian University sector.
The major innovation on this updated website is the creation of the ACT Africa Expert Directory which lists experts on Africa from institutions around the ACT, primarily the ANU. We will continue to curate this list, offering a key resource for media, government and non-government organizations seeking expert facts and opinions on Africa. Individuals can request to be added to the list by contacting the website managers.
Another notable addition is the expanded directory of PhD theses on Africa produced in the territory’s universities, a solid measure of the vitality of the study of Africa in the city of Canberra.
Reviewing these directories, it is revealing to note that the vast majority of research on Africa is produced by disciplinary experts (environmental scientists, economists, demographers, etc.) rather than area studies experts. This means that the study of Africa is woven into the fabric of the research culture of the ANU and the ACT’s other universities in ways that are not necessarily apparent.
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The 2023 ANU African Studies Network Conference is finally here!
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In just two days, the highly anticipated ANU African Studies Network Conference will commence. We’re thrilled about this event and trust that you share in our excitement.
You have the option to join in person at the Marie Reay Building Room 2.02 on the ANU campus, or virtually via Zoom, through the provided meeting information.
If you have any inquiries, feel free to reach out to us at africanstudiesnetwork@anu.edu.au. Looking forward to connecting with you soon!
Organising Committee
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Family networks in South Africa
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From James O’Donnell
Seminar Toward a network theory of family change
Presenter Shao-Tzu Yu
Date Tuesday, 7 November 2023
Time 1.00–2.00pm Australian eastern daylight time (UTC+11)
Location Room 4.69, RSSS Building, ANU, 146 Ellery Crescent, Acton ACT, Australia and by Zoom (password: 306745)
Abstract
Global economic inequality is on the rise, with poorer regions bearing the highest burden. There is a common assumption that by understanding family dynamics across the globe, we can gain clearer insight into the roots of inequalities. This common assertion that macro-level phenomena can be indirectly inferred from studying micro-level social processes remains somewhat inconclusive, both theoretically and empirically. Existing demographic theories, notably those aligned with modernisation hypotheses, are subject to this claim. This dissertation leverages three essays to illustrate the challenges of addressing this micro-macro gap. The first essay, for example, demonstrates that ‘top-down’ classifications of household types could drastically underestimate the complexity of family arrangements in rural South African settings, countering predictions from the convergence thesis. The second essay extends this endogenous concern by demonstrating how economic resources can diffuse across a large-scale interhousehold social network, highlighting an overlooked domain in family research. The concluding essay examines how, whether, and to what degree small-scale family interactions could affect large-scale economic inequalities. These studies highlight the importance of understanding ‘how’ families are interconnected as a potential pathway to contextualise population processes and changes.
Bio
Shao is a PhD student at the ANU School of Demography. His dissertation examines the emergent properties of social and economic networks.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://anu.zoom.us/j/89587321433?pwd=MzhpUU1MRnRaNHovL0RTejJMeWpHUT09
Meeting ID: 895 8732 1433
Password: 306745
Contact
Contact James O’Donnell with any questions james.odonnell@anu.edu.au
https://demography.cass.anu.edu.au/events
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Prof Bina D’Costa appointed to UN Working Group on People of African Descent (WGEPAD)
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Professor Bina D’Costa has been appointed as the United Nations Human Rights Council special procedures mandate holder in the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (WGEPAD)
She is a professor at the Department of International Relations, Coral Bell School of Asia-Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University.
The international relations expert and human rights advocate said: “Our shared goal towards advancing and protecting the rights of people of African descent in all their diversities is a key motivation for me to take up this position.”
She also added: “In this role I bring with me more than 25 years of advocacy, research and field experience in academia, human rights organisations, and the aid sector. I have spent most of my career researching post-conflict environments, fragile contexts and challenging political and security settings, particularly in South and Southeast Asia, Southern Europe, East Africa, and the Horn of Africa.”
