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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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Africa at the Australian Population Association conference
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Australian Population Association conference program will be held in Darwin from July 18-20. See
https://apaconference.cdu.edu.au/The draft program includes four African presentations:
‘The Transition of polygamy in Benin: explanatory factors and sources of changes in time.’
Robert Djogbenou‘Sexual behaviour typologies in the context of the HIV epidemic: socio-demographic determinants in rural South Africa, 2010-2011.’
Brian Houle, Shao-Tzu Yu, Nicole Angotti, Enid Schatz, Chodziwadziwa Kabudula, Xavier Gómez-Olivé, Jane Menken & Sanyu Mojola‘A mother’s death and child survival: a comparative analysis of two demographic surveillance sites in rural South Africa.’
Brian Houle, Chodziwadziwa Kabudula, Kobus Herbst & Samuel Clark‘African-born people in Australia: what the 2016 Census tells us.’
Ingrid Tejada & Lev Makaev
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South Sudanese and Sudanese church leaders consult on peace in Canberra
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On Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 May 2018, a group of 26 Sudanese and South Sudanese church leaders from across Australia came together in a National Consultation at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, Canberra, under the auspices of the National Council of Churches in Australia.
The two day consultation culminated in the finalisation of a key Unity Statement for Peace which was delivered to the South Sudan peace talks in Addis Ababa the following day, Thursday 17 May.
Download the attached Statement
OR google
https://www.ncca.org.au/news/media-releases/item/1342-australian-sudanese-and-south-sudanese-church-leaders-statement
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Ecosystem Conservation in the Shire River Basin, Malawi
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‘Evaluating the Design and Effectiveness of Incentive-based Ecosystem Conservation in the Shire River Basin, Malawi and Its Impact on Community Livelihood’
Eddah Lijoni
Eddah.Lijoni@anu.edu.auABSTRACT OF A RESEARCH PROJECT SEMINAR GIVEN AT THE CRAWFORD SCHOOL ANU ON 17 MAY 2018
Environmental degradation continues to cause impacts on the economic and social aspects of development through the disruption of ecological system functions. Degradation from deforestation and extension of agricultural practices for instance leaves land vulnerable to erosion and saturation of chemicals among other things. Degradation of the Shire River basin in Malawi has caused the deterioration of the river hence affecting its capability to generate electricity. Sedimentation, flooding and eutrophication are some of the impacts on the river. Malawi has high rates of population growth and poverty. This, coupled with high dependence on subsistence farming and the extensive use of firewood and charcoal as sources of energy, puts pressure on natural resource use and the Shire River basin has not been spared. Through various institutional arrangements, policies on environmental management that are mainly command and control have been developed and implemented with little success as the rate of degradation continues to rise. Incentive-based policy instruments have rarely been used in Malawi with just a few running and some proposed forestry and soil conservation projects. The Shire River Basin Management (SRBM) Project is currently operating to address the degradation of the river using the Community Environmental Conservation Fund (CECF). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the (SRBM) Projects outcomes and effectiveness in conserving the Shire River and understand the local communities’ response to this kind of conservation as well as how their participation or not has affected their livelihood status. The study also aims to reveal how the elements of incentive-based policy instruments have been included in forestry legislation and policies to offer guidance for best practice and ensuring effective conservation outcomes. The study is expected to produce results that show how the CECF has been designed and how it has achieved its conservation outcomes and local communities’ livelihood improvement.