AEGIS

Africa-­Europe  Group for Interdisciplinary Studies

AEGIS Summer School, Cagliari, 24-­28 June 2014

Mobilisation and the State in Africa: Multiple Spaces for Political Action

 

The 2014 Summer school will focus on the theme of Political Mobilisation and the State in Africa: Multiple Spaces of Political Action.  The continent is marked by both older and emerging forms and spaces of political action, as well as familiar and new types and combinations of political  actors.  The  aim  of  the  School  is  to  explore  the  historical  roots  of  contemporary political behaviour in a range of settings; that is, it aims to trace how historical dynamics and evolving conditions have helped to shape both old and new spaces for political and civil society actions; how they may have been part of re-­moulding or creating alternative  political spaces,  actors  and  practices.  The  School  will  also  encourage  the  analysis  of   political representations and cultural mediations of power in a way that goes beyond simple  binaries (such as formal vs. informal and high politics vs. politics from below). The spatial,  social and symbolic arenas where power is exercised, contested and mediated may be both material and discursive in nature, opening up for a variety of sites of investigation and of  theoretical and methodological    approaches.    The    School    will    be    structured    around    thematic    yet interdisciplinary  panels,  facilitated  by  a  senior  researcher  with  a  specific  interest  in  the theme,  who  will  present  some  of  his/her  own  work  in  a  plenary  session.  Papers  in  the thematic panels will be presented by the participating students. Both the  senior researcher and the students will perform the role of discussants on these papers.   Special attention will be  given  to  methodological  discussions,  and  to  the  place  of   history  in  understanding contemporary politics; in addition papers from the full range of  disciplines  and  geographical and topical research sites are welcomed.

AEGIS Summer School 2014 FINAL

Cagliari Summer School 2014 Application Form