Call for Papers – Afro–Asian Relations in the Post-COVID Era

2022-12-25

CALL FOR PAPERS

The Africa Research Center of the Department of Political Science and International Studies, University of Pécs (HU), in conjunction with the China–Africa Working Group at the Center for African Studies, University of Florida (USA), and co-sponsored by the Metropolitan State University Denver (USA), the Jagiellonian Research Centre for African Studies in Cracow (PL), the University of Cagliari (IT), the Centre of African Studies at the University of West Bohemia (CZ), the University of Stellenbosch (RSA), together with the Africa Sub-Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta will host an international interdisciplinary conference on Afro–Asian relations in the post-COVID era. The working language will be English.

The conference will focus on Africa’s potential status and role in international politics and the interconnected global economy of the 21st century, with a particular emphasis on the context of Afro–Asian relations, the growing engagements of China and other Asian actors across the African continent, and how the enhanced dynamics of external actor engagements affect daily realities across the continent. It will offer the opportunity to present both macro and micro perspectives and to analyze the various interactions among different entities and stakeholders. One of the key questions will be how a confident ‘African agency’ can determine the most desirable path of development for Africans and what types of partnership African peoples want for their own future.

PROPOSED PANEL TOPICS

I. China’s BRI and Post-COVID African Connectivity Projects

II. Soft Power, Education and Culture in Afro–Asian Relations

III. Trade, Investments, Communications, Cybersecurity Post-COVID

IV. African Development in a Post-COVID Context

V. The African Diaspora in Asia: Race, Networks, Agency

REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION

Those interested in presenting their research findings and scientifically-backed opinions are requested to take the steps of registration as follows:

  1. Send your abstracts of maximum 300 words to tarrosy.istvan@pte.hu no later than midnight 29 January 2023. The final selection will be concluded by the Scientific Board of the Conference by 13 February 2023.

  2. After being selected for the conference, you will arrange your accommodation and travel accordingly. Meals (two buffet lunches and a conference dinner) during the conference will be provided by Pécs. There will be no registration/participation fee.

  3. The organizers will assist with information on optimal bookings for travel, accommodation and related issues. They will also help participants find the best ways to get to Pécs.

  4. After your participation in the conference, you will be expected to submit your full paper to the above e-mail address by midnight 31 July 2023 for publication. We plan to publish a special issue of the Hungarian Journal of African Studies [Afrika Tanulmanyok] by early March 2024.