Website Link: agroserv Transnational/Virtual AccessBenefits of AgroServ's access Free AccessUtilize services offered by AgroServ partners at no cost. Travel SupportReceive reimbursement for travel and accommodation expenses. On-site SupportAssistance during project execution at partner facilities. Knowledge TransferAccess necessary expertise to complete your experimental work.  Overview  AgroServ enables researchers from academia and industry and all practitioners who are interested in doing research in agroecology to access installations and services across Europe, with a Catalogue of services provided by the 11 Research Infrastructures within AgroServ. Our focus is on supporting research in sustainable and resilient agriculture, emphasizing the 'one health' approach.  Read more

Early-Career Research Fellowships - ARUA.   ^This link contains full description of fellowship and the application form.

Founding Editor-in-Chief: Nwando Achebe Editors: Saheed Aderinto, Trevor R. Getz, Toby Green, Vincent Hiribarren, Harry Nii Koney Odamtten. Book Review Editors: Mark Deets, Nana Kesse, Madina Thiam. Open call - no set deadlineThe Journal of West African History (JWAH) is a peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary research journal dedicated to publishing high-quality scholarship on West African history. Positioned at the forefront of new research, JWAH addresses representation gaps by fostering critical scholarship on topics such as women and gender, sexuality, slavery, oral history, popular and public culture, and religion. The editorial board invites submissions that engage diverse topical, theoretical, and methodological approaches. Committed to rigorous analysis and international in scope, JWAH offers a critical intervention in knowledge production. Each issue includes scholarly book reviews, and articles are published in English, French, and Portuguese, with African-language abstracts. JWAH is published by Michigan State University Press. The editorial board invites scholars to submit original article-length manuscripts (not exceeding 10,000 words including endnotes) accompanied by an abstract that summarizes the argument and significance of the work. Review essays should engage the interpretation, meaning, or importance of an author’s argument for a wider scholarly audience. See what we have available for review on our Book Reviews page. Please contact our Book Review Editors at mark.deets@aucegypt.edu, madina.thiam@nyu.edu, or nkesse@clarku.edu for more information. Manuscripts submitted to the Journal of West African History should be submitted online at https://lnkd.in/eDBDg6fX. In order to submit an article, you will have to create an account. The site will guide you through this process. Read more

Location United Kingdom Subject Fields Colonial and Post-Colonial History / Studies, Contemporary History, European History / Studies, Immigration & Migration History / Studies, World History / Studies Call for Papers   Universities and Society at the End of Empire and Beyond (UniSoc)   A workshop at the University of Birmingham | 23-24 June 2026     Based upon an academic partnership between the Universities of Birmingham in the UK and Leiden in the Netherlands, Universities and Society at the End of Empire and Beyond (UniSoc) uses these two global seats of learning as a starting point to examine the role of universities in the transition from colonial to postcolonial and multicultural societies over the past century. Both institutions have started to reflect critically on this legacy. Building on these initiatives, and on the emerging scholarship on universities in (post) colonial contexts, UniSoc asks how the remit and modus operandi of European universities evolved in the aftermath of empire, opening a neglected entry-point into the wider question of the interplay between the colonial past and the post-colonial present.   The field of decolonisation studies has been remarkably dynamic in the twenty-first century, structured in particular by the ‘Decolonization Seminar’ held at the Library of Congress in Washington over ten years (2005-2015), and enriched by the multiple opportunities for cross-fertilization between empirical history and the theoretical perspectives underpinning postcolonial studies. Yet, one aspect which deserves further elaboration relates to the very places where these conversations have taken place: the universities, notably in the Western world. UniSoc seeks to uncover how institutions of higher education navigated the decolonisation process, both in the former metropoles and the former colonies.   Scholarship has shown how, in the late colonial period, universities both trained students that would become colonial civil servants, as well as more and more students from the colonies – with the inequalities undergirding colonialism as a result increasingly discussed and challenged. Understanding decolonization as a process, Unisoc aims to take the work on the role of universities in the period after formal decolonization further and examine how universities also played a role in the transition towards the post-colonial order, sending their researchers to newly-independent states, embracing the development paradigm and sometimes accompanying the development of burgeoning academic life in countries that were still in the making. Whilst it was crucial at the time, this role in helping set up an academic framework – sometimes from scratch – can also be seen as a form of acculturation.   Back in the metropoles, universities were at the heart of intellectual efforts to conceptualize the new world that was emerging out of decolonisation, from global power relations to migratory patterns, and what this meant for local societies. At the same time, the student body also changed significantly, further questioning the unspoken assumptions of these institutions. Universities continue to play a key role in conversations about the future of nations that have to re-invent their place in the world, whilst facing significant change in sociological and ethnic dynamics as a direct legacy of their imperial trajectories.   The first event of this new research programme will take the shape of a workshop in Birmingham on 23 and 24 June 2026, for which paper proposals are invited. Potential contributions could include, but are not limited to, the following areas: - Universities and the training of new colonial elites - The production of knowledge in the decolonisation period - The role of higher education in thinking post-colonial societies - Universities and public discourses on race and migration - Evolutions in curricula - The trajectories of universities in (former) European colonies - Technical training and the transition from colonial to postcolonial - Student experiences - Universities and their societal context: cities, regions, networks - Universities, decolonisation and humanitarian action - Practice transmission (e.g. in Law Departments) - University collections and decolonisation - Decolonial approaches to learning and science - Ethical considerations around knowledge and universality   The workshop is committed to bringing together perspectives from the Global North and South. The initiative will also lead to a special issue in a leading journal – provisional title: Shaping the Post-Empire? Universities and Decolonisation.   Please send your paper proposals, accompanied by a short 1 page CV,  to the organisers Berny Sèbe in Birmingham (b.c.sebe [at] bham.ac.uk) and Anne-Isabelle Richard in Leiden (a.i.richard [at] hum.leidenuniv.nl) before 27 March 2026. A small number of bursaries contributing towards accommodation and travel expenses will be made available to contributors unable to secure institutional funding. Please state this in your proposal if you wish to apply for one of these bursaries.      Contact Email a.i.richard@hum.leidenuniv.nl Read more

Location Massachusetts, United States Subject Fields African History / Studies Accepting Applications for ASA Gretchen Walsh Book Donation Award (Closes April 30, 2026) The Secretariat of the African Studies Association (ASA) is now accepting applications for the ASA-Gretchen Walsh Book Donation Award. This annual grant program is offered to assist book donation projects with shipping costs to send donations to libraries and schools in Africa. The grant is also offered to assist with the purchase of books or media (print or electronic) on the African continent for African libraries and schools.  The Africana Librarians Council, Book Donation Committee reads grant proposals and makes recommendations to ASA. The award provides grants from $200 to $1,000 for a total of $1,800 each year. Please find list of past successful awardees here.  More information on eligibility and application criteria can be found at: https://africanstudies.org/awards-prizes/gretchen-walsh-book-donation-award/ Applications are due by April 30, 2026, at 11:59pm. EST. To learn more about ALC Book Donation Committee and to contact the Committee's current co-chairs, please visit: https://africanalibrarians.wixsite.com/alcasa/bookdonations Candidatures pour le Prix ASA-Gretchen Walsh pour le don de livres (clôture le 30 Avril) Le Secrétariat de African Studies Association (ASA - US) accepte actuellement les candidatures pour le Prix ASA-Gretchen Walsh pour le don de livres. Ce programme de bourse annuel vise à soutenir les projets de dons de livres en prenant en charge les frais d'expédition pour l'envoi de dons aux bibliothèques et aux écoles en Afrique. Les candidats peuvent également solliciter la bourse pour l'achat des livres ou de matériel audiovisuels produits sur le continent, au profit des bibliothèques ou des écoles Africaines.  Le Comité des dons de livres de Africana Librarians Council examine les propositions de subvention et formule des recommandations à l'ASA. Cette bourse offre des subventions de US $200 à $1000, pour un total de $1800 par année. Vous trouverez ici la liste des lauréats des années précédentes. Pour plus d'informations, veuillez consulter les critères de candidature ici : https://africanstudies.org/awards-prizes/gretchen-walsh-book-donation-award/ La date limite de dépôt des candidatures est le 30 Avril 2026 à 23 h 59 HNE. Pour en savoir plus sur le Comité des dons de livres de l'ALC et pour  contacter les coprésidents du Comité, veuillez consulter :  https://africanalibrarians.wixsite.com/alcasa/bookdonations Best wishes / Meilleurs vœux, Bianna E. Ine-Ryan and Gabe Adugna Co-Chairs - Book Donations Committee Africana Librarians' Council Coordinate organization - African Studies Association Contact Information Bianna Ines-Rey (Library of Congress) - bineryan@loc.gov Gabe Adugna (Boston University) - ga35@bu.edu Co-chairs, Book Donations Committee (ALC/BDC) Africana Librarians Council (African Studies Association coordinate organization) Africana Librarians Council (ALC) Website Contact Email ga35@bu.edu URL https://africanalibrarians.wixsite.com/alcasa Read more

Subject Fields African American History / Studies, African History / Studies, Arabic History / Studies Ecofeminist Drama: Theatre, Performance, and Ecological Futures Seeking chapters on African theatre and plays for the edited volume Ecofeminist Drama: Theatre, Performance, and Ecological Futures, currently under review with the University of Illinois Press. Proposals are due 30 March 2026. In 1974, Françoise d’Eaubonne introduced the term ecofeminism in Le féminisme ou la mort, articulating the interwoven domination of women and nature and calling for their collective liberation from systems of patriarchal and ecological exploitation. Since its emergence, ecofeminism has evolved into a dynamic and heterogeneous field encompassing philosophical inquiry, activist praxis, and interdisciplinary scholarship. Contemporary ecofeminist thought engages pressing questions of embodiment, care, environmental justice, material interdependence, and multispecies relationality in the context of accelerating ecological crisis. Ecofeminist Drama: Theatre, Performance, and Ecological Futures seeks to extend this intellectual trajectory by examining how theatre and performance not only represent ecofeminist concerns but actively reshape and reconfigure ecofeminist theory through dramatic form, performative practice, and aesthetic experimentation. Rather than reiterating established binaries—such as nature/culture, woman/nature, or human/nonhuman—this volume foregrounds theatre’s capacity to generate new epistemologies of ecological vulnerability, ethical responsibility, and relational survival. To ensure global representation, we especially welcome chapters focused on African drama and theatre. We invite original scholarly contributions that investigate drama and performance as sites where ecofeminist thought is materially embodied, dramaturgically enacted, and politically reimagined. Particular attention will be given to chapters engaging contemporary theatre and performance and articulating how ecofeminism is transformed through theatrical aesthetics, performance politics, and formal innovation. Confirmed Contributions A sampling of the confirmed chapters includes: Shakespearean Ecofeminism – Hadley Kamminga-Peck (Western Illinois University, USA) Ecofeminist Adaptation: Carol Ann Duffy’s Everyman (2015) – Özlem Karadağ (Istanbul University, Turkey) The Ecofeminist Agenda of Modern Russian Drama – Katherine Anna New (Oriel College, Oxford University, UK) Cuts to the Bone: An Ecofeminist Analysis of Catherine Banks’ Bone Cage – Emily A. Rollie (Central Washington University, USA) Ecofeminist Dramaturgy and the Theatre of Extinction in Caryl Churchill’s Escaped Alone – Işıl Şahin Gülter (Fırat University, Turkey) Proposals should therefore avoid duplicating these topics. Indicative Themes (Not Exhaustive) We welcome contributions including, but not limited to, the following areas: Contemporary ecological and climate change theatre Posthuman and more-than-human performance practices Ecofeminism, disability, illness, and staged vulnerability Environmental justice and feminist dramaturgies Material ecocriticism and theatrical matter (bodies, objects, landscapes) Indigenous, decolonial, and Global South ecofeminist performance Queer ecofeminism and affective ecologies in theatre Care ethics, interdependence, and survival in dramatic narratives Ecofeminist adaptations and reworkings of canonical texts Performance activism and ecofeminist praxis Multispecies theatre and animal studies Ecofeminist scenography, sound design, and spatial ecologies We are particularly interested in chapters that demonstrate how theatre and performance: extend and transform ecofeminist theory; challenge anthropocentric, patriarchal, and ableist environmental imaginaries; articulate innovative models of ecological ethics, relationality, and responsibility. Submission Requirements Interested scholars should submit: A 300-word abstract clearly outlining the chapter’s central argument, primary dramatic texts or performance practices, and its contribution to ecofeminist theatre studies A 200-word biographical note A list of 5–7 keywords Five key references Abstracts should articulate a focused and original thesis and demonstrate how the proposed chapter advances ecofeminist thought through theatre and performance. Only previously unpublished work will be considered. Contributors must hold a completed PhD. The editors seek a diverse and internationally representative group of scholars from theatre and performance studies, literary studies, environmental humanities, gender studies, and related disciplines. Important Dates Abstract deadline: 30 March 2026Notification of acceptance: 15 April 2026Full chapter submission: 30 July 2026 AI Policy Contributors must adhere to the AI usage guidelines outlined in the Bloomsbury AI Policy for Authors and Illustrators (December 2025): https://www.bloomsbury.com/media/0zxgch3t/ai-policy-for-authors-and-illustrators-dec-2025.pdf For the purposes of this volume, “AI systems” include publicly accessible generative platforms (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, and similar tools) as well as AI-enabled grammar and editing systems. In accordance with these guidelines: Publicly accessible AI systems (free or paid) may not be used to generate, draft, rewrite, or substantially edit submitted chapters. Institutionally licensed or privately managed AI systems may be used solely for limited brainstorming or organizational assistance, not for composing substantive scholarly content. Authors remain fully responsible for the originality, intellectual integrity, and scholarly accuracy of their submissions. All accepted contributors will be required to formally attest to compliance with these policies. Submission Address Please send all materials as a single document to: 📧 Işıl ŞAHİN GÜLTERigulter@firat.edu.tr   Contact Information Işıl Şahin Gülter Contact Email igulter@firat.edu.tr Read more

Location Illinois, United States Subject Fields African History / Studies This travel grant was established in 2021 to facilitate and support research projects that significantly benefit from substantial onsite use of the unique, special and archival collections of the Herskovits Library. The grant is available to researchers whose projects explore new lines of inquiry, interdisciplinary and multi-layered research and contribute to the deeper understanding of the diverse peoples and countries of the African continent. Projects should emphasize the need for extensive onsite use of the library's collections.  Funding Each year we will award one or more grants, up to a total of $3,000, open to all fields of study supported by the collections of the Herskovits Library of African Studies. We reserve the right to award only a portion of the requested amount. Grants will be awarded to reimburse expenses for transportation, accommodations, and meals for one or more on-site visits to Northwestern University Libraries. For more information about the application process go to https://www.library.northwestern.edu/libraries-collections/distinctive-special-collections/herskovits-library/research-grant.html Contact Email librarygrants@northwestern.edu URL https://www.library.northwestern.edu/libraries-collections/distinctive-special-… Read more

Subject Fields African History / Studies, Chinese History / Studies, Colonial and Post-Colonial History / Studies, Middle East History / Studies Call for Papers 6th International Conference on China and the United States in Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia Themes of the Conference China, the United States, and the Future of the Global South: Competing Visions, Converging InterestsMay 14-15, 2026Turan University Almaty, Kazakhstan   Conference Committee Professor Dina Razakova, Vice-Rector, Turan University, Kazakhstan Professor GUO Changgang, Shanghai Academy of Social Science, China https://mei.edu/person/guo-changgang/ Professor Artyom Lukin, Far Eastern Federal University, Russia https://eastasiaforum.org/author/artyom-lukin/ Associate Professor Yang Chen, Shanghai University, China Associate Professor Nurbolat Nyshanbayev, Turan University, Kazakhstan Professor Mbaye Bashir Lo, Duke University, USA https://middleeaststudies.duke.edu/profile/mbaye-lo/ Professor Ablet Kamalov, Turan University, Kazakhstan Professor Wang Wen, Renmin University of China http://rdcy.ruc.edu.cn/yw/Teacher_Home/WangWen/Commentariesww/index.htm Associate Professor Mher D. Sahakyan, the China‑Eurasia Council for Political and Strategic Research (CECPSR) in Armenia https://mhersahakyan.org/ Professor Driss Bouyahya, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes-Morocco https://www.eujournal.org/files/journals/1/pictures/editorial/editors/193.html Professor Niu Xinchun, Ningxia University, China https://www.chinausfocus.com/author/10115/niu-xinchun.html Professor Mahesh Ranjan Debata, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India. https://www.jnu.ac.in/content/mdebata Professor Mojtaba Mahdavi, the University of Alberta, Canada https://apps.ualberta.ca/directory/person/mahdavia    Professor Amitav Acharya, American University, USA https://www.american.edu/sis/faculty/aacharya.cfm Prof. Lloyd George Adu Amoah, he University of Ghana, Ghana https://pscience.ug.edu.gh/staff/prof-lloyd-george-adu-amoah Edward Lemon, The Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security (DMGS), USA https://danielmorgangraduateschool.com/ Professor Larry Catá Backer, Penn State University, USA https://dickinsonlaw.psu.edu/directory/larry-cat%C3%A1-backer Zeno Leoni, Department  King's College London, UK https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/leoni-dr-zeno   About the Conference China, the United States, and the Future of the Global South: Competing Visions, Converging Interests China’s expanding presence across Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia is reshaping the political, economic, and security landscapes of the twenty-first century. Through initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has invested heavily in infrastructure, trade, and development partnerships that have redefined connectivity between Asia, Europe, and Africa. At the same time, the United States continues to play a decisive role in these same regions through its network of alliances, defense cooperation, development aid, and strategic competition with Beijing. While some analysts frame these developments as part of a “new Cold War,” others view them as opportunities for renewed dialogue, cooperation, and inclusive growth across the Global South. This conference seeks to move beyond binary narratives of rivalry and dominance. Instead, it will explore the intersections, overlaps, and tensions between Chinese and American strategies and the ways in which regional actors exercise their own agency in navigating these global transformations. From the energy corridors of Central Asia to the maritime routes of the Indian Ocean, and from technological innovation in the Gulf to political realignments in Africa, these dynamics reveal a world increasingly defined by multipolar interdependence rather than simple polarization. Participants will examine the strategic, economic, and normative dimensions of global engagement. Key themes include infrastructure and connectivity, digital and green transitions, regional security architectures, development financing, and soft power. The goal is not merely to assess competition but to highlight spaces of cooperation and mutual learning that can contribute to sustainable and equitable development across the Global South. The conference aims to bring together a diverse community of scholars, policymakers, and graduate students from different world regions and disciplines — including international relations, political economy, sociology, area studies, and security studies. Through panels, roundtables, and keynote discussions, participants will engage in evidence-based dialogue on both global strategies and local realities. Particular attention will be given to how states and societies in Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia interpret and respond to the evolving U.S.–China dynamic, crafting hybrid policies that reflect their own national priorities, identities, and developmental aspirations. Rather than portraying the Global South as a passive arena of great-power competition, the conference emphasizes its active and strategic role in shaping the future of global order. Regional actors — from Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia and Indonesia — are increasingly defining new models of partnership that balance external ties with internal modernization. These emerging approaches challenge traditional hierarchies of global governance and call for rethinking development paradigms in light of local agency and regional innovation. Ultimately, this event offers a platform for constructive, pluralistic, and forward-looking discussion on the evolving relationship between China, the United States, and the Global South. It encourages participants to envision a more inclusive global dialogue — one grounded in respect for diversity, sensitivity to context, and shared responsibility for peace and development. By bridging academic research with policy engagement, the conference aspires to generate fresh insights into how cooperation, competition, and co-evolution can coexist in an increasingly interconnected world.   Suggested Themes We welcome individual papers, panels, and roundtable proposals addressing (but not limited to) the following: Central Asia China’s BRI and U.S. strategic responses Competing security architectures: SCO vs. U.S. regional security initiatives U.S.–China energy diplomacy and infrastructure rivalry Central Asian agency in balancing Washington and Beijing Middle East Energy politics: U.S. and China in the Gulf Great power approaches to the Israel–Palestine conflict Technology, arms sales, and competing defense strategies Religion, soft power, and legitimacy narratives Africa U.S. aid and private investment vs. Chinese infrastructure finance Digital Silk Road and U.S. tech-security competition Debt, sovereignty, and African agency Education, soft power, and development strategies South Asia Sino–Indian rivalry and U.S.–India strategic alignment Pakistan between CPEC and U.S. security ties Maritime politics in the Indian Ocean: ports, bases, and naval strategies Smaller states (Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal) navigating rivalry Cross-Regional Perspectives Comparative studies of U.S. and Chinese engagements in the Global South Global governance and multipolarity Domestic drivers: Xinjiang, U.S. domestic politics, and global perceptions The role of Russia, Turkey, the EU, and Gulf states in shaping U.S.–China dynamics   Key Information Dates: May 14-15, 2026 Venue: Turan University, Almaty, Kazakhstan Languages: English (with selected panels possibly in Russian/Kazakh/Chinese) Format: In-person, with limited hybrid participation for international presenters   Proposal Submission Abstracts: 250–300 words (with title, author affiliation, and contact details) Panel Proposals: 3–4 paper abstracts with a panel chair/discussant Deadline: March 30, 2026 Full Papers Due: April 20, 2026 Submission to: k.tugrul@turan-edu.kz     Publication Opportunities Selected conference papers will be published as an edited volume in the Routledge Series on Eurasian Geopolitics   https://chinastan.org/2025/09/08/routledge-series-on-eurasian-geopolitics/ Contact Information Proposal Submission Abstracts: 250–300 words (with title, author affiliation, and contact details) Panel Proposals: 3–4 paper abstracts with a panel chair/discussant Deadline: March 30, 2026 Full Papers Due: April 20, 2026 Submission to: k.tugrul@turan-edu.kz Contact Email tugrulk@vt.edu Read more

Location North Carolina, United States Subject Fields African History / Studies, Animal Studies, Art, Art History & Visual Studies We are seeking papers for our panel, entitled African Animals in Art and Visual Culture. Please send abstracts of 300 words or less with affiliation and contact information to Panel Chairs, Dr. Elizabeth Howie and Dr. Amy Schwartzott (ehowie@coastal.edu and aschwart@ncat.edu) by March 30, 2026.   CFP: Non-human undomesticated animals native to Africa have been widely represented in African and African diasporic visual culture, as well as in Western and global contexts. We are seeking papers addressing art from diverse geopolitical temporalities which explore the implication of the representation of animals native to the African continent in art from a broad range of styles, periods, and cultures, whether charismatic megafauna or less well-known species. Such representations could serve to reinforce or disrupt ideologies and hierarchies of anthropocentrism, racialization, and/or Western humanism. How do such representations relate to binaries of wild versus tamed, civilized versus uncivilized? Examples include traditional art of the African continent, early modern European art, Western “primitivism,” images documenting animals given as court gifts, representations of zoos, imagery associated with animal taming performance, etc. We hope to engage ideas from postcolonial studies, critical race theory, critical animal studies, etc. Contact Information Dr. Amy Schwartzott aschwart@ncat.edu Contact Email aschwart@ncat.edu Read more

Conference: “Custom and tradition in contemporary political systems” Call for Papers Location: Department of Anthropology and African Studies (ifeas), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), Germany Date: 6-7 November 2026 The post-colonial era, and particularly the period since 1989, has seen the (re-)emergence of alternatives to a Western hegemonic political and social orthodoxy. Claims that Western democracy is the end point of human political evolution are now being challenged, and since the turn of the century the global order has increasingly been contested, whether through a problematisation of the concept of the state itself (for example ISIS) or through Trumpian and other populist challenges to established political norms. Amongst these changes there has been a reassessment and a return to (and, certainly, reinvention of) local voices, customary political systems and processes as states recognise that these alternatives are apposite. Such observations recognise that the discursive hegemony of the West silenced perspectives on alternative systems that were always already present, and it is now generally acknowledged that customary systems (whether characterised as legal or political) never really disappeared. This is true in places that were never colonised as well as in former colonies – particularly the British ones, where they were recruited to the colonial endeavour, but also the French ones. Contemporary customary political systems have been the object of much scholarly attention and debate, particularly in Africa and in the Pacific, and particularly at the sub-national level. We call for contributions that speak to this theme. Although we welcome proposals that consider custom on a sub-national level, we are particularly interested in considerations of the tensions and the accommodations between the customary and the formal at the national level. Participants might consider questions such as:    What are the constraints and the advantages in granting a political role to custom?    How do states that draw on customary alternatives to western political systems at a national level find a place in the contemporary (democratic) world?    To what extent is custom, frequently critiqued for its undemocratic nature, really undemocratic?    Why is there often resistance to customary political systems, despite the evidence that they can function efficiently?    Does formal recognition accord custom greater authority or does custom function more efficiently when formally dissociated from the state?    Custom is a “total social phenomenon”, so if a Western political system replaces customary political structures, can other customary practices survive? Conference participants will contribute to debates over tradition, modernity, and custom in today’s global order, by examining the ways custom is perceived, enacted, criticised and esteemed. Organisation: The conference will take place over two days, 6-7 November 2026, at the Department of Anthropology and African Studies (ifeas), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany. Meals and accommodation will be provided for conference participants. Assistance with travel costs may be available but priority will be given to those without access to institutional funding. It is expected that the conference will result in a publication and participants should bear this in mind when preparing their contributions. Papers will take the form of draft articles to be pre-circulated to conference participants in order that conversations at the conference itself be as productive as possible. Please note that the working language of the conference will be English and all papers should be in English. Please send a title, an abstract of not more than 250 words, author’s name, email and institutional affiliation, to walkeria@uni-mainz.de before 31 March 2026. We would expect to advise of acceptance by the end of April. For further information please contact Iain Walker at walkeria@uni-mainz.de Funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), project number 571915249. Read more

Announcement Type Fellowship Location Connecticut, United States Subject Fields Religious Studies and Theology, World History / Studies Yale Divinity Library invites applicants for the 2026-27 David M. and Virginia W. Stowe Fund for Mission Research. The Stowe family established the fund in 2003 to provide funds to support visiting researchers who come to the Yale Divinity Library to use its missions-related collections.    The fund will provide $1,250 per week for research trips up to 8 weeks between June 1, 2026, and May 28, 2027. Note that fellows are responsible for all applicable taxes and, depending on immigration and/or citizenship status, taxes may be withheld from the initial distribution of the fellowship.   All whose research requires the use of missions-related collections in the Yale Divinity Library are eligible to apply. Priority will be given to researchers without alternative funding. Applicants seeking to use material that is available online or through interlibrary loan must make a strong argument for why their research must occur in New Haven. Applicants seeking to use collections outside Yale Divinity Library are ineligible. The fund aims to facilitate research regardless of institutional association, race, cultural background, ability, sexual orientation, gender, or socioeconomic status. Student applicants should be at an advanced stage in their research and propose a fully conceptualized project related to their degree program.   The application deadline is April 6, 2026, and applications can be submitted through Interfolio at this website: https://apply.interfolio.com/181711.  Applicants will be notified of all decisions by April 30, 2026.    Best wishes,Scott LibsonSpecial Collections LibrarianDivinity Library Room L3  | Yale University409 Prospect St | New Haven, CT 06511203.432.6193 | scott.libson@yale.edu Contact Email divinity.library.fellowships@yale.edu URL https://apply.interfolio.com/181711 Read more

With the support of the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), UNESCO-TWAS launched a new programme to strengthen the capacity of African countries lagging in science and technology. The programme is aimed at early career researchers who have obtained their PhD abroad and have recently returned or will shortly return to an academic position in their home country. Grants are awarded to promising high-level research projects in Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry, Earth sciences, Engineering, Information Computer Technology, Mathematics, Medical Sciences and Physics and/or Germany’s High-Tech Agenda carried out in African countries lagging in science and technology identified by TWAS. The Seed Grant for New African Principal Investigators (SG-NAPI) was established in response to the needs of researchers in developing countries, particularly those attached to institutions that lack appropriate research facilities. Under this scheme, grants can be awarded for research projects in Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Engineering, Information Computer Technology, Mathematics, Medical Sciences and Physics to Principal Investigators in the African countries lagging in science and technology identified by TWAS, to enable them to purchase the research facilities they need to enhance their productivity. The Seed Grant for New African Principal Investigators (SG-NAPI) aims to support early-career scientists in Sub-Saharan Africa, with particular emphasis on Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Seed Grant for New African Principal Investigators (SG-NAPI) is fully funded by The German Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). Programme Details SG-NAPI Grants are awarded to high-level promising research projects in Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Engineering, Information Computer Technology, Mathematics, Medical Sciences and Physics carried out by Principal Investigators (PI) in the African countries lagging in science and technology identified by TWAS. In addition, Germany’s High-Tech Agenda is a national innovation initiative focused on key emerging technologies. If your research aligns with any of the following research areas Artificial Intelligence (AI), Quantum Technologies, Microelectronics, Biotechnology, Fusion and climate-neutral energy Generation or Technologies for climate-neutral mobility, you are strongly encouraged to apply. The total amount awarded for SG‑NAPI may be up to USD 67,700. The grants, typically awarded for a duration of 30 months, can be utilized for the purchase of scientific equipment and consumables. This includes in exceptional cases partial funding for fieldwork, maintenance of equipment and specialized literature, such as textbooks and proceedings only. If any single item of equipment is valued at USD 5,000 or above, a valid proforma invoice from a supplier must be uploaded to the application portal. The grant does not cover salaries of the Principal Investigator or travel expenses unless they are clearly related to one of the conference and/or mobility components mentioned below. Additionally, please note that the purchase of fuel, fees for experts or consultants or labourers, laptops, tablets, drones and laboratory animals is not supported. Awarded PIs may also support MSc student as part of the project, request funding for international conference grant, industrial link grant with partners in Germany, collaborative mobility grant in Germany and open access publication grant. Full details of each component are laid out in the guidelines. The programme has an additional component which seeks to enhance the productivity of female scientists returning to academia after a maternity leave, scientist-after-child grant. Full details of this component can be found in the guidelines. Eligibility Applying Principal Investigators must be nationals of an eligible country, who holds a PhD and has good research experience. The grant should operate within a university or a research institution in one of the African countries lagging in science and technology. The PI must be 40 years old or younger. Any applicant turning 41 in the year of application is not eligible. The PI must have obtained their Ph.D. within the last 5 years in a country other than their home country. The PI must have returned to their home country (refer to list in the guidelines) within the last 36 months or will return home before the end of 2026. The PI must hold, be offered or be in the process of accepting a position at an academic and/or research institution (including international research centers) in their home country. The PI must be national of an eligible African country that is lagging in science and technology (refer to list in the guidelines). Applicant must at the time of application NOT have an active research grant with TWAS or OWSD Early Career Women Scientists (ECWS) Fellowship. Applications from women scientists and those working in Least Developed Countries are especially encouraged. The applicant must submit a strong Research Proposal, you may find further information on how to write a strong proposal by visiting Rising Scholars. Please be advised that applicants may apply for only one programme per calendar year in the TWAS and OWSD portfolio. Applicants cannot apply for other TWAS programmes i.e. Postdoctoral and Visiting Researcher programme within the same year in order to be present in their home country throughout the duration of the grant. Agreement If selected, a trilateral written agreement is drawn up between TWAS, the Principal Investigator and the home institution. The home institution undertakes to administer the grant according to the agreement and to provide laboratory space, salaries and other facilities necessary for the project. Equipment, consumables and literature provided for the project through the SG-NAPI grant programme remain the property of the home institution after the project is completed. In general, the grant funds are kept at TWAS for the purchase of items requested by the grant holder. TWAS places the orders with the supplier(s) upon receipt of proforma invoices submitted by the grant holder in accordance with the approved itemized budget. The agreement will also provide details on how to activate other benefits of the grant such as support for MSc students, international conference grant, industrial link grant, collaborative mobility grant, open access publication grant and scientist-after-child grant. Grant holders must submit a final report before the completion of the award. How to apply Ensure that you have read and fully understood the guidelines. SG-NAPI grant applications, once the call opens will need to be submitted online by clicking on the “Apply Now” link at the bottom of this page. Please note the link will only be active once the call opens and not before (or after it is closed). Please note that a researcher may only submit one application at a time and for only one kind of grant. Applicants cannot apply for other TWAS programmes i.e. Postdoctoral, Visiting Scholar and Visiting Researcher programme within the same year in order to be present in their home country throughout the duration of the grant. For any queries please contact the TWAS SG-NAPI Grants office, e-mail: sgnapi@twas.org When to apply The deadline for receiving applications will be updated once decided. We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the deadline but submit the application as early as you can to enable us to process your application as quickly as possible. Notification Please note that the assignment meetings of the SG-NAPI Grants Committee will be held by the end of the year. Applicants will be notified of the outcome shortly after the meeting. Any PI currently holding an award for any TWAS programme may not apply before completing the current award. Application doc(s): sg-napi_msc_form.docx653.2 KB application_guidelines_sg-napi_2026_3.pdf310.6 KB Read more