Register for Pardee Conference on “Good News From Africa”, April 16, 2010

(A news report of the conference is available here).

Registration is now open for the 2010 Pardee Center Conference on “Africa 2060: Good News from Africa” to be held on Friday, April 16, 2010. The all-day conference will feature four panels (on Social Development, on Markets and Economy, on Politics and Institutions, and on Society and Culture), a lunch keynote address, and a post-conference reception with African food and music. Seating is limited, please reserve a set by sending RSVP to pardee@bu.edu by April 12, 2010.

The all-day conference being organized by the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future will be held at the Boston University Law School 12th Floor Lounge and will bring together leading scholars, practitioners and experts on Africa in a series of discussion panels which will take an in-depth view of current trends in social and economic development, in politics and in culture and society within the Africa continent (and its sub-regions).

The program of the conference is as follows:

8.30AM Coffee & Breakfast available

9.00AM Welcome Remarks

9.15AM Session I: Africa’s Social Development

Chair: Jonathon Simon (Boston University)

Seble Dawit (Goucher College)

Nathan Eagle (MIT, Txteagle, Inc )

Richard Clapp (Boston University)

10.45AM Break

11.00AM Session II: Markets & Economy

Chair: James C. McCann (Boston University)

Vijay Mahajan (University of Texas)

Margaret McMillan (Tufts University )

Julius Gatune Kariuki (Boston University)

Harounan Kazianga (Oklahoma State University)

12.30PM Lunch and Keynote Address by

Ambassador Kaire Mbuende, Namibian Ambassador to the United Nations

2:00 PM Session III: Politics & Institutions

Chair: Timothy Longman (Boston University)

Robert Rotberg (Harvard University)

Abdul Paliwala (Warwick University)

Oyeronke Oyewumi (Stonybrook University, New York)

3.30 PM Break

3.45 PM Session IV: Society and Culture

Chair: Fallou Ngom (Boston University)

Bahru Zewde(Forum for Social Studies)

Marc Sommers (US Institute of Peace)

Heran Sereke-Brhan(Boston University)

5.30PM Reception at African Studies Center

The goal of the conference is to highlight the trends that are likely to shape the region over the next half century, especially those that have the potential to reach positive outcomes. The conference’s objective is to present a critical assessment of the continent’s potential in areas that are vital to Africa’s future. The conference will seek to incite a conversation focused on the steps needed to craft a better future for the continent, without ignoring the realities on the ground or the difficulty of change.

The conference is being organized by the Boston University Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future as part of its larger “Africa 2060” program of activities, which is designed to provide insights into Africa’s development prospects and challenges over the next half century. Boston University’s African Studies Center (ASC), the African Presidential Archives and Research Center (APARC) and the Global Health and Development Center (GHDC) are collaborating partners for the conference.

Seats to the conference are limited. Please RSVP to the conference at pardee@bu.edu by Monday, 12 April 2010.