Centre for African Studies

The Centre for African Studies is an interdisciplinary centre for study of Africa. It aims at promoting African studies as an academic discipline for advancing knowledge and understanding of African affairs through inter-disciplinary perspective. It brings together scholars having an active interest in Africa from all over the country and abroad. The Centre has two major programme of studies- M. Phil. and Ph.D. It also offers courses for the M.A. programme offered by the School of International Studies. The teaching and research programme of the Centre has been designed to cover both the traditional as well the contemporary issues relating to the region. The current academic curriculum of the Centre focuses on the following thrust areas: regional organizations, government and politics, state and civil societies, ideologies, governance, Diasporas, bilateral relations, issues of development and foreign policy of major African countries. Besides this the Centre has its own research focus on Asian engagement with Africa. It also has a major research project on Indian Diaspora in Africa supported by University Grants Commission. To facilitate the development of research, training and interaction with scholars from abroad, the Centre holds a Nelson Mandela Chair, funded by ICCR, through which visiting faculty from African countries are invited every semester. The visiting faculty participates in various programmes and activities of the Centre. Seminars and conferences are organized regularly by the Centre in order to strengthen its academic programmes by facilitating exchange of views among scholars. In pursuance of its aim, the Centre is involved in several academic outreach programmes on African affairs involving Indian academic institutions. It hosts the permanent secretariat of African Studies Association of India (www.africanstudies.in), which is an apex academic association of Indian Africanist coming from all disciplines and from all Indian Universities and academic institutions.

Area Studies Programme

The Centre has a regular UGC funded Area Studies Programme on Africa. It provides funding support to faculty and scholars for field visits to Africa and supports academic activities like research and seminars.