Habari Newsletter 2011 | Center for African Studies

Students Raise Awareness About War in Congo
Two groups of students at UIUC, Invisible Conflicts and the class of History 596 have tried to raise awareness about the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a conflict that has claimed more than five million lives. In this issue of Habari, we salute their work. Click here to read about their outstanding efforts.

CAS Acting Director Cements Ties in Senegal
In summer 2011, our Acting Director, Dr. Maimouna Barro spent four weeks in Senegal to help put in place linkages for a future study abroad program to Senegal around the theme 'Islam in West Africa." She visited several institutions of higher education in the country including the Université Cheikh Anta Diop, the West African Research Center (WARC), the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) in Dakar, as well as her Alma Mater, Université Gaston Berger de Saint-Louis. Read more here.

Krannert Hosts Miriam Makeba Exhibit
This fall the Krannert Art Museum hosted an exhibit of materials related to the famous South African singer, Miriam Makeba. This exhibition consists of a collection of recordings by South African singer Miriam Makeba together with artifacts from the history of South African music. Miriam Makeba, also known as Mama Africa, popularized African music around the world. Krannert Curator Tumelo Mosaka reports for Habari. Click here to read more.

African Studies Active in Language Institute
African Studies students played an important role in the Summer Institute for Languages of the Muslim World. The Institute offered classes in five languages: Arabic, Persian, Swahili, Turkish and Wolof. To read more, click here.

Malawi Public Engagement Project Update
The Center for African Studies has continued its history of outreach work with a public engagement program connected to the Gates Foundation-funded Sister Cities program between Urbana and the city of Zomba in Malawi. Read more.

UIUC Works with Cape Town Parents
Jan Brooks from the Department of Human and Community Development spent a month in Cape Town helping to develop curriculum for parenting courses targeted at low income parents of children who are HIV positive or chronically ill. She tells us what she learned from this moving and complex experience. Click here to read her story.