European Conference on African Studies 2023 - African Futures

The ECAS9 2023 Conference, held from May 31 to June 3, 2023, at the University of Cologne, gathered 1900 delegates from 80 countries. The theme "African Futures" explored Africa's evolving role in global interactions, characterized by its dynamic and flexible nature, in contrast to Western self-provincialism. The conference examined optimistic narratives like "Africa Rising" alongside concerns about a new scramble for Africa, highlighting the continent's role as an experimental space for future global scenarios.

Prof. Stéphanie Perazzon and Prof. Didier Péclard, convened a key panel focused on “Localizing the State: Interrogating State Formation in and from Secondary Cities in Africa.” This discussion addressed how public authority is negotiated in secondary cities, which are gaining attention as they face challenges such as land disputes and infrastructural deficiencies. The panel aimed to provide nuanced insights into state authority dynamics and engage critically with the concept of ‘secondary cities.’

Prof. Karen Büscher from Ghent University and part of the Unruly project, led a panel  titled “Temporality and Permanence of Urbanization in Africa.” It explored the contrast between the continent's precarious urban conditions and its aspirations for grand urban futures through mega-projects. The panel invited papers on how provisional settlements evolve into permanent urban spaces, examining cases like refugee camps and boomtowns. The goal was to offer insights and tools for understanding and shaping Africa’s urban future.

PhD student Aline Nanko Samaké also presented her first international paper, “A Thesis in the Making – Chronicle of an Apprentice Researcher Working on Sexualities in Urban Public Spaces in Kinshasa & Abidjan.” Her research critiques the narrow framing of African sexualities through Malthusian lenses, focusing instead on the complexities of ‘dissident’ sexualities in public spaces. Her presentation aimed to address epistemic violence, innovative methodologies, and ethical challenges in studying sexualities from and in urban African contexts.