Association of Concerned Africa Scholars
Analysis and Action on Policies Impacting Africa

Passing of Scholar-Activist Ben Magubane

By croot | April 2013

We are saddened by the passing of South African scholar Ben Magubane. Many ACAS members knew and worked with Ben as both a scholar and activist, particularly during his many years in the United States. His daughter, Zine Magubane, wrote this obituary. Also, this hour-long interview with Magubane by Cape Town historian Sean Field is [...]

Opposition to drone strikes in Africa

By croot | February 2013

ACAS member Carl LeVan has posted on his blog, “Momentum Builds Against Drones in Africa,” which provides valuable reporting on the broad debate about the use of drones. LeVan also highlights a January 17 letter to President Obama from 33 organizations, including the Association of Concerned Africa Scholars, that opposes the use of drone strikes [...]

ACAS organizes petition to President Obama on Democratic Republic of the Congo

By croot | December 2012

Today, 221 academics and scholars of Africa in the United States sent a petition to President Obama to take action to protect civilians in the conflict zone of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The petition was released by the Association of Concerned Africa Scholars (ACAS), since 1977 a national organization of professors and [...]

ACAS meetings at African Studies Association (ASA) conference – November 2012

By croot | November 2012

2012 marks the 35th anniversary of the founding of the Association of Concerned Africa Scholars! ACAS is holding a strategic planning session on Wednesday, November 28 at 8:30-10:30 pm in Room 413 of the Marriott Philadelphia Downtown Hotel in Philadelphia, in conjunction with the African Studies Association (ASA) annual meeting. The ACAS annual business meeting [...]

New teachers’ resource on Kony 2012 campaign

By croot | April 2012

A resource for teachers, React and Respond: The Phenomenon of Kony 2012, is now available on the ACAS webpage Resources on Uganda, the LRA, and Central Africa. The teachers’ packet is written by Barbara Brown (Boston University Africa Studies Center), John Metzler (Michigan State University Africa Studies Center), Patrick Vinck (Program for Vulnerable Populations at [...]

Agra Watch protests at Gates Foundation

By croot | March 2012

Agra Watch is in the news, with Associated Press covering its public protest at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation calling on the Foundation to sever its ties with Monsanto. Agra Watch was formed in 2008 to monitor and question the Gates Foundation’s participation in the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

New ACAS resources on Uganda and the LRA

By croot | March 2012

ACAS has created What Can We Do about Uganda and the LRA? for use with high school and college students who are the main audience of the Invisible Children’s Kony 2012 campaign. See our new webpage, Resources on Uganda, the LRA, and Central Africa.

ACAS releases statement on the LRA and Central Africa

By croot | March 2012

ACAS has released a statement and accompanying press release expressing its deep concern that the recent campaign in the United States to pursue and arrest Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), could have dangerous unintended consequences. Expanding U.S. military operations with the Ugandan army to capture Kony could increase the militarization of [...]

Two critical essays on the Invisible Children’s Kony2012 campaign

By croot | March 2012

Two useful essays on African Arguments Online with a critical perspective on the “Kony2012” video by Invisible Children: “#StopKony2012: For most Ugandans Kony’s crimes are from a bygone era” by Angelo Izama. a Ugandan journalist and writer who founded the human security Think Tank, Fanaka Kwawote based in Kampala, and “The Problem with Invisible Children’s [...]

Critique of “KONY2012” Video by Ugandan journalist Rosebell Kagumire

By croot | March 2012

This short video from Rosebell Kagumire, a Ugandan journalist, is an eloquent, coherent, and well-informed critique of the Invisible Children video, “Kony2012″. Read more from Kagumire at her blog. The explosion of interest in this video this week has reignited the controversy about the Obama administration decision in October 2011 to send 100 US Africa [...]