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The African Research Institute continued to maintain an active
programme throughout 1990. In February the Institute, in conjunction
with the Third World Forum and various public interest groups,
organized a "Symposium on Third World Debt" at the Lincoln
Institute. Speakers included Dr Greg O'Brien, Dean of Economics,Dr
Stephen Niblo of the Institute of Latin American Studies, and
Dr David Dorward from the African Research Institute.
The African
Research Institute, in conjunction with the Division of Drama,
served as host to Professor Herbert Shore, Head of the Division
of Drama, University of Southern California and Distinguished
Visiting Fellow, La Trobe University. Professor Shore, a noted
Africanist of long standing with a particular interest in Mozambique
and liberation movement in South Africa, offered a number of seminars,
media interviews and was an active member of the Institute during
his three month stay.
Professor Shore with Prof. Martin
Chanock of the African Research Institute and Dr Rowan Ireland
of the Institute for Latin American Studies at La Trobe University.
In September the Institute organized a "Symposium on Post-Colonial Kenya", at which the noted Kenyan author and political activist, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, gave the keynote address. Sue Thomas of the Department of English organized a special literature session on the writings of Ngugi wa Thiong'o. Other speakers and discussants included;
Dr Philip Darby (Univ of Melbourne)
Professor Gareth Griffiths (Univ of Western Australia)
Dr Cherry Gertzel (Flinders University of South Australia)
Dr David Goldsworthy (Monash University)
Professor Ken Goodwin (Univ of Queensland)
Mr Ian Hancock (Australian National University)
Penelope Hetherington (Univ of Western Australia)
Mrs Molly Missen (Amnesty International)
Matthew Neuhaus (Dept of Foreign Affairs, Canberra)
Dr Paul Sharrad (Univ of Wollongong)
Professor Keith Sorrenson (University of Auckland)The Symposium attracted an audience from all states in Australia and overseas. Ngugi was also a speaker at the Melbourne Writer's Festival and gave lectures to the Department of English during his visit.
Gadalla Adam El Radi (Political Science Faculty, University of Khartoum) "The Current Socio-Political Crisis in the Sudan"
Joyce Mokhesi (African Research Institute, La Trobe University) "Apartheid and Negotiations"
Bruce Rowse (NGO Water Engineer in Ethiopia) "A Grassroots View of Development: The experience of an Australian water engineer in southern Ethiopia"
Professor Paul Vanderwood (San Diego State University, California) "Messianic Movements in Mexico and Uganda" [a joint seminar held in conjunction with the Institute of Latin American Studies]
Professor Herbert Shore (Head of the Division of Drama, University of Southern California and Distinguished Visiting Fellow, La Trobe University) "Southern Africa, the Dream Deferred"
Professor Herbert Shore (Head of the Division of Drama, University of Southern California and Distinguished Visiting Fellow, La Trobe University) "South Africa: Apartheid's Waning (and dangerous) Years"
Dr Brian Kennedy (Monash University) "The Development of Black Religion in the formative decades of Johannesburg, 1885-1920"
Penny Andrews (Department of Legal Studies, La Trobe University) "The Poor and the Law in South Africa"
Dr Paul Rich (Department of Politics, Melbourne University) "Nationalism, The State and Political Change in South Africa"
The Institute continues to attract outstanding postgraduate students. Moreover, the Institute was instrumental in facilitating a postgraduate sponsorship for Ms Joyce Mokhesi-Parker, with funding from AIDAB through Community Aid Abroad. Ms Mokhesi-Parker, sister of one of the Sharpeville Six and an anti-apartheid activist, has been engaged in research on inequalities under the law in South Africa. She presented a seminar paper at the Institute and has been particularly active in assisting the growth and revitalisation of the African-Australian Association at La Trobe University. Liz Dimock (Ph.D. candidate, History) left for archival and field research in England, Uganda and Tanzania.
The Yoruba Exhibition, which had been touring Australia since 1989 under the auspices of the African Research Institute, visited Mildura, Swan Hill and finally completed its tour with exhibitions at the Gold Coast Gallery, Queensland, and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. The Director was invited to open the exhibition and give lectures on Yoruba culture at the Gold Coast Gallery, Queensland.
An exhibition of Coptic Ethiopian silver jewelry, organized under the auspices of the Institute, visited James Cook University, in Townsville, Queensland.For information on ordering copies of Yoruba: Art in Life and Thought, click here
In recognition of the Institutes role in the field of African Studies in Australia, the Director was invited by the Prime Minister to the luncheon for Nelson Mandela at Parliament House, Canberra. The Institute also assisted in arrangements for Mr Mandela's visit to Melbourne.
During the course of the year, the Institute provided background briefings for H.E., John Thwaite, Australian High Commissioner designate to Zimbabwe, and other members of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as being briefed by H.E. Oliver Cordell, Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, upon his return to Australia on leave.
Dr David Dorward, Director of the Institute, addressed the 5th National Conference on Crosscultural Communications in September on the subject "African Cultures and Communications Barriers". He presented papers on "The Current Crisis in South Africa" to the Social Issues Seminar at Chisolm College, La Trobe University, and on "The Pitfalls and Prospects for a Post-Apartheid South Africa" to a join seminar of the Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences, Deakin University. He also wrote country profiles on education in Nigeria and Sierra Leone for the International Development Programme (IDP).
Dr Dorward was re-elected President of the African Studies Association of Australia and the Pacific (AFSAAP). Elizabeth Dimock, a postgraduate student associated with the Institute was re-elected Secretary.
Dr Martin Chanock (Legal Studies) delivered papers on "Criminal Law in a New State, South Africa, 1902-1936" at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, in October and on "Law, State and Culture; Thinking about `Customary Law' after Apartheid", to the annual conference of the African Studies Association of Australia and the Pacific in December.
A chapter on "Freedom from Discrimination" by Penny Andrews appeared in Michael Robertson, ed., Human Rights For South Africa (Johannesburg: Oxford University Press, 1990), articles on `Justice in a post-apartheid South Africa" in Legal Service Bulletin, XV, 3 (June 1990), "Some Observations about lawyering for the poor in a changing South Africa" in AFSAAP Newsletter, XII, 1 (June 1990) and "Legal Education in a changing South Africa", in South African Law Review, I, 5 (March 1990). She also presented a report on "The Future of Customary Law in a post-apartheid South Africa" for the International Commission on Folk Law and Legal Pluralism, Ottawa, Canada, August 1990 and a paper to the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, La Trobe University, on "Access to Justice in a post-apartheid South Africa", as well as a seminar on "The Poor and the Law in South Africa" to the Institute's African Studies Seminar.
As part of its policy of providing informed opinion and public education, members of the Institute provided interviews and information on Africa to various media, press, radio and TV, throughout the year.
The Director served on the Steering Committees of the African Australian Education and Sports Foundation and the The Ecumenical Migration Centre African Resettlement Research Study. Penny Andrews and David Dorward are also on the Executive Committee of South African Legal Services, Pty. Ltd., a non-profit institution supporting the Legal Resources Centre in South Africa. Members of the Institute also participated in the 1990 training programme for Australian Overseas Service Bureau volunteers going to Africa.
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Dr David Dorward, Director
African Research Institutee-mail < D.Dorward@latrobe.edu.au >