As one of its major activities, SORAC organizes international conferences of a scholarly nature that allow for an in-depth exploration of various aspects African history and culture. SORAC’s major international conferences are held annually or every two years depending on the circumstances. The past, present and upcoming SORAC international conferences are listed below.

SORAC 2010 International Conference Conflict and Conflict Resolution in Africa: History, Myths and Realities Montclair State University   October 7, 8 & 9, 2010   Conference Program   Keynote Address  Conflict Resolution in Africa: Perspectives for Peace Making and Peace Building in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Dr. André M. Kapanga (Former) Ambassador of the Democratic Republic […]

October 7, 8 and 9, 2010, Montclair State University. Looking at Africa today, it appears as though the continent has become, in the minds of many around the world, synonymous with all that is wrong with humanity. Genocides, wars, tribal strife, disease and humanitarian disasters seem to have taken, therein and in the minds of many outsiders, a coloration that has reinforced the multifarious stereotypes about Africa as a continent of chaos and misery. Numerous questions do indeed come to mind when looking at the issue of conflict in Africa, namely: What is conflict and how do Africans define, describe and/or understand conflict? What are the causes of conflict in present-day Africa, and what were these causes in pre-Muslim and pre-Christian Africa? How have Africans dealt with conflicts in their pre-Muslim and pre-Christian past, and how have they dealt with them in their Muslim and Christian present? What does/did conflict resolution mean in the African context? Are/were there any principles of conflict resolution in African cultural ethos? Have any such principles been successfully implemented at some point in the past or present of Africa? Is/was there a philosophy of conflict and conflict resolution in African culture(s)? How does/did it manifest itself? Are present-day conflicts on the continent due to an inherent flaw in African culture(s) or have there been too many simplifications in past and present understandings of conflict in Africa? The questions are too many to list here, and the issues vast. In order to begin an intellectual discussion of these complex issues, SORAC calls for papers that would explore the themes of conflict and conflict resolution in Africa from a variety of perspectives (historical, literary, political, etc.) and disciplines (humanities, social sciences, etc.).

Proposal Submission Guidelines: Paper Proposals for SORAC 2010 are due on or before August 30, 2010. Submit a 200-300 words abstract summarizing the content/theory/rationale of your presentation, and include your contact information and institutional affiliation with your abstract (address, title, university or institution, phone, fax, email, etc.). The Program Committee will not review incomplete proposals or late abstracts.

Montclair State University’s 200-acre campus commands a hilltop in suburban Montclair. Broad lawns, flowers, trees, a natural stone amphitheater and buildings that date from the early years of the century to the most modern provide an attractive academic setting. The New York City skyline can be seen to the east. Just 14 miles away, New York offers all the cultural, social and artistic resources of one of the world’s foremost cities.

SORAC calls for papers in all fields of African and related studies (history, anthropology, literature, language, culture, sociology, politics, gender, black studies, religion, etc. Cross-cultural and comparative approaches are also welcome) that would critically look at the history of Africa and its diaspora with a view to shedding light on either one of these positions. All periods of African and diasporic histories and their interactions with the outside world (ancient, precolonial, colonial, post-independence, etc.) may be explored. It will also be good for speakers to offer possible solutions to the various issues raised.

SORAC 2002 International conference program and details. The conference features papers in diverse interdisciplinary fields — such as political science, philosophy and religion, literature, anthropology, etc.

Relatively inexpensive hotel accommodations is available close to campus. You may call or fax the following hotels to secure reservations. Call early to be sure to get some space.

Ali A. Mazrui is Albert Schweitzer Professor in the Humanities and Director of the Institute of Global Cultural Studies at Binghamton University, SUNY. George B. N. Ayittey is Associate Professor of Economics at The American University, Washington, D.C, and a former National Fellow at the Hoover Institution.

Call For Papers: The course of history has been deeply affected, even controlled, by the contributions in thought and deed of individual blacks (such as Martin Luther King, Steve Biko, Kwame Nkrumah, Marcus Garvey, Leopold S. Senghor, Aime Cesaire, Edward Blyden, Frederick Douglass, Malcom X, Patrice Lumumba, Frantz Fanon, Nelson Mandela, Cheick Anta Diop, etc.) as well as by movements and groups (such as Negritude, Pan-Africanism, Black Consciousness, Afrocentrism, Nation of Islam, Black Panthers, Harlem Renaissance, etc.) in Africa, the United States, the Caribbean, and other parts of the world. Too often, however, given a preconception that there is no truly black intellectualism, these individuals, movements, and groups have taken a place in history as mere names, actions, or events without an accompanying lasting understanding of their deeper philosophical, ideological, or historical significance. This conference calls for papers from all related fields (history, anthropology, literature, political science, etc.) that would help to examine the contributions by black individuals, movements, and groups of both the present and the past with a view to enhancing our understanding of their true philosophical and historical importance as well as their specific contributions to areas of creative and intellectual endeavor such as science, humanities, the arts, etc.

SORAC 2000 International conference details, including program description, schedule, accommodation, etc. The conference features papers in diverse interdisciplinary fields — such as political science, philosophy and religion, literature, anthropology, etc. April 27, 28 & 29, 2000 – Keynote Speaker: Molefi Kete Asante.