HUMAN RIGHTS IN AFRICA IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM

Conference Announcement and Call for Papers

HUMAN RIGHTS IN AFRICA IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM

An international conference to be held at the University of Central Lancashire

14th - 16th September 2001

Organised by the African Studies Unit, University of Central Lancashire in association with the African Studies Association of the United
Kingdom (ASA-UK), Lynne Rienner Publishers, Review of African Political Economy(ROAPE)

Academic Organisers:

Dr Tunde Zack-Williams, Reader in Sociology, University of Central Lancashire and ASA-UK Secretary and Dr Martin Hill, Institute of
Commonwealth Studies, London, Amnesty International/Africa Programme and ASA-UK Council.

Lynne Rienner Publishers plans to publish an edited book on Human Rights in Africa, which will draw on the research presented at the conference.
Successfully refereed papers may also be published in the Review of African Political Economy.

Conference Rationale

The main purpose of this first ASA-UK conference on Human Rights is to examine the ways in which human rights are involved in a wide range of contemporary issues in African Studies.

As the millennium unfolds and as the process of democracy takes hold on African political and social institutions, the question of human rights
defence and protection has become an important item on the democratic agenda. In the wake of the genocide in Rwanda, and the atrocities in
Liberia and Sierra Leone, donors have now instituted human rights observance as an important condition, alongside democratic governance as
a precondition for economic support. With the ravages of Eastern and Atlantic slave trades and the social and political atrophy of
colonialism, it could be argued that human rights abuse has a long existence in Africa.

In this sense post colonial Africa with its replete of local despots and tyrants was simply a continuation of the status quo ante. However, the
end of the Cold War and possibility of African despots playing off one super power against the other has impelled African activists to press
for human rights observance. This conference aims to focus on the historical aspects of human rights in pre-colonial, colonial and
post-colonial Africa, in particular, the state of human rights observance in Africa at the dawn of the twenty first century.

Invited Keynote Speakers include:

. Professor Zackie Achmat, Wits Centre for Applied Legal Studies, South Africa
. Professor Cecil Blake, Dept. of Mass Communications, University of Nebraska, USA

Who should attend

The conference will be of interest to a wide audience including:

· Higher Education Departments of Law, Sociology, Politics, Geography,
African Studies
· NGOs working in related areas of interest
· Foreign Embassies
· Governmental Depts such as the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the
Dept. for International Development, the Home Office and the DfEE

Call for Papers /Workshops

The organisers will consider papers relating to the following topics:

· Philosophical Dimensions of Human Rights Policies in Africa
o Law in The Service of Human Rights, International, National, Regional
and Customary
o Legacies of Injustice
o Judicial Systems

· Human Rights Political Culture and Identity
o Identity Politics, Race, Ethnicity
o Conserving Rights, Denying Rights
o Democracy, Governance and the Electoral Process
o Minority Rights
o Media Freedom
o Freedom of Artistic
o Religious Persecution
o Protecting and Regaining Africa's Cultural heritage

· Human Rights and Economic Development
o Evaluating Donors and NGOs
o Poverty Alleviation
o Aid
o Debt Relief
o Social Welfare
o International Trade & Transactions
o Corruption
o Trans-national Corporations

· Human Rights and the Environment
o Environmental Rights and New Technology
o Extractive industry: Oil, Diamonds, Uranium
o Narcotics
o Disasters and Emergencies: a Rights Based Approach
o Humanitarian Dilemmas
o Hazards
o Degradation
o Bio-diversity

· Social Rights & African Conditioning
o Child Rights: International, Regional and Local Conventions
o Gender and Women's Rights
o Harmful Cultural Practices
o Rights and The Protection of Indigenous People
o Protecting Rights or Perpetuating Inequalities and Abuse
o FGM
o Domestic Slavery
o Slavery and the Black Holocaust

· Conflicts and Human Rights
o War, International, Civil War Regional
o Child Soldiers
o War and the Civilian Population
o Refugees
o Peacekeeping and Human Rights
o Complex Political Emergencies
o War Ending

· Human Rights Violations
o Human Rights Training & Education
o Human Rights Defenders
o Patterns of Abuse
o Prosecution of Human Rights Abusers
o Impunity and Accountability
o War Crimes Tribunals
o Truth Commission
o Demobilisation and Reintegration of Ex-Combatants
o Peace and Reconciliation

· Human Rights and Social Citizenship
o The Right to health
o The Pharmaceutical Industry
o AIDS/HIV
o Malaria
o Inherited Blood Disorder

· Human Rights and the African Diaspora
o Race and Ethnicity
o Right to Asylum
o Diasporan Activities
o Africa and the New Diaspora

· Case Studies
o South Africa
o Zimbabwe
o War-torn Societies: Liberia, Sierra Leone, Angola, Mozambique, Algeria

o Rwanda
o Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract Guidelines

Abstracts should be submitted as Double-spaced, titled clearly and limited to a maximum of 250 words. Please provide this on paper or on
floppy disk, or as an e-mail attachment, and set out as follows:

Title - in capitals
Author's name (s)
Affiliation / Organisation of author(s)
Text

On a separate page please list:
. Authors name and work address
. Telephone number at work, fax and email address
. Job Title
. Title of Abstract submitted
. Indicate if you wish to propose a workshop

The deadline for the submission of papers is the 31st May, 2001

Please note that all paper presenters will be asked to submit a copy of their paper for the conference proceedings and will need to register for the conference and pay the registration fee.

The conference fee which includes all documentation, refreshments and lunches will be £85.00 plus VAT (£99.88 incl. VAT). There will also be a
daily delegate rate of £50.00 plus VAT (£58.75 incl.VAT). Please note that accommodation is not included in the fee. Should you require a list of accommodation, close to the venue, please contact the conference unit on 01772 892256.

Please note that the conference language is English.

Please address all submissions and general enquiries to:

Liz Kelly
Business Services
Livesey House
University of Central Lancashire
Preston PR1 2HE, UK

Tel: 00 (44) 1772 892256
Fax: 00 (44) 1772 892938
Email: [email protected]
Website: