CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY NORTHRIDGE            

           Spring 2006

         Panel Discussion:

"Inventing Africa: Old and New Paradigms For Understanding the Other in the Era of Globalization."

          Monday, March 27, 2006

         7-8pm: Sierra Hall 120

- 1. "The Invention of Africa: Rethinking the Pitfalls of the Academic Study of African Traditional Religions."

(by Mutombo Nkulu-N'Sengha, Assistant Professor. Dept. of Religious Studies)

- 2. "Imaging Africa: An Examination of the Photographs of Fisher and Beckwith."

 (by Peri Klemm, Assistant Professor. Art Dept).

- 3. "Generating the African 'Global City': Youth, Clothing Markets and Consumption in Contemporary Dakar, Senegal."

(by Suzanne Scheld, Assistant Professor Dept. of Anthropology).

 Discussant: Judith Marti, Professor Dept. of Anthropology

 FOCUS OF OUR PANEL

The GVF (Global Village Forum) is a center of learning that features monthly group discussions at CSUN. It is intended to function as a window onto the world and to raise awareness of our world as a Global Village. The objective of this forum is to introduce students to “alternative” views of contemporary African culture and society and its relationship to globalization. Globalization is shaping African societies in new ways. At the same time, colonial frameworks for viewing Africa are not changing in popular and academic discourse. This panel examines three examples of contemporary discourse about Africa through the lenses of three distinct disciplines (Art History, Anthropology, and Religious Studies). We highlight the reproduction of colonial frameworks, and suggest other ways of considering Africa in relationship to globalization. Our panelist would especially like for students to think about how knowledge of Africa is relevant to their everyday lives.

 GVF Co-Founders:

Mutombo Nkulu-N'sengha, PhD Religious Studies

 Peri Klemm, PhD, Art History

Florence Kyomugisha, PhD Women's Studies