Category: ACAS Review (Bulletin)

The Association of Concerned African Scholars (ACAS) is honored and delighted to receive the 2014 African Studies Association Public Service Award, which was delivered at the ASA awards ceremony held on the evening of Saturday, November 22nd 2014 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (see  http://www.africanstudiesassociation.org/news/445-announcing-the-2013-african-studies-association-award-recipients-2 )

Co-chairs Terri Barnes and Peter Limb received the award on behalf of ACAS, and during the ceremony ACAS was described as the “conscience of ASA”.

We thank all ACAS members past and present who contributed to this recognition and trust it will be a spur to ongoing work for peace and social justice in Africa and the U.S., and relations between the peoples.

Association of Concerned Africa Scholars (ACAS)

Membership Form 2014-2015

(ACAS will not share your personal information with any other organizations or persons)

Name__________________________________________________________________________________________

Affiliation_____________________________________________________________________________________

Address_______________________________________________________________________________________

City______________________State_______________________________Zip______________________________

Phone #:_____________________________________E-Mail:_________________________________________

Africa Activist Scholarly and Country Interests:___________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

May we forward your scholarly and activist interests to the press as a contact?_______

Would you like to join an ACAS Task Force?

_________Militarization in Africa and AFRICOM

_________Food sovereignty

_________Land grabs

_________Other:___________________________________________________

Please identify other ways you might like to be involved in ACAS:

_________Write an article in the ACAS Bulletin about__________________

_________Serve on the ACAS Board of Directors

ACAS Membership Status:

New member:______________                     Renewal:___________________

Current ASA Member: Yes:_______       No:_______

Membership Fee: $10.00 per year (September-August)

Please return with a check payable to:

“Association of Concerned Africa Scholars” (not tax deductable)

Mail to: Michael Walker, ACAS Treasurer

538 Pacific Street, Apt 5-6

Brooklyn, NY 11217-2280

ACAS Statement on US Reactions to the Outbreak of Ebola in West Africa

29 October, 2014

The Association of Concerned Africa Scholars (ACAS) urges that all Americans and their public representatives and organizations support the efforts to eradicate Ebola in the West African countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, and adhere to scientific standards in addressing the threats of the spread of the disease in the US. Ebola is a highly infectious disease with a very particular footprint. We are currently seeing it cruelly ravage some of the poorest populations on Earth. In West Africa, estimates are that there has been a 70% fatality rate. However, Ebola is a public health emergency like other emergencies. It can be successfully combatted through basic, stringently observed public health safety measures, and the odds of survival of patients with Ebola can be greatly improved with thorough and compassionate medical care.

We also urge American public officials and private individuals to educate themselves about this disease in order not to fall prey to fear-mongering and the furthering of racist stereotyping. The US mass media too often portrays Ebola along the lines of a horror film rather than reporting on it soberly and accurately. Instead, we know that the US health system, while flawed, is perfectly able to treat and isolate any cases of Ebola that might come to our shores. The public health and hospital systems of West Africa are sadly, very weak, for a whole host of historical reasons. Even so, the compassion that is often shown by people there with very few resources puts the small-mindedness of many Americans to shame. We can learn valuable lessons from people in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia about how to handle the emotional and physical stresses that are laid on individuals and communities when they are faced with a devastating viral episode like Ebola.

We deplore the ignorance and insensitivity that has led some Americans to try to bar people from any part of Africa from public spaces like schools and restaurants because of a supposition that all Africans are infected with Ebola.

Finally, we acknowledge and salute those medical personnel who have put themselves in harm’s way to work with West African governments, charities, churches and civil society organizations to address the Ebola outbreak. They should be treated with respect and dignity and their constitutional rights must be upheld upon their return to the US.

Association of Concerned Africa Scholars: https://concernedafricascholars.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ACASNews

ACAS shares some diverse comments on the Ebola crisis:

http://www.irinnews.org/report/100682/ebola-and-sierra-leone-money-is-the-easy-bit

http://www.irinnews.org/report/100674/ebola-and-the-media-nigeria-s-good-news-story

http://www.who.int/en  ;

http://fol.org  ;

http://www.blackstarnews.com/global-politics/africa/in-fighting-ebola-in-west-africa-viva-cuba.html … ;

http://ruafrica.rutgers.edu/resources/ebola.html … ;

http://www.africanstudies.org/blog/121-august-2015/393-letter-to-the-new-york-times-the-ebola-epidemic …

Current events in South Sudan are most complex and harrowing, with peace much needed. The articles below, two by ACAS members, provide a range of useful information and viewpoints to help understand and guide action:

The Political Struggle in South Sudan: Peace, Democracy and Reconstruction instead of war
HORACE G. CAMPBELL
CounterPunch,  JANUARY 10-12, 2014
http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/01/10/the-political-struggle-in-south-sudan/

Has South Sudan passed the tipping point? No signs of a ceasefire as violence intensifies
Eric Reeves Pambazuka 2014-01-08
http://pambazuka.org/en/category/features/90075

South Sudan: Reflections on Crisis
AfricaFocus Bulletin January 13, 2014
http://www.africafocus.org/docs14/sud1401.php

Four updates shared by Sarah Milburn for ACAS, three from Amnesty International team in Bangui

http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/african-union-concrete-action-urgently-needed-halt-atrocities-central-afric

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4432727

http://www.itv.com/news/2013-12-11/central-african-republic-enduring-unspeakable-acts-of-inhumanity/

and the fourth by Louisa Lombard:

http://africasacountry.com/is-the-central-african-republic-on-the-verge-of-genocide/

The ACAS annual business meeting will be at 6:30 on Thursday, Nov. 21 at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel in Baltimore. Check African Studies Association program for room information.

The ACAS-sponsored panel is “Foreign Capital Flows into African Agriculture: Implications and Alternatives,” chaired by Jeanne Koopman. Friday, Nov. 22 from 2:45 pm-4:30 pm.

A second ACAS-related panel is “Security and the Military in Africa,” chaired by David Wiley. Friday, Nov. 22 from 10:00 am – 11:45 am.