Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/10/2020 -- The Africa Institute was founded to be an academic institution that confers postgraduate degrees for scholars specializing in the different fields of African and African diaspora studies. However, the institution is committed to accomplishing bigger goals than being the go-to place to study the humanities and social studies by striving to reach out to society at large. The Africa Institute has made this possible by making it part of its objectives to host events on Africa studies that are open to the general public.
Talking about the new research issues related to Africa and its people, the Institute's spokesperson remarked, "African and African diaspora studies have taken a broader path when it comes to the areas of interest to the modern scholar and researcher. The roots for this movement was established decades ago when diasporic intellectuals started focusing on areas that were not yet explored. Today, much interest is on new frontiers such as gender, race, class, and postcolonial studies, among other areas that are redefining the shape of Africa today."
A distinguishing aspect that defines The Africa Institute is that it was founded based on the ideas that were planted in the year 1976 symposium held in Sharjah. One of the key agreements from the symposium that attracted renowned intellectuals was for the establishment of an institute to study Afro-Arab relations. It is from these seeds that The Africa Institute came to be, marking the start of a new era for Africanist scholars. In particular, the government of Sharjah has played a vital role in the establishment of the institute as it seeks to strengthen the relations between African and the Arab Gulf region.
Speaking about the institution's outreach and public participation programs, the Institute's spokesperson said, "The study of Africa, its people, cultures, and global interactions has a deeper impact than being an area of scholarly interest. This is because it touches on the core of African communities and provides a connection between the past and present. As such, we are ever looking for ways to reach out to those who matter the most, and this is the general public. For this, we are ever engaged in public outreach programs and hosting events that touch on key issues."
African studies are not limited to examining the people on the continent but are a globally-oriented field of study. The Africa Institute has built on this aspect and is out to extend the global aspects of this interdisciplinary by creating the new generation of critical thinkers. Equally, the institution is committed to promoting research and re-examining the historical elements that are yet to come to light. Most importantly, The Africa Institute is keen on analyzing the deep historical connections between Arabs and Africans.
About the Africa Institute
The Africa Institute has taken the critical role of unraveling the complexities of Afro-Arab relations and chartering the path for the future of African studies and hosting the Global Africa Conference.