DFG Program Point Sud 2009 / 2010

Since its creation in 1997, Point Sud – Centre for Research on Local Knowledge in Bamako aims to foster the dialogue between researchers from Africa, Europe and other parts of the world. Apart from the research on local knowledge, the main goals of the centre are the education of graduate students and the collaboration between scientists and development projects. Point Sud has established close ties with the German research on Africa in particular. This relationship will now be further strengthened through the new “Program Point Sud” supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Goethe University of Frankfurt/Main. The overall aim of the program is to promote the interdisciplinary exchange and the creation of scientific networks not only between researchers and institutions in Africa, Europe and America but also within the African continent itself and along the South-South-axis. Moreover, with this program Point Sud wants to accomplish a significant contribution to the education and promotion of young scholars as well as to overcome persistent language barriers and academic traditions of thought.

To this end, the Goethe University in Frankfurt/Main and the DFG have agreed to support the “Program Point Sud” with which Africa-related activities in the humanities and social sciences at the centre in Bamako can be funded. Individual activities must be applied for by researchers working at German academic institutions. However, there are no national restrictions for the participants of individual activities. Financial support by the DFG will cover the costs of travel and accommodation for participants of activities that have been granted financial support. The types of activity eligible for funding are: traditional activities such as conferences, seminars, workshops, graduate schools, summer schools, and field schools of various scales. Furthermore, innovative formats such as project development workshops, forums to promote postdoctoral research networks and junior academic groups, kickoff meetings for new research endeavours and themes will be particularly considered.

The various individual activities hosted by the centre in any given year will be selected by a program committee. Their choice will then be evaluated by the DFG.

The members of the committee are:

• Prof. Mamadou Diawara, Goethe University Frankfurt,
• Prof. Andreas Eckert, Humboldt-University of Berlin,
• Prof. Robert Kappel, Director of GIGA Hamburg,
• Prof. Dieter Neubert, University of Bayreuth,
• Prof. Brigit Obrist, University of Basel and Swiss Tropical Institute in Basel.

You can find detailed information on the actual program here on Activities /Events

For further information please contact :

Dr Marko Scholze,
Email : scholze@em.uni-frankfurt.de,
Tel : +49 (0)69 798-33230,
fax : +49 (0)69 798-33065