AFRICAN STUDIES AND RESEARCH FORUM (ASRF) NEWS

The ATWS affiliated African Studies and Research Forum (ASRF) met during the 26th annual meeting of the Association of Third World Studies, Inc., held at Millersville University in Pennsylvania, October 26-28, 2008.

All members introduced themselves and presented a brief summary of their scholarly accomplishments during the 2007-2008 academic year.

Newly elected officers are: Dr.George Klay Kieh,Grand Valley State University, President, Dr. Richard Yidana, Grand Valley State University, Vice-President, Dr. Kalechi Kalu, Ohio State University, Director of Research, Dr. Ishmael I. Munene, Northern Arizona University, Executive Secretary, and Dr. Theodora Ayot, North Park University, Treasurer

At the ATWS banquet the “ ASRF Excellence in Research Award” was presented to Dr.Ishmael I. Munene, and the prestigious ASRF “Presidential Award” was presented to two honorees who have made exemplary contributions to the Study of Africa:

Professor John Mukum Mbaku, William L. Eccles Professor of Economics and John S. Hinkley Fellow at the John B. Goddard School of Business and Economics, Weber State University. Professor Mbaku was the Associate Editor (African section) of the Journal of Third World Studies (JTWS) for twenty-two years handing over in 2007-2008 to Dr. Samuel Zalanga. His inexhaustible capacity for exceptional academic productivity is legendary and the Presidential Award celebrates his incalculable contributions to the advancement of African Studies and Research.

Professor Harold Isaacs, Professor Emeritus of History, Georgia Southwestern State University and the Founder of the Association of of Third World Studies, Inc. Professor Isaacs has served in numerous positions  in ATWS including Past President of the association and is the Founding Editor (1984) of the influential Journal of Third World Studies (JTWS), which is sent to subscribers in 52 countries and is available worldwide via the internet.

The next meeting of ASRF will be held at the 27th annual meeting of ATWS In Ghana, November 21-23, 2009.

SAMUEL ZALANGA ASSUMES POSITION OF ASSOCIATE EDITOR OF AFRICAN SECTIONS OF JTWS

Dr. Samuel Zalanga, Associate Professor of Sociology at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota was appointed by a unanimous vote of the Executive Council of ATWS to be the new Associate Editor of the African sections of the Journal of Third World Studies (JTWS). Dr. Zalanga replaces Dr. John Mukum Mbaku who performed twenty-two years of dedicated and superlative service in this Position.

Dr, Zalanga, a longtime member of ATWS, received his B.A. And M.A. Degrees in Sociology from Bayero University, and the University of Jos, respectively, in Northern Nigeria. He completed his Ph.D.in Sociology at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Zalanga lived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia while engaged in research for his dissertation, "The Postcolonial State and the Development Agenda: A Comparative Study of the Role of Ruling Elites in Development Policy Formulation and Implementation in Malaysia and Nigeria." Possessing a broad area of specialization in development studies and social change,he has published numerous articles in scholarly periodicals, and is a frequent presenter at professional conferences. Among his publications are: "Indigenous Capitalists: The Development of Indigenous Investment Companies in Relation to Class, Ethnicity, and the State In Malaysia and Fiji," (with Erik Larson) in Political Power and Social Theory, Volume 16, 75-101 (2004); and "Teaching and Learning Social Theory to Advance Social Transformation: Some Insights,  Implications, and Practical Suggestions from Paul Freire," in The Discourse of Sociological Practice (DSP), University of Massachusetts, Boston, Department of Sociology (Fall, 2004) Dr. Zalanga's courses include: "Social Inequality," "Religion In Society," "Urbanization: Growth and Development of The Modern City," 'Peoples and Cultures of The United States," and "Sociology of  Development." He also teaches graduate courses in Master of Arts programs in Organizational Leadership and Gerontology.

For information regarding "Guidelines for Submission of Manuscripts" to JTWS, please click-on: http://itc.gsw.edu/atws/journal.htm

TWENTY-SIXTH ANNUAL ATWS MEETING A GREAT SUCCESS

The Twenty-Sixth Annual Meeting of the Association of Third World Studies (ATWS), Inc., the largest organization of its kind in the world, founded at Georgia Southwestern State University in 1983 by Harold Isaacs, Ph.D., was held at Millersville University ( PA), October 26-28. The conclave featured 80 attendees who participated in 25 panels and round tables which focused on the theme, “Voices of the Subaltern: Identities, Hierachies and Social Struggles in a Globalizing Age.”

The conference, hosted by Millersville University, was co-sponsored by ATWS, Millersville University, Georgia Southwestern State University, Ithaca College, and Louisiana State University-Shreveport.

The Keynote Banquet Address, “The Colonial in the Global: Where Does the Third World Fit,?” was presented by Marnia Lazreg, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology, Hunter College. Dr. Gary Kline, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Department of History and Political Science at Georgia Southwestern State University, gave the presidential address, “Who Will Speak for the Voiceless.?”

The prestigious ATWS “Presidential Award” for 2008 was presented to Doyin Coker-Kolo, Ed.D., Associate Dean of Education, Millersville University, “In Recognition of Her Outstanding Contributions to the Promotion of Scholarship Devoted to the Third World.”

Several awards were presented to recognize individuals who have made significant scholarly contributions to the academic discipline of Third World studies. The winners of the “Lawrence Dunbar Reddick Memorial Scholarship Award,” for the best article published on Africa in the 2007 issues of Journal of Third World Studies (JTWS), were James G. Guseh, Ph.D., Professor of Public Administration, North Carolina Central University, and Emmanuel O. Oritsejafor, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science, North Carolina Central University. Professors Guseh and Oritsejafor received the Reddick Award for their outstanding article, “Government Size, Political Freedom and Economic Growth in Nigeria, 1960-2000,” published in Volume 24, No. 1, Spring 2007 issue of JTWS.

The winner of the “Cecil B. Currey ATWS Book Award,” presented to the author of the best book published in the area of Third World studies during 2007-2008, was Elizabeth F. Drexler, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Michigan State University. Dr. Drexler received the award for her superlative work, “ Aceh, Indonesia: Securing the Insecure State,” published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 2008.

There were two winners of the Toyin Falola ATWS Africa Book Award, given for the best book on Africa published in 2007-2008: Ogbu Kalu, Ph.D., Professor, McCormick Theological Seminary ( Chicago, Illinois), for his excellent study, “African Pentecostalism: An Introduction,” published by Oxford University Press in 2008; and Collins O. Airhihenbuwa, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, author of “Healing Our Differences: The Crisis of Global Health and the Politics of Identity,” published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.

The “Harold Isaacs Graduate Student Award,” given to the author of the top graduate student paper presented at the annual ATWS meeting, was presented to Joseph Agbonifo, Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, for his excellent paper, “Beyond Exclusion and Inclusion: The Ogoni and the Politics of Subversive Patriots.”

The ATWS affiliated African Studies and Research Form (ASRF) presented the "Excellence in Research Award" to Dr. Ishmael I. Munene, Assistant Professor of Education, Northern Arizona University, and the "Presidential Award" to Dr. John Mukum Mbaku, Professor of Economics and John S. Hinkley Fellow, Weber State University, and to Dr. Harold Isaacs, Professor Emeritus of History, Georgia Southwestern State University.

Peyi Soyinka-Airewele, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science, Ithaca College, who as Vice-President/President-Elect organized the conference program , received the “ATWS Outstanding Leadership Award.” “ATWS Outstanding Service Awards,” were presented to Dr. Gary Kline, Dr. Harold Isaacs, and Dr. A.B. Assensoh (Professor of History, Indiana University).

Entertainment at the banquet was provided by the “Imani Edu-Tainers,”Dance Group of Lancaster, Pa..

Newly elected ATWS officers are: Peyi Soyinka-Airewele; President; Mario D. Fenyo, Ph.D., Professor of History, Bowie State University, Vice-President/President-Elect; and Mueni Wa Muiu, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Social Science, Winston-Salem State University, Executive Council Post #2.

The Twenty-Seventh annual ATWS meeting will be held in Ghana, November 21-23, 2009.

ISAACS EDITS 50th (FALL 2008) ISSUE OF JTWS

Harold Isaacs, Ph.D., professor emeritus of history at Georgia Southwestern State University, has edited “Third World Political, Economic, and Social Developments in Historical Perspective,” which is the Fall 2008 issue of Journal of Third World Studies (JTWS), published by the Association of Third World Studies (ATWS), Inc.

The 295 page volume is the 50th issue edited by Isaacs since 1984 when he founded the bi-annual scholarly publication. Articles, book reviews and book review essays are approved for publication by the JTWS board of editors, which is comprised of scholars who are nationally and internationally-recognized experts in their respective fields.

JTWS has a global readership of scholars, practitioners in the area of Third World development, U.S. and foreign government officials, and employees of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The publication is sent to subscribers in 52 countries and is available worldwide via the internet.

SEEKING
POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTORS FOR THE FORTHCOMING

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF UNITED STATES-LATIN AMERICAN RELATIONS

Potential contributors are sought for the 2-volume, 800,000 word Encyclopedia of United States-Latin American Relations scheduled for publication in early January 2008 by the Francis/Taylor Group, the reference division of Routledge Publishers.

Interested persons should refer to the project’s website for listing topics, related details and, answers to the most frequently asked questions: http://www.routledge-ny.com/enc/USLatinRelations

For assignment consideration please submit via email a maximum one page vitae (listing relative courses taught and publications) to one of the individuals listed below.

Cecil B. Currey Book- Length Publications Award, 2008-2009

ATWS wishes to announce the formal request for submissions of books for the Cecil B. Currey Book Award for 2008-2009. This award is named in honor of one of the foremost experts on the war in Vietnam. Topics on any part of the Third World are acceptable. ATWS members are encouraged to have their works published and submit them for the book award. The award will not necessarily be given out each year, but only when the committee determines that a book of sufficient merit is submitted. Publications must be 2008 through May 15, 2009. Submission deadline is June 30, 2009.

Qualifications:

1. Only monographs and studies will be considered. Please do not submit anthologies or edited works
2. If an individual wishes to be considered s/he must send a letter of application to the committee chair,
   Dr. Paul J. Magnarella, Director, Peace Studies Program,
   Warren - Wilson College, P.O. Box 9000, Asheville, NC 28815.
   E-mail: pmagnarella@warren-wilson@edu
3. Persons interested in entering the competition must submit a copy of their book to EACH of the members of the committee – please mail them yourself or have your publisher send copies.

Committee members are:

• Dr. Paul Magnarella, committee chair, Director, Peace Studies Program, Warren-Wilson College, P.O. Box 9000, Asheville, NC 28815. E-mail: pmagnarella@warren-wilson.edu 
• Dr.Philip Aka, Department of History and Political Science, Chicago State University, 9501 S. King Drive, Chicago, IL, 60628-1598. E-mail: philip_aka@hotmail.com 
• Dr. Dorothea Martin, Department of History, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608. E-mail: martinda@appstate.edu 
• Dr. Chaitram Singh, Professor of Political Science, Berry College, 2277 Martha Berry Hwy NW, Mount Berry, GA 30149. E-mail: csingh@berry.edu

"CALL FOR BOOKS"
 THE 2008-2009 TOYIN FALOLA
ATWS AFRICA BOOK AWARD

The Toyin Falola ATWS Africa Book Award, in honor of Toyin Falola, one of Africa's outstanding historians and intellectuals, was initially given for the best book on Africa published in 2005-2006. The first award was presented at the Twenty-Fourth Annual Meeting of ATWS, November 2-4, 2006, Winston -Salem State University.

Book submissions must be published in 2008 through May 15, 2009. Deadline for submission of entries is June 30, 2009. The award will not automatically be given each year, but only whenever the committee decides that a book of considerable merit has been submitted. ATWS members are encouraged to enter their publications into the competition. The recipient will receive a plaque, citation, and a $500 cash award

Qualifications are:

1. Only monographs and studies will be considered. Please do not submit anthologies or edited works.
2. An individual who wishes to be considered must send a letter of application to the committee chair, Dr. Abdul Karim Bangura, The African Institution
   7532 Eighth Street, NW
   Washington, DC 20012 E-mail: theai@earthlink.net   
3. Publishers are permitted to nominate an author’s book as long as the above rules are observed.
4. An individual seeking the award is responsible for sending a copy of his/her book to each member of the committee.

Committee members are:

• Dr. Abdul Karim Bangura, committee chair, The African Institution, 7532 Eighth St, NW, Washington, DC 20012 E-mail: theai@earthlink.net  
• Dr. James T. Gire, Department of Psychology, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, VA 24450. E-mail: GireJT@vmi.edu
• Dr. Jose Arimateia da Cruz, Department of Criminal Justice, Social and Political Science, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah, GA 31419-1997. E-mail: dacruzjo@mail.armstrong.edu 
• Dr. Ishmael Munene, Center for Education Excellence, Northern Arizona  University, Flagg Staff, AZ 86011-5774. E-mail: Ishmael.munene@nau.edu

Lawrence Dunbar Reddick Scholarship Award

Named in honor of the late Lawrence Dunbar Reddick, professor of history and friend of several post-colonial leaders, the Reddick Award is given annually to the best article to appear in the Journal of Third World Studies, the flagship journal of the ATWS. The award was established during the ATWS presidency of John Mukum Mbaku as a result of the initiative and funding provided by A.B. Assensoh and Yvette Alex-Assensoh, both of Indiana University, Bloomington. A selection committee is named each year to pick the recipient.

Dr. Reddick, a prolific scholar who wrote the first authorized biography of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Crusader Without Violence), died a few years ago in New Orleans, Louisiana.

THE ATWS ANNOUNCES THE 2009 ISAACS AWARD COMPETITION FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS

At its 2001 meeting the Association of Third World Studies (ATWS) instituted The Harold Isaacs Award competition for graduate students. The Award is named in honor of the Association's founding president and aimed toward supporting research focusing on the various problems facing "Third World" peoples. The Award will be made to the top graduate student paper to be presented at the annual meeting of the Association. The Award is designed to encourage high quality research and writing among graduate students who have an interest in Third World studies. All candidates MUST have their papers accepted for presentation at the meeting in order to be eligible for the competition AND they must be present at the 2009 ATWS meeting to deliver their paper. The winner will be presented with a $400 check award at the annual meeting's banquet. Other selected graduate student papers will also be presented with Certificates of Excellence AND they must be present at the 2009 ATWS meeting to deliver their paper.

The selection procedure is as follows: students will submit abstracts of their papers according to established procedures of the Association (see Call for Papers above). Paper submissions MUST follow "Guidelines for Submission of Manuscripts" for Journal of Third World Studies (JTWS). Click-on Journal of Third World Studies at http://itc.gsw.edu/atws. Upon acceptance for presentation at the meeting, the student will send three copies of the completed paper to the Education Committee Chair. The deadline for receipt of the papers is 30 SEPTEMBER, 2009. The current chair is Dr. S. Lily Mendoza, Department of Rhetoric, Communication, and Journalism, Oakland University 2200 N. Squirrel Road, Rochester, MI. 48309-4401 .E-mail: mendoza@oakland.edu.  Dr. Mendoza and two other ATWS members will compose the Graduate Student Award Selection Subcommittee.

Interested graduate students must submit papers that 1) demonstrate originality in terms of research area and/or interpretation, 2) contribute to the intellectual debates within the subject area in which they are framed, and 3) present well-substantiated arguments. Please note that submissions should be near ready for publication. The winning paper will be published in the Journal of Third World Studies after any revisions suggested by the Review Subcommittee.

For more information, please check out the ATWS website at: http://itc.gsw.edu/atws