Ciao, se qualcuno si occupa di partecipazione politica in Africa...
Alberta
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Alberta Giorgi (alberta.giorgi) <alberta.giorgi@???>
Date: Oct 8, 2007 8:32 AM
Subject: Fwd: [religion-politics] Final Call: Political Decisionism
and Statecraft in Africa
To: alberta.giorgi@???
----- Messaggio Originale -----
Da: Erich Kofmel <e.kofmel@???>
Data: Domenica, Ottobre 7, 2007 11:08 pm
Oggetto: [religion-politics] Final Call: Political Decisionism and
Statecraft in Africa
A: religion-politics@???
> Please circulate widely!
>
> Dear all
>
> I am convening a section on "Political Decisionism and
> Statecraft in
> Africa" for the 11th Conference of Africanists, to be held at the
> Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow, 22-24 May 2008. Deadline for
> paper proposals: 1 November 2007.
>
> The conference (on "Africa's Development: Possibilities and
> Constraints") is organised jointly by the Academy's Academic Council
> on Problems of Africa and its Institute for African Studies.
> Conference working languages are Russian and English.
>
> Maybe more so than in any other continent it is possible to still
> study what Carl Schmitt termed "political decisionism" in Africa.
> Attempts at democratization regularly fail because decisionist
> politicians, warlords, and traditional leaders (chiefs of ethnic
> groups, clans, etc.) will oppose (or slowly erode) fragile
> institutions of democracy. While political decisionism in Africa (and
> elsewhere) may often have led to violent conflict, the concept
> is not
> inherently evil and has much exploratory and explanatory
> potential. By
> definition, political decisionism stands in opposition to
> parliamentary procedures. If applied to Africa, it may help to
> understand the failure of parliamentary institutions in that
> continent. The very idea of parliamentarism (at least in its
> "universalist" interpretation) may be unsuited to Africa where
> interest groups most often are not divided according to party lines,
> but rather following ethnic and religious affiliations. Stemming from
> its association with the counterrevolution in Europe, political
> decisionism has a strong religious component and, again, this
> seems to
> fit a continent in which religion still plays a major role.
> Anti-religious, liberal-democratic, parliamentary Europe could
> be seen
> as the very opposite of mostly anti-liberal, pro-religious, and
> "decisionist" Africa. This section wishes to inquire into the nature
> and current and historical meanings and role of political decisionism
> in Africa and how political decisionism relates to concepts and
> practice of "statecraft" and "development". The term statecraft
> is not
> one commonly used in the discussion on Africa's development. It may
> however describe African politics better than terms like "(good)
> governance" and "political development" with their assumption of
> "good" government being by definition democratic and their
> subtext of
> parliamentarism and universal (western) values. Questions to be raised
> in this section will include whether political decisionism in Africa
> impinges on social and economic development? Can a model of
> "development" be found that takes political decisionism (and African
> public support for it) seriously? What is the role of countries with
> an arguably more decisionist approach to politics (such as
> Russia and
> China) in Africa's development? etc. There will also be space for
> papers on "political decisionism" and "statecraft" more
> generally, if
> they can be put in relation to Africa.
>
> Papers co-authored by experts on Schmitt/political decisionism and
> experts on Africa are encouraged. I may be able to establish contacts
> between people interested in participating who lack experience in
> either one or the other of these areas. Please ask me.
>
> The deadline for paper proposals is 1 November 2007.
>
> Please send your proposal (a 300 word abstract) to:
> e.kofmel@??? the same time you should send a copy of
> your proposal to the
> conference's Organising Committee: afrconf_08@???
> Paper proposals need to include your full name, title, institutional
> affiliation, full mail and e-mail addresses and fax number (if
> applicable).
>
> Full papers (up to 5000 words) need to be submitted by 15 March 2008.
>
> The conference registration fee is $150 in Russian roubles ($75 in
> Russian roubles for students) to be paid in cash at the conference.
> Assistance with visa applications (official invitation) and hotel
> bookings will be provided by the conference organisers. The fee for
> accompanying persons is $50 in Russian roubles (that also
> includes an
> official invitation for visa purposes).
>
> Please circulate this CFP widely!
>
> Looking forward to hearing from you.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Erich Kofmel
> Managing Director
> Sussex Centre for the Individual and Society (SCIS)
> www.scis-calibrate.org
> e.kofmel@???
>
