Joint seminar with the University of Pretoria
The UP-TUFS (University of Pretoria - Tokyo University of Foreign Studies) Joint Seminar was held between September 13 and 14th, 2018 at the University of Pretoria. More than 30 participants (researchers, practitioners, and students) held an intensive discussion about a wide range of subject with regard to Africa - Japan related topics.
Since its establishment in April 2017, the African Studies Center - Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (ASC-TUFS) has made full efforts for strengthening relationships with several leading universities and research institutions in Africa. The University of Pretoria is one of them. With the installation of the Centre for Japanese Studies (CJS) , the university has a strong focus on Japan studies. UP and TUFS signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2016 to facilitate cooperation including the exchange of students and researchers as well as joint researches. At this occasion of the joint seminar, TUFS established its Global Japan Office (GJO) at the UP. The GJO will contribute to disseminate information about Japanese studies and be expected to help activities of the CJS.
Professor Takcuchi, the director of the ASC-TUFS introduces
the GJO coordinator, Ms. Anita Devchand
The two-day seminar included seven sessions with 22 papers (see the whole program). The first day, three sessions were organized under the title of "UP and TUFS in the Context of South Africa - Japan Relations". 7 researchers and 2 practitioners (from JICA and JETRO) presented papers regarding various topics including the "black movies" in the Apartheid era, the development in Tokyo for the 2020 Olympic game, the state capture in South Africa, migration in Africa and South Africa, and the debt problem in Africa.
Dr. Nisa Paleker, a speaker in the first session on 13 September,
will stay in Tokyo in the fall semester in 2018 and give lectures at TUFS
Dr. Mabutho Shangase, a speaker in the second session on 13 September,
will also give lectures at TUFS during the fall semester in 2018
On the second day (September 14th), 13 papers were presented in the four sessions under the title of the "Resource Management and Political Power in Rural Africa". The management of resources in rural Africa including land, forest, water, agricultural products, and cultural heritages, tends to be closely connected with the politics and/or the political power. 13 papers stimulated lively discussion about various related problems such as traditional leaders, communities, and sustainable policies.
participants in the second day
The proceedings of this UP-TUFS seminar will be published later. (As for the proceedings of the "Kickoff" symposium in November 2017, click here.)