Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MINDS) will be hosting an Expert Meeting based on our pillar programme, The African Heritage Programme, on the 7th of June.
The African Programme aims at increasing attention and reflection on the imperative of situating ‘Africanness’ at the center of sustainable social, economic and political development in Africa. This understanding will be used to shape the nature of development programmes and lead to better results relative to those achieved to date.
The discussion will be centered around the theme ‘Africanness’ in African Heritage, Studies and Praxis’ and a group of experts will share their thoughts on the topic.
The experts include:
Prof. Muxe Nkondo
Mary Mbewe,
Mwayi Lusaka
Judith Sebetlela
Dr. Pindai Sithole
Puleng Lenka-Bula
Marcus Balintulo
The objective of the project is investigation and articulation of ‘Africanness’ as a strategic ideological positioning, defined by commitment to the ethics of social justice for the redress of the historical injustice of the dehumanisation of Africans and under-development of Africa.
The expected outcomes from this focus group meeting is to build up toward a regional workshop on the 25th June 2019 and to further concertise and operationalise the research into Africanness of African heritage studies and praxis.
See programme of the meeting below
African Heritage Expert Meeting Programme
Theme: ‘Africanness’ in African Heritage, Studies and Praxis’
Date: 07 June 2019
| Time | Items | Facilitators |
| 0830 – 0900 | Registration | All |
| 0900 – 0915 | Personal introductions with emphasis on one’s areas of expertise in African Heritage Studies | All |
| 0915 – 0925 | Brief overview of Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MINDS) and National Heritage Council (NHC) | MINDS & NHC |
| 0925 – 0935 | Presentation of the discussion theme | Research Associate |
| 0935 – 1000 | Formulation of the problem statement (knowledge gap) on Africanness Method: Plenary discussion | Research Associate |
| 1000 – 1030 | BREAK AND REFRESHMENTS | All |
| 1030 – 1040 | Formulation of Africanness thematic areas Method: Plenary discussion | Research Associate |
| 1040 – 1120 | Articulation of research objectives on Africanness in line with the thematic areas identified Method: Group work and then plenary discussion | Research Associates and group leaders |
| 1120 – 1300 | Proposed research methodologies on the distinctives of Africans (identifiers for an African person) in with the objectives articulated Method: Group work and then plenary discussion | Research Associates and group leaders |
| LUNCH | All | |
| 1300 – 1400 | Proposed budget and funding options Method: Plenary discussion | Programme Manager |
| 1400 – 1530 | Research operational structure, modalities and timelines Method: Plenary discussion | Research Associates |
| 1530 – 1550 | Summary of action points | Research Associates |
| 1550 – 1600 | Closing remarks and vote of thanks | MINDS & NHC |
