Course and lecture series, fall semester 2025

How does current research grounded in Africa decenter the perspectives from which we understand knowledge production in urban studies, history, anthropology, and related fields? 

Organized by George-Paul Meiu (Anthropology), Julia Tischler (African History), Kenny Cupers (Urban Studies), and Marie Muschalek (African History), this course explores how current research grounded in Africa decenters the perspectives from which we understand knowledge production in urban studies, history, anthropology, and related fields. The course format facilitates in-depth engagement with an invited scholar’s research-in-progress, and through it, a discussion of theoretical and methodological approaches amongst the participants. The course is structured around three full-day workshops with invited scholars, in which we will discuss their work in progress. This semester our guests are Patience Mususa, Charles Piot, and Frank Matose. Each of them will also present a public lecture:

10.10.2025: Patience Mususa (The Nordic Africa Institute)
Invisible Voices: Planners' Perspectives on Zambia’s Copperbelt Mining Resurgence

17.10.2025: Charles D. Piot (Duke University)
Is the African Informal Economy Decolonial?

28.11.2025: Frank Matose (University of Cape Town)
Forests and the Power of Marginalised People in Southern Africa: Politics of Chronic Liminality

Times and venue:
Classes take place from 12.15am-4.00pm (Alte Universität, Seminarraum -201), public lectures from 4.15-6.00pm (Alte Universität, Hörsaal -101)

Fur further details see the course prospectus