January 29th
Everyday Citizenship from Africa to Wisconsin
Location: Goodman South Library, 2222 South Park St., Madison, WI 53713
Irène Tombo
Department of Political Science, UW-Madison
In conversation with
Linda Vakunta (PhD)
Deputy Mayor of the City of Madison
Talk Description
In a context where the state often appears dysfunctional and remote, though not always absent, what is the nature of the relationship between rulers and those who are ruled? To shed light on this question, this talk will examine the nature of state-citizen relationship in the DRC and Wisconsin.
Speakers Bios
Irène is a Ph.D. candidate in Political Science at UW-Madison. Her research is centered on norms and practices of citizenship (la citoyenneté) in polities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Her dissertation specifically focuses on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Linda is the Deputy Mayor of the City of Madison, Wisconsin. She holds a PhD in Environmental Studies, a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Psychology ,and a Bachelor’s Degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
February 26th
Ali Baba Sanchi
Department of Anthropology, UW-Madison
In conversation with
Voronica Bading
Community Leader and Refugee Advocate, Madison
Talk Description
The ongoing crisis in Zamfara State, Northwest Nigeria, has resulted in a significant number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) seeking refuge in host communities. These individuals carry the heavy burden of traumatic memories that affect their mental health and social integration. This talk will examine the narratives of recognizing the fear and anxiety faced by individuals, along with how physical violence and displacement affect their social, cultural, and economic well-being. These IDPs live but anticipate what will happen next, explaining that having lived through attacks, “we are alive” yet cannot undo the horrors we have seen.
Speaker’s Bio
Ali Baba Sanchi is a PhD candidate in Anthropology at UW-Madison. His research focuses on the cultural manifestations of trauma among the victims of Boko Haram’s insurgency, banditry, and kidnapping in Northwest Nigeria.
Location: Goodman South Library, 2222 South Park St., Madison, WI 53713
April 30th
Social Media: Advocacy or Surveillance Tool for Gender Minorities Globally
Nneoma Onwuegbuchi
Department of African Cultural Studies, UW-Madison
In conversation with
Tyrone Creech
Executive Director of GSafe
Talk Description
In this talk, Nneoma Onyinye Onwuegbuchi and Tyrone Creech will explore the risks and rewards of utilizing social media platform for social advocacy. These platforms offer new opportunities to traditionally marginalized communities to organize and advocate. At the same time, social media platforms can expose vulnerable populations to state surveillance and violence. The discussion will explore this tension using examples from gender and sexual minority communities in West Africa and Madison.
Speakers Bios
Nneoma Onwuegbuchi’s research focuses on gender and sexuality in West African media cultures, particularly Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon. Her dissertation project examines the representation of gender and sexual minorities in various forms of media, including films, novels, and social media. Through her transnational work, she aims to explore the connections between gendered body politics in West Africa and broader global issues such as neoliberalism and consumerism all within the context of diverse media capitalism. Various awards from institutions such as the UW-Madison African Studies Program and the CUNY Graduate Center have provided research support for her work. Onwuegbuchi holds a B.A. in Literary Studies from the University of Nigeria Nsukka and an M.A. in African Cultural Studies with a minor in Gender and Women’s Studies from UW-Madison. Onwuegbuchi’s dissertation advisor is Dr Jacqueline-Bethel Mougoué.
Tyrone Creech, Jr. is the Executive Director of GSAFE.
Location: Goodman South Library, 2222 South Park St., Madison, WI 53713