Why do post-conflict countries in Africa have double the rates of female legislative representation compared with countries that have not undergone conflict? In this lecture, Professor Tripp draws from her current book project to explore why post-war countries in Africa have been more open to passing legislation and making constitutional changes relating to women's rights. Her study draws from comparative research across Africa as well as fieldwork in Uganda, Liberia, Congo-Kinshasa and Angola.

Piniel Berhane is a senior at Pitt majoring in Finance with concentrations in African studies, French and Global Studies. She is a recipient of the 2011-2012 Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Program and is currently an intern at Merrill Lynch, Wealth Management sector. During the summer 2011, Berhane travelled to Ghana to conduct a research on "How microfinance mini-loans help women with small business as well as Ghana's economy" and was as intern with the Volunteer Partnership of West Africa (VPWA) NGO.

The United Nations’ International Day for Tolerance is annually observed on November 16 to educate people about the need for tolerance in society and to help them understand the negative effects of intolerance. In 1996 the UN General Assembly invited UN Member States to observe the International Day for Tolerance, with activities directed toward both education establishments and the wider international development community.

1:00 - 1:30 p.m. “Achieving Gender Equity in Education in South Sudan: Post-conflict Challenges and Opportunities”

During the 1960s, Nigeria gained independence from British colonial rule. A renewed self-determination captured all Nigerians, especially the youth. Traditional West African music began to sound like a remnant of the colonial path and young Nigerians turned to Euro-American pop/rock music. This movement was not without its critics, including the notable Fela Kuti who instead of emulating western music, created his own contercultural genre, AFROBEAT. Dr. Dosunmu will be chronicling the various countercultures of Nigerian pop music and how these cultures arose.

The African Studies Program of the University Center for International Studies (UCIS), in collaboration with the FORD Institute for Human Security at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) , the Institute for International Studies in Education (IISE) in the School of Education, The Ridgeway Center (GSPIA), and the Graduate School of Public Health will be hosting an international conference on “Achieving Sustainable Development in Africa.” This conference has been organized with collaboration from partners from African institutions namely: the Forum for African Women

As a result of the economic and political crisis in Zimbabwe, many women in the country with political affiliations have become victims of sexual assault. In September 2011 at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Matambabadzo hosted a conference on this topic. She continues with this discussion in a lecture hosted by the African Studies Program. This lecture will be preceded by a short documentary on the subject of rape to be followed by Dr. Matambabadzo’s presentation.

Joel Chrispo Dumba comes from the Republic of South Sudan, a newly born country which got its independence on July, 9th 2011 after being in a civil war which lasted for 21 years. He is an MA student of Social and Comparative Analysis in Education, Department of Administrative and Policy Studies, School of Education University of Pittsburgh.