African Consortium and Ghana Exchange

The African Consortium

In 2004, the Institute for Comparative Literature and Society established an African Consortium which includes, in addition to Columbia University, the Universities of Cape Town (South Africa), Ghana, Ibadan (Nigeria) and Nairobi (Kenya). Inaugurated through a series of bilateral contracts, the consortium has conducted a series of pilot courses and strategic policy discussions on the basis of which it is now developing a program of language-based socio-cultural studies.

In addition to regular visits by prominent African and Africanist scholars and intellectuals, such as Professor Kofi Anyidoho, the Consortium includes a student exchange program with the University of Ghana.

The Ghana Exchange Program

The Institute for Comparative Literature and Society is currently accepting applications for its exchange program with the University of Ghana, Legon. The exchange, with an accompanying grant of $3,000, is open both to undergraduate and graduate students and offers Columbia students an opportunity to visit Ghana and work directly with scholars at the University. Students will also have opportunities to attend conferences and workshops, both within the university and at other institutions in Ghana. The exchange will introduce students to the academic culture of Ghana and allow them to build professional contacts while pursuing work on new research projects or on work they have already begun.

The next exchange will take place in the spring 2009 semester, offering students the opportunity to return to continue research already begun. We will be accepting one-page proposals and transcripts submitted by Monday, March 31st, 2008. Decisions will be made known before the end of the spring 2008 semester. We especially encourage applications from students working in our affiliated departments and schools, as well as at Barnard College.

For further information or to submit a proposal, send email to Prof. Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Director of the Institute for Comparative Literature and Society, at icls at columbia.edu.