Part of the Centre of African Studies Michaelmas Term Seminar Series 'Thinking with Africa: Global Theory for Contemporary Worlds'.

The scattered archive: the life and times of Pumla Ellen Ngozwana Kisosonkole

Speaker: Athambile Masola (Historical Studies Dept, University of Cape Town)

Practical information:

• Date: Monday, 19 October 2026
• Time: 4:30 to 6:00pm
• Venue: Alison Richard Building, Room S1 - 7, West Road, Cambridge, CB3 9DP

Part of the Centre of African Studies Michaelmas Term Seminar Series 'Thinking with Africa: Global Theory for Contemporary Worlds'.

The Post-Global City: Theorizing Technology Cultures in Urban Africa

Speaker: Katrien Pype (Dept of Social and Cultural Anthropology, KU Leuven University)

Practical information:

• Date: Monday, 26 October 2026
• Time: 4:30 to 6:00pm
• Venue: Alison Richard Building, Room S1 - 7, West Road, Cambridge, CB3 9DP

Unequal Pasts, Shared Futures: The Afterlives of Enslavement and the Politics of Repair

The event will feature Professor Pedro Ramos Pinto and Dr Kenny Monrose and will explore the enduring legacies of transatlantic enslavement, the role of historical acknowledgement, and the politics of repair in shaping more equitable futures. The event builds on the University of Cambridges Legacies of Enslavement initiative and current debates around historical responsibility.

The event has been organised by Wolfson Colleges REACH hub and the Wolfson College Research Networks (WCRN).

Practical information:

• Date: Thursday, 29 October 2026
• Time: 5.30pm-7.00pm
• Venue: Lee Hall, Wolfson College

Register here

Part of the Centre of African Studies Michaelmas Term Seminar Series 'Thinking with Africa: Global Theory for Contemporary Worlds'.

The Predicament of Youth: National Service Narratives, Student Activism and Politics in Ghana, 1960s-1990s

Speaker: Nana Yaw Boampong Sapong (Dept of History, University of Ghana)

Practical information:

• Date: Monday, 2 November 2026
• Time: 4:30 to 6:00pm
• Venue: Alison Richard Building, Room S1 - 7, West Road, Cambridge, CB3 9DP

The Circular and the Linear: A Southern Africanist (Re)Construction of the World 

In this lecture, Tsitsi Dangarembga will argue that modern nations are built around a particular model of human society based on hierarchy, inequality and the accumulation of wealth, and that this model contributes to many of today’s global problems.

Tracing the origins of this system back to 5000BC Varna, Bulgaria, Tsitsi will draw a direct historical trajectory from early forms of inequality to modern capitalism, culminating in the concept of “billionairism”: a late-stage capitalist system in which extreme concentrations of wealth and a growing number of billionaires coexist with increasing global inequality.

Practical information:

• Date: Thursday, 3 November 2026
• Time: 5:30pm - 6:30pm [doors open at 5:15pm], followed by a drinks reception in Central Hall, Divinity School, St John's College, Cambridge
• Venue: Main Lecture Theatre, Divinity School, St John's College, Cambridge

Register here

Partnerships that Deliver: Equitable, Effective, and Sustainable Global Health

The East of England Global Health Conference brings together leading voices from academia, healthcare, policy, and industry to explore what it takes for partnerships to truly deliver. Through real-world case studies and diverse perspectives, the conference will showcase how equitable, effective and sustainable collaborations are strengthening health systems, improving outcomes, and driving innovation—both globally and within the NHS. Join us to learn, connect, and be part of shaping the future of global health partnerships.

Practical information:

• Date: Thursday, 19 November 2026
• Time: 9.00am – 5pm followed by a drinks reception
• Venue: Robinson College, University of Cambridge

Register here

Part of the Centre of African Studies Michaelmas Term Seminar Series 'Thinking with Africa: Global Theory for Contemporary Worlds'.

Resource Makers: Affective Mastery and the Fragility of Expertise in an Emergent Oil Economy

Speaker: Gisa Weszkalnys (Department of Anthropology, LSE)

Practical information:

• Date: Monday, 23 November 2026
• Time: 4:30 to 6:00pm
• Venue: Alison Richard Building, Room S1 - 7, West Road, Cambridge, CB3 9DP