Conferences

The purpose of this conference is to build and sustain a dialogue among the various disciplines engaged in the study of issues related to Africa and the peoples of African ancestry in Brazil and the Spanish-speaking world. Initiated in 2007, the conference provides a framework for cross-disciplinary interactions and offers a forum for scholars from diverse fields of study related to the Afro-Hispanic world to share their research and scholarly endeavors.

The rationale for choosing the site of this international conference has not changed. Most of the slaves that were transported to the Americas came from this part of Africa. Consequently, a historical connection exists between Ghana and the daughters and sons of Africa who ended up on the shores of the Caribbean and other slave ports in the Americas. The slave forts of Cape Coast and Elmina have, therefore, become key destinations for many from across the world. Since Ghana‘s political independence over fifty years ago, it has played a leading role in advocating for peace and freedom on the African continent. Holding this event in Ghana is a way of recognizing the importance of this country within the annals of world history and its current position as a genuine democratic nation in Africa. Furthermore, since its establishment, the School of Languages at the University of Ghana has been at the forefront in the promotion of Hispanic studies on the African continent. The conference continues to honor the efforts of the Spanish Department, which has produced outstanding African Hispanists, who teach in various institutions in North America and Europe.

Detailed information is available at the Conference website:

http://www.icallas.tcu.edu/ConferenceMain.htm