AFRICA SOCIAL STUDIES AND RESEARCH CENTRE
AFRİKA STRATEJİK ARAŞTIRMALAR MERKEZİ
Missions and Goals
The Africa Social Studies and Research Centre (ASSRC) was founded in 2004 in Johannesburg, South Africa, to enhance collaborative research and scholarly exchange between Turkish and African scholars, educators, and institutions and to increase knowledge about and interest in Africa in the Turkey, as one of the institutions of The House of Wisdom Trust . ASSRC is a nucleus of intellectual curiosity and collaboration on issues of critical importance to our understanding of African culture and African societies. The Center hopes to provide a unique research environment and meeting ground where vital current issues and their deep historical background may be explored through research and dialogue. The Center encourages contacts among scholars in Turkey and Africa. As a research institute for advanced study, the Center owns a specialized library with a growing collection on Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey as well as on humanities and social sciences.
The Africa Social Studies and Research Center (ASSRC) promotes interdisciplinary research on African heritage as well as contemporary social and intellectual trends in the African continent. Its research projects can cover the Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Turkey and South Asia.
The Africa Social Studies and Research Center (ASSRC) is dedicated to develop continental and intercontinental research on past and present social, economic and cultural developments in African societies through working relations with scholars and academic institutions both in Africa and Turkey.
Its stated missions and goals are to:
provide Turkish and African scholars access to research resources and expand research opportunities
create a point of contact for Turkish and African researchers allowing the intersection of their respective research traditions
supplement documentation resources
award fellowships to Turkish and African scholars
encourage interest in international affairs and careers among Turkish graduate students
disseminate information on Africa-related research issues and periodically organize meaningful and landmark seminars, symposiums and conferences where experts and researchers and creative artists and thinkers from different horizons and backgrounds can meet and fruitfully exchange ideas, preoccupations, research results and stimulating thinking.
ASSRC
The benefits and services provided by having an Africa-based center include:
providing logistical support for Turkish scholars
offering institutional affiliation and facilitating acquisition of research clearances in Africa
serving as operations base for ASSRC projects, expeditions, summer seminars and linkage programs
serving as operations base for member institutions needing assistance in the planning and execution of educational exchanges in the region
maintaining relations with language institutes, research facilities, libraries, and specialists in the host country and the region
developing cordial relations with Turkish authorities and relevant officials in the host country and the region
creating and maintaining a documentation center and current periodicals to complement existing archival and library collections
developing opportunities for internships with local and regional organizations
providing orientation and programs of joint interest at its facilities
Objectives
ASSRC promotes scholarly research on Africa and works to foster cooperation between African and Turkish researchers, students and artists. In its development from initial conception to project planning, the Center seeks the active participation and cooperation of both African and Turkish scholars in order to identify and meet the needs of both communities. ASSRC specifically aims to:
encourage collaborative research between Turkish and African researchers, universities, and relevant institutions through a program of research fellowships and the organization of colloquia, seminars, and workshops on topics of both general and scholarly interest.
make available to Turkish and visiting researchers a research library, computer facilities, and a computer network capable of sustaining significant research efforts by providing up-to-date data and information on Africa and the Diaspora.
provide a forum in which both local and foreign researchers may conduct and share their work, and create a transnational community of scholars and researchers.
promote interdisciplinary approaches and considerations of gender in the study of Africa and the African Diaspora.
gather, catalogue, and disseminate the results of research on Africa.
Activities
The Center sponsors international colloquia, research programs, and round tables on published research, lectures and workshops by visiting and local scholars and writers. ASSRC has administered an annual short-term research fellowship competition for scholars from Africa to travel to Turkey host universities, assisted Turkish scholars conducting research in Africa, sponsored internships for graduate students, and served as the host institution for individual and group projects of Turkish students and Faculties.