From: Sondra Hale (sonhale@ucla.edu)
Date: Mon Apr 24 2000 - 11:42:07 EDT
Dear Colleagues,
I am in accord with the excellent statement below, which basically
advocates defining "development" in a progressive and enlightened way,
i.e., broadly. I may add some comments later.
Sondra Hale
Adjunct Professor
Anthropology Department
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
==============================
At 11:41 AM 4/24/00 +0200, you wrote:
>Dear colleagues,
>
>I am glad that you have come round at long last to planning a conference
>on and in Eritrea. For months rumouurs circulated about the intention,
>but this is the first reliable information I got on the plan, for which
>I should like to congratulate the committee and ESA.
>
>As to comments regarding the theme and objectives of the conference, I
>have very few to make. Maybe you have already discussed the points I
>should now like to raise, in which case you may ignore them.
>
>1. I think the aim of the conference should be not only "to commemorate
>the 10th anniversary of Eritrea's independence or liberation," but also
>to found a permanent institution which provides an opportunity to
>national and international scholars working on any aspect of Eritrean
>studies to know one another, exchange ideas, co-ordinate their research
>activities and exert their influences upon various institutions of
>higher learning to promote Eritrean studies. This has been the case with
>the international conferences pertaining to Ethiopian, Somali and
>Sudanese/Nubian studies since the late 1950s. Those conferences have
>certainly had influences on the establishment or promotion of some
>sub-departments and/or research projects related to those countries
>within African or Middle-Eastern area study programmes. It is no secret
>that quite a few of the scholars have in times of crises acted as
>advocates (in some cases propagandists) on behalf of the respective
>countries they studied. Many of those conferences were initiated and
>founded by foreigners abroad and, hence, they experienced difficulties
>at one time or another to be well integrated with the country of study.
>Eritrea has now a unique opportunity to initiate and host the first
>international conference of Eritrean studies. The permament secretariat
>should of course be located in Asmara, but it may be useful in many
>respects if some of the subsequent conferences are held in some other
>countries.
>
>2. The proposed theme of the conference - Post-independence development
>experience in Eritrea and opportunities for scholarships - is excellent
>and has a clear purpose. But it is rather narrow in scope so that probably
>a small number of academics (primarily economists, educationalists,
>political scientists and sociologists) may attend the conference. Other
>fields like anthropology, archaeology, ethnology, geography, history, law,
>languages and literature are likely to be marginalized. Certainly one can
>organize a symposium attended by a select group of experts and perhaps
>attain better results. But such an exclusive meeting should be called by
>its appropriate name. I for one would wish to see a reall conference under
>such a theme as: "Perspectives of Eritrean Studies - Past and Present".
>On account of its importance, the standing theme should of course claim a
>separate session of its own within the big scheme.
>
>3. Regarding the last point in your e-mail, namely whether 2001 or 2003
>should be the year of the conference depends entirely on the required
>preparations. As far as development in Eritrea is concerned, 1993 is as
>good as 1991. The task of clearing the war debris and the work of
>reconstruction predate the complete liberation anyhow. What is important
>is whether the Association is in a position to raise the necessary funds
>and to arrange for conference halls, hotels and transportation. The
>invitation for 2001 should in any case be issued in May of this year at
>the latest, because the participants need ample time for research and to
>plan their trip.
>
>I hope these lines are enough to trigger off some constructive
>discussions. By way of closing my remarks, I should like to assure you of
>my unreserved co-operation in this noble project, and please do not
>hesitate to call upon my humble contribution if and when necessary.
>
>With best regards
>yours,
>Bairu Tafla
>
>
>On Thu, 20 Apr 2000 gtesfagiorgis@uneb.edu wrote:
>
> > Dear colleagues,
> >
> > Yacob and I, as co-chairs for the proposed 10th anniversary conference to
> > be held in Asmara, have been thinking about the possible theme and
> > objectives for that conference. Below you will find a draft of what we came
> > up with for your consideration. Please review and send your comments either
> > to Yacob at <Fissehay@msu.edu> or myself at <gebretes@uneb.edu> as soon as
> > you can. In addition to suggesting any changes to the general theme and
> > objectives, we would particularly like to get your opinion on whether the
> > conference should be held in 2001 or 2003.
> >
> > Following your comments, the plan is to widely announce an expanded version
> > of this draft as an invitation for participation in the conference.
> >
> > Gebre H. Tesfagiorgis
> > ________________________________________________________________
> >
> > Theme for the 10th Anniversary Conference in Asmara
> >
> > The Eritrean Studies Association (ESA), in cooperation with the University
> > of Asmara, and the Research and Documentation Center of Eritrea, is
> > planning on a conference to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of Eritrea's
> > independence (or liberation*). The main theme and objectives of the
> > conference are as follows:
> >
> > Theme: Post-Independence Development Experience in Eritrea and
> > Opportunities for Scholarship
> >
> > Objectives:
> > 1. To assess Eritrea's development experience of the
> > post-independence decade in its wider sense.
> > 2. To evaluate the status of Eritrean Studies - retrospective and
> > prospective.
> > 3. To identify existing and potential research and scholarship
> > opportunities related to Eritrea.
> > 4. To explore organizational and resource possibilities for the
> > establishment of a national research institute.
> >
> >
> > (* If organized for Year 2001, it should be "liberation;" if for Year 2003,
> > it should be "independence." Which year should the conference be organized
> > for is in itself an issue we need to decide. )
> >
> >
> >