Biennial conference of the German Association for African Studies (VAD) at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz,

The year 2010 represents a significant milestone for many countries and a majority of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa, as it marks half a century of political independence. Since 1960 the continent has undergone profound changes, not only politically but also in economic, social and cultural terms, and manifold processes of consolidation, differentiation and transformation have radically increased the complexity of the African social terrain. The conference will focus on and assess these processes and the conflicts arising from them. Of particular interest are the historical continuities, dislocations and transformations that have marked the past 50 years, as well as how this historical legacy impacts the present situation on the African continent and what this portends for future developme