Photos by Ainslie Coghill
On February 17, Carleton’s Institute of African Studies (IAS) welcomed faculty members, students and members of the university and broader Ottawa communities to celebrate a landmark moment.
The launch event — which featured live music from the Institute’s own Instructor Kathy Armstrong and was attended by several High Commissioners of African countries in Canada — marked the official opening of the IAS’s new home on the 17th floor of Dunton Tower, as well as the inauguration of two important spaces: the Pius Adesanmi African Studies Resource Centre and African Studies Student Lounge.
IAS Director Nduka Otiono says that the freshly renovated location comes with a renewed vision for the Institute as the foremost site for African Studies in Canada.
"The relocation of the Institute of African Studies from its old temporary office space in Paterson Hall to a more commodious space in Dunton Tower is not only a welcome milestone, but also marks the coming of age of the Institute."Prof. Nduka Otiono, Director, Institute of African Studies
"The relocation of the Institute of African Studies from its old temporary office space in Paterson Hall to a more commodious space in Dunton Tower is not only a welcome milestone, but also marks the coming of age of the Institute."
Established in 2009 and nearing its 15th anniversary, the Institute is a hub for research excellence in African and interdisciplinary studies and is the home of the prestigious Canada 150 Research Chair in Gender & African Politics, held by Professor Shireen Hassim.
The IAS is also the site of international research projects funded by the Carnegie Corporation, the African Union, the Mastercard Foundation, the Rideau Foundation, Universities Canada and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and collaborates with African universities across the continent.
On top of gaining a beautiful panoramic view of Ottawa, the move to Dunton Tower presented the Institute with an opportunity to establish two new spaces: the Pius Adesanmi African Studies Resource Centre, named in memory of the Institute’s previous Director, as well as the African Studies Student Lounge.
These additions aim to make the Institute a vibrant setting for students, visiting scholars and all members of its extended international community seeking research and networking opportunities.
L. Pauline Rankin, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, says the new location better reflects the Institute’s exceptional academic reputation.
"One of the last conversations I had with the Institute’s former director Pius Adesanmi was about finding new space for African Studies," said Rankin at the February 17 launch event. "He was passionate about updating and expanding the footprint of African Studies at Carleton."
"In recognition of the multiple ways in which Pius advanced African Studies on this campus, it’s only fitting that we name the resource centre in his honour and also designate a student lounge to facilitate the kind of student exchange and community building that was so important to him."L. Pauline Rankin, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
"In recognition of the multiple ways in which Pius advanced African Studies on this campus, it’s only fitting that we name the resource centre in his honour and also designate a student lounge to facilitate the kind of student exchange and community building that was so important to him."
Both the resource centre and the student lounge are already open to African Studies students, who are eager to make use of them after several years of online learning.
"I think that it’s great that the Institute of African Studies has a place for students to call home and connect with each other and other members of the Institute," says Buki, an undergraduate student in African Studies. "Having a community of like individuals is such an important part of the university experience, and the resource centre and student lounge are perfect opportunities for community building."
Fellow African Studies student Kamil Zerdoumi agrees.
"The resource centre is full of interesting and useful books on African history, and I love how they divided each section by the different regions of Africa," says Zerdoumi.
"The room I’m most impressed with, though, is the student lounge. The view you get there while working on your assignments is great, and I love the décor of the whole centre as a whole." Kamil Zerdoumi, African Studies
"The room I’m most impressed with, though, is the student lounge. The view you get there while working on your assignments is great, and I love the décor of the whole centre as a whole."
Zerdoumi joined the African Studies program with little knowledge about the rest of the continent apart from the country and region he’s from — Algeria in North Africa.
He says that every class he’s taken opened his eyes to the fascinating histories, societies, literature and art, and geopolitics of the continent of Africa, thanks to the Institute’s fantastic roster of interdisciplinary instructors and professors.
"Their passion is palpable, and their knowledge infectious," Zerdoumi says.
To learn more about the Institute of African Studies, visit www.carleton.ca/africanstudies or head over to Room 1728 in Dunton Tower (DT).