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Of Oracy, Orature, Textology and Clapping Chairs

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The organizers of the Public Dialogue on Literature had promised that the event would give a rare and valuable platform to two important, respected and celebrated East African scholars with long and glorious careers in the world of letters to share with the public. This message seems to have singularly struck home with the audience for by 2:00pm on Friday 4th April 2014; almost every seat in the Main Hall, Makerere University had already been taken up. And just like a seasoned stage-manager, the man tasked with keeping the audience guessing, Dr. Danson Kahyana kept engaging them, all the while checking to see that all was set for the day’s event until finally, in they walked; the larger than life figures whose literary reputation preceded their every step, led by the Principal College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Professor Edward Kirumira.

To the casual observer whose judgment is solely based appearance, they looked harmless, too normal, too humble and overly courteous as they made rounds shaking hands with as many old friends as they could reach. Could these surely be the men of whom all those moving tales and fables had been penned? Could these two gentlemen we were even a little hesitant to take up their places at the high table truly be the famous duo of Professor Arthur Gakwandi and Mwalimu Austin Bukenya?

All this doubt were instantly dispatched the moment Dr. Susan Kiguli, Head of the Literature Department, CHUSS took to the podium and began sharing some decadal anecdotes. Of a Scholar in the 1970s; Professor Ali Mazrui, whose presentations on political science would leave even the chairs in the Main Hall clapping; of two Professors – one a fire-spiting socialist by the name of Mahmood Mamdani and another a consuming capitalist by the name of Apolo Nsibambi who in the 1980s held the Makerere audiences at ransom with their debates; and of a Professor by the name of Okot p’Bitek who would awaken all sleeping interest by dancing atop tables and playing his nanga (harp). By this time, the audience that was literally eating out of her palm was further spellbound by her narrations on discovering the life form of these legends, on joining Makerere as an undergraduate student.

“Professor Wangusa, who quoted T.S. Eliot like he was his next of kin…Professor Rubadiri, who was under the impression that all 150 students attending his class were registered for it, only to discover at the time of coursework that 100 of those had come to hear him pour forth poetry…” said Dr. Kiguli, further captivating her audience. She paid tribute to the day’s speakers for “coming back home” and to the Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) for sponsoring the day’s Public Dialogue.

Dr. Aaron Mushengyezi, the Dean, School of Languages, Literature and Communication, CHUSS then welcomed the academic twins; in reference to both of the Speakers who recently turned 70, to Makerere. He then paid personal tributes to Prof. Arthur Gakwandi who in 1992 signed his academic life certificate by endorsing his registration for a “forbidden” combination of subjects on the BA programme and to Mwalimu Austin Bukenya for the mentorship he accorded him during his early days as an academic staff. “The values that these two eminent Professors exhibited to me were their humility and simplicity [which values are unmistakable] even as you look at them today” he added.

L-R (Front Row): Prof. Theo Luzuka, Dr. Susan Kiguli, Dr Ernest Okello Ogwang, Prof. Edward Kirumira and Dr. Aaron Mushengyezi. Public Dialogue on Literature, Department of Literature, School of Languages, Literature and Communication, CHUSS, 4th April 2014, Main Hall, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda.
L-R (Front Row): Prof. Theo Luzuka, Dr. Susan Kiguli, Dr Ernest Okello Ogwang, Prof. Edward Kirumira and Dr. Aaron Mushengyezi.

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is the cradle of the Arts in Makerere University. As such, the Principal, Prof. Edward Kirumira could not hold back his pride as he warmly welcomed back his own. “We appreciate the time that our two Speakers are putting aside to come back and do what they are supposed to do; to mentor us and tell us that before we get to their age, we must continue to share our knowledge,” said Prof. Kirumira.

He encouraged the audience to borrow a leaf from the day’s Speakers by reflecting upon how they had used their respective lives and opportunities to make a lasting impression on society. Prof. Kirumira then challenged the staff to always ensure that they have mentored their younger colleagues to carry on with the great work when that time to retire finally comes knocking.

With the day’s formalities complete, it was now time for the Chairperson to take the Public Dialogue to the next level. This was the moment that the audience had eagerly anticipated all day and it was up to Prof. Abasi Kiyimba to deliver. His choice to initiate by first of all reminding everyone of the day’s topic: Literature and the Crisis in the Humanities was simple but artful. He then proceeded to impress it upon the audience that they each had a role to play beyond the day’s dialogue in as far as coming up with a solution to the crisis. Nevertheless as the Deputy Principal, CHUSS in an era where the voice of Humanities is being drowned out by the Sciences debate, he took this opportunity to make his case, “Occasions like these are our opportunity to demonstrate that we have ideas that can build this country,” and turning to the day’s Speakers, he dropped the gauntlet “speak about your vision of society and the role of literature.”

Dr. Ernest Okello Ogwang. First Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs. Public Dialogue on Literature, Department of Literature, School of Languages, Literature and Communication, CHUSS, 4th April 2014, Main Hall, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda.
Dr. Ernest Okello Ogwang. First Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs.

First up was Professor Arthur Gakwandi who spoke in a moderate but deliberate tone, true to his diplomatic background. After thanking the organizers for the great honour and opportunity to speak to the public, he quickly drew first blood with his statement, “The Humanities are not in a crisis.

“With ears in the audience peaking higher and increased activity as sitting positions were readjusted, Prof. Gakwandi went on to defend his stance by noting that crises speak of danger that comes with an element of surprise leaving the parties only a short time to decide on a course of action. He further noted that since the present state of affairs has been with us for well over a decade, the crisis attribute was therefore unjustifiable. He further backed this up with the existence of books on the subject like Crisis in the Humanities by J.H. Plumb first published in 1964, almost 50 years ago.

“Humanities are not in a crisis, they are facing challenges. They have faced challenges before and they should stand up and look forward with confidence because the contribution to society that they make is likely to remain important,” emphasized Prof. Gakwandi. He then went on to quote his late Professor of Literature, David Cook’s inaugural public lecture in the Main Hall in 1971

“An advanced study of Literature equips a student to think widely, deeply and flexibly on all human affairs and means of expression and is therefore an appropriate intellectual basis for professional men and women in many fields of public service”

Reflecting on the works of Matthew Arnold a British poet and cultural critic, Prof. Gakwandi noted that Literature had a role to play as a vital ingredient in society “Literature embodies values, interprets experience and makes the mind more imaginative, and therefore is valuable not only for those who study it but also for those who read it for pleasure… even if you are a scientist, you can share something from literature by reading and it will save you from some more vulgar forms of entertainment,” he counseled.

A fresh retiree from Makerere University, Prof. Gakwandi appreciated the important foundation that his background in Literature training laid for his 15 years of Diplomatic service. He also noted that he had seen many of his former students taken on roles of responsibility in many other fields such as politics and the media, especially as Chief Editors, “many of these people have risen to the top thus vindicating their Education in Literature at Makerere,” he substantiated.

Prof. Edward Kirumira. The Principal, College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Public Dialogue on Literature, Department of Literature, School of Languages, Literature and Communication, CHUSS, 4th April 2014, Main Hall, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Edward Kirumira. The Principal, College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

As he concluded his submission, Prof. Gakwandi however warned that the Teachers of Literature ought to adapt their styles to the changing times and circumstances in our society, “I am especially thinking about the influence of bad journalism, facebook, twitter and social media on the way we speak and write.” Prof. Gakwandi also warned on the tendency of compartmentalizing the various disciplines in the Arts to the exclusion of others, “We need to see more interdisciplinarity because whether you study History or Political Science or Literature, you are studying the same society from different perspectives,” further adding that “I think we ought to borrow a little more from each other, teachers of language should use literary text to teach language and Lecturers in Literature should pay more attention to Language Communication skills and courses should be offered across the boundaries of these disciplines and that is when we shall move forward in promoting the values of the Humanities,” said Prof. Gakwandi in ending.

Next up was Mwalimu Austin Bukenya, a leading authority on Oracy and African Orature who straight away paid tribute to his training at the University of Dar-es-salaam by addressing the gathering in Kiswahili. He then commended the audience for “voting with their feet for Literature” by turning up in overwhelming numbers. Mwalimu Bukenya proposed that the Public Dialogue be dedicated to a literary colleague Prof. Christopher Lukorito Wanjala who was celebrating his 70th birthday on that day. He further emphasized that although the Public Dialogue had been organized as a way of bidding the Professors farewell, he preferred that the Swahili ni kwaheri ya kuonana (until the next time) reference be used instead of the academic parlance reference of valedictory lectures.

In a bid put an end to the “backward and primitive way of referring to Literature as quoting Shakespeare to one another”, Professor Bukenya or Mwalimu is he’s fondly known in the literary circles put forth four definitions of Literature as: i) a form of artistic communication using language as its medium, the artistic bit fusing observation, imagination and precise distinctive expression – literature is iconic, it calls attention to itself; ii) texts – anything that is written – literate e.g. Mathematical literature. There also exist oral/orate/unwritten texts that come from oracy (the skill of the spoken word) and orature (the creativity of the spoken word); iii) in broader modern literature – anything that signifies e.g. the clothes one wears and their implication hence 

Dr. Aaron Mushengyezi. The Dean, School of Languages, Literature and Communication. Public Dialogue on Literature, Department of Literature, School of Languages, Literature and Communication, CHUSS, 4th April 2014, Main Hall, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Dr. Aaron Mushengyezi. The Dean, School of Languages, Literature and Communication.

Mwalimu however sought to clearly point out that by the Humanities being in a crisis; they are in a state of concern, “That crisis is a false positing of Arts versus Sciences. That has created a state of crisis. Can we really say it is either Arts or Sciences?” pondered Prof. Bukenya. He further noted that the policy makers have over the years been gradually diminishing almost to negligible levels the sponsorship of students in the arts, “It is not only the funding that is going down but also the public pronouncements on the same,” Prof. Bukenya further added terms like appropriate dressing and iv) concerned with the studying of all texts in their signifying modes which pertains to textology (using texts as communicating systems to uncover and describe grammar) and one of Mwalimu’s coining of the day testectics (the mechanics of the word/text)

He noted that this has driven the teachers of the Arts so hard against the wall that even the mode of teaching has changed. “People seem to be so thoroughly concerned with just learning things and writing exams that our effectiveness has become questionable, especially in the areas of language and literature,” lamented Mwalimu. He noted that this teaching has led to students being exam-oriented which leads to conclusions like our graduates are unemployable.

Prof. Arthur Gakwandi (L) and Prof. Abasi Kiyimba, Deputy Principal, CHUSS (R). Public Dialogue on Literature, Department of Literature, School of Languages, Literature and Communication, CHUSS, 4th April 2014, Main Hall, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Arthur Gakwandi (L) and Prof. Abasi Kiyimba, Deputy Principal, CHUSS (R).

Prof. Bukenya stressed the need to continue prioritizing the Humanities as they are those activities and studies that are primarily concerned with human relationships. “What I propose is that we should have both Sciences and Humanities. This comes from a theory in Literature – to deconstruct which does not seek to destroy but instead break up and rearrange,” he elaborated, further adding that “We cannot afford to have a person today who is purely a Humanist without a Science competence or else we are developing an articulate caveman. Equally importantly, we cannot have a Scientist who is purely a whiz in chemical formulae without a human side otherwise he will be just a robot.”

He further reiterated the notion that Literature is the most humane of the humanities because it deals with human relationships and as such can used to best illustrate their importance. Mwalimu sought to give the audience a deeper appreciation of his field by speaking about Literature as phatic communion as is the reference in advanced literary theory. This communion he said goes beyond simply making a connection through speech but going further to establish and maintain a relationship. “When someone says how are you or wasuze otya, it is not because they want you to describe exactly what bed you slept in but they are establishing a relationship and trying to maintain that relationship,” elaborated Prof. Bukenya.

He then delved into other branches of Literature like para-literature pertaining to films and songs further noting that, “People cannot do without these, and you have to ask yourself why? This all points to the phatic communion that makes us empathise and symphatise with our fellow human beings,” he explained. As a demonstration of phatic communion, Mwalimu then recited his Swahili translation of The Lonely Soul a poem written by a West African poet. He then sought to further dispel the unjustified generalizations that people in the Humanities do not create jobs.

Treading ever so lightly, Mwalimu then gave the Faith Industry; the fastest growing industry in the country today as a valid example, “I cannot say everyday but we can be sure that every week a new Church is coming up in Uganda. You cannot say that Churches are not job creators. Wherever you have a Church, you have a Pastor, Assistant Pastor, Choir Members, Counsellors, Intercessors and so on… the question we then ask is if you deny a person who seeks to study Religious Study sponsorship, who is going to professionally run those Churches? How many have got trained scriptural scholars, theologians and so on? No wonder we keep saying if we have so many Churches, why then do we have so many thieves or so much corruption? Is it because the Churches are not run by professionally competent people? We could do the same in Music Dance and Drama, how many professionals do we have?” Mwalimu questioned as the audience struggled to contain themselves.

A Secondary School Student poses a question about a book Prof. Bukenya authored. Public Dialogue on Literature, Department of Literature, School of Languages, Literature and Communication, CHUSS, 4th April 2014, Main Hall, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
A Secondary School Student poses a question about a book Prof. Bukenya authored.

He also touched on the distorted expectation of the university, noting that “A University is supposed to educate people. It is not a technical school. This is the mistake we make when we swallow up our polytechnics and make them universities,” lamented Prof. Bukenya as the audience stomped their feet. “People who want to acquire technical skills should go to technical institutions not universities. The university is a training place for thinking people, creative people, and imaginative people and maybe we should think of restructuring our education system to make our first degree more generalized to create an educated person who can then go on to technical training. This is just what we are trying to do when we train Literature. We have various specific theories of Textology where we use the speech act theory which consists of Elocution – what we utter, Illocution – what we intend and Perlocution – what you achieve. The literature person is a trained individual who can perform many duties and the demand is there,” elucidated Prof. Bukenya.

He thanked the audience for their patience and was confident that this event was only just the beginning “I am sure that we are only initiating the dialogue and I hope that it will continue” he summed up.As he brought his presentation to a close Mwalimu cautioned the audience to guard against the sinister intentions of international sponsors who are urging Governments to train Scientists and forget the Arts, “Because they know they can create their hordes of scientists and recolonise us, what we call ukoloni mamboleo [neocolonialism] because those people that go [solely] into technical things will have the ‘technical know-who’ but lack the ‘technical know-why’ to ask provocative questions,” preached Mwalimu. “It is only the political scientist who is going to ask those questions and it is not in their interest to cater for our culture, for critical people who will ask questions and we’ll be a damned generations which cannot ask questions and we need to guard against that,” added Mwalimu.

The debate then shifted to the floor where members of the audience were given the chance to ask related questions that ranged from the inspiration behind some of the Speakers’ publications to why Literature was glaringly absent from the modern day homes in all its forms. In their responses the Speakers challenged the audience to derive their own meanings from the publications as is the true spirit of literature, “Trust the tale, not the artist and books don’t have meaning save for the meaning you derive out of them” were some of the words of wisdom dispensed by both Speakers. They also challenged the audience to reintroduce literature in all its forms back into their homes, “Wherever there is a bottle of beer, there should be a bookcase, and we should make books a part of our lives.”

Sr. Dr. Dominic Dipio, Associate Professor of Literature gives a vote of thanks. Public Dialogue on Literature, Department of Literature, School of Languages, Literature and Communication, CHUSS, 4th April 2014, Main Hall, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Sr. Dr. Dominic Dipio, Associate Professor of Literature gives a vote of thanks.

In his closing remarks, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Dr. Ernest Okello Ogwang, himself an Associate Professor of Literature and accomplished publisher, profusely thanked the Day’s Speakers Prof. Bukenya, Prof. Gakwandi as well as the session Chairman Prof. Kiyimba for ably illustrating that literary culture has played and will continue to play a prominent role in shaping the East African region. He also thanked his three aforementioned mentors for the wonderful set of words of wisdom that were delivered in the true spirit of orature.

He however challenged the audience to ride on the spark that the dialogue had ignited, “There is some kind of crisis in the Humanities but it must not be defined for us by others. What is our role in this crisis? Can we reconfigure it for the good of the younger people?” the DVC-AA asked the audience, before summarily adding “I think so.”

In moving a vote of thanks to the day’s speakers and indeed to everyone present, Sr. Dr. Dominic Dipio, Associate Professor of Literature, CHUSS acknowledged the respective contributions to the success of the Literature Public Dialogue by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Dr. Ernest Okello Ogwang, the Principal CHUSS, Prof. Edward Kirumira, the Dean School of Languages Literature and Communication, Dr. Aaron Mushengyezi, the Head, Literature Department, Dr. Susan Kiguli as well as all members of the organizing committee. She further appreciated that the Humanities were steadily coming to the fore of the University leadership and hoped that this would help reinforce their importance to society. Sr. Dr. Dipio then commended the Speakers Prof. Arthur Gakwandi and Mwalimu Austin Bukenya for elaborately handling the day’s topic and continuing to keep the Literature torch aflame through their continued and mentorship and involvement in the literary circles.

Assoc. Prof. Okello Ogwang then took this opportunity to recognize other legendary names in the literary circles like Prof. Ruth Mukama and Prof. Theo Luzuka and acknowledge their respective contributions to mentoring writers in the Department of Literature, Makerere University and beyond.

Article and Pictures by Public Relations Office

Special thanks to @nyanaKakoma

Mark Wamai

Humanities & Social Sciences

Call for Abstracts: International Social Work and Social Development Conference

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An aerial view of Left to Right: Mitchell Hall, Senate, CoCIS Blocks B and A, Lincoln Flats, Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility and School of Social Sciences (white) Buildings, Makerere University, with Kampala City in the background, October 2018. Uganda.

International Social Work and Social Development Conference

Call for Abstracts

Extended Deadline for abstract submission | Conference registration now open!!

Theme:  Building Resilient Communities to Promote Equity and Social Inclusion for the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) 

16th to 18th June 2025, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda

Makerere University’s Department of Social Work, in partnership with the East African Social Work Regional Resource Centre (EASWRRC) and the Association of Schools of Social Work in Africa (ASSWA) will host an International Conference on social work and social development from 16th – 18th June 2025 at Makerere University, Kampala. The Conference seeks to galvanise academic knowledge, debate and critical inquiry and engagements on the topical issues of equity, social justice and inclusion within the framework of attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while foregrounding practice knowledge as experienced by development actors across the globe.  This conference is organised under the auspices of the NORAD-supported RESILIENT Project, implemented since January 2021 by a consortium comprising  Makerere University, the University of Rwanda,  the Institute of Social Work, Tanzania and the University of Agder Norway. The project seeks to enhance the participation of the vulnerable and marginalized members of society in the south in the development process itself. For more details on the conference and the ongoing project please visit the following website: https://resilient.uia.no/about-resilient/.

The Conference further seeks to enhance local content and scholarship through the applicability of generated knowledge to addressing local and regional development problems, within the confluence of the greater agenda for social work and social development and its emphasis on social change. This no doubt has ramifications for the application of good practices in social development interventions in other contexts within Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas and contributes to the evolution of global social work/social development practice which promotes contextual specificity and relevance without removing the need for international networking and collaborative engagement. 

We are now pleased to invite you to submit abstracts to be presented at the International Social Work and Social Development Conference.  We are particularly interested in presentations and contributions that reflect perspectives on social justice, equity, and inclusion within the framework of attaining the SDGs within developing countries.

Conference Justification 

The proposed conference is conceptualised within the indigenisation and decolonisation model of social work which seeks to promote social development through culturally and contextually relevant interventions from the grassroots. The major thrust of the indigenisation and decolonisation perspective is based on the notion that the process of social development can only be meaningful and effective if it provides context-specific and tangible responses to the given social problems in a particular local or regional context (whether it be Africa, Asia, Latin America or any other setting). These responses must be related to the socio-cultural realities in that region (Twikirize and Spitzer, 2019[1]).  The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (United Nations, 2007[2]) unequivocally recognises that respect for indigenous knowledge, cultures and traditional practices contributes to sustainable and equitable development and proper management of the environment.

The Declaration of the United Nations World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995 and the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000, and their successor SDGs in 2015[3] all call out the need for role players such as social work and social development practitioners to review their strategies in addressing social injustices, poverty, social exclusion and inequalities. Within this context, social work is well positioned to explore more innovative ways to reach out to the poor and vulnerable and in doing so contribute more efficiently to addressing social exclusion and social inequality and to directly contribute to the realization of several SDGs (3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 13, 16 and 17).  Moreover, SDG progress monitoring reports seem to suggest that much work needs to be done to attain these targets by 2030 (Halkos and Gkampura, 2021[4]).

Conference objectives

The conference aims to:

  1. Bring together social work and social development practitioners, researchers, students, educators and policy makers in order to interact, learn and share each other’ experiences on pertinent social development issues.
  2. Generate topical resolutions that can be utilised by local and central governments and institutions in the global South and North to further advance the debate/efforts regarding the attainments of SDGs.

Conference Themes

We welcome submissions on any of the following themes, broadly conceived:

  1. Child Wellbeing and Child Protection
  2. Youth Participation and Inclusion
  3. Older Persons, Social Protection and Socio-economic Participation 
  4. North-South and South-South Partnership and Collaborations in Social Development
  5. Green Social Work and Environment 
  6. University and Community Engagement/ Role of Universities in Community Transformation
  7. Migration, Refugees and Development
  8. Civil Society, NGOs, Social Work and Development Practice
  9. The role of Social Work in Emergencies, Pandemic Crises and Conflict
  10. Climate change
  11. Rights Equity and Social Justice
  12. Technology and social development
  13. Mental Health
  14. Creative features, languages literature and social transformation

Conference level

This is an International Conference targeting academics, development practitioners, policy makers, students, researchers and the general public from all continents across the global North and South. We however strongly encourage participants from the global South and the Africa region to submit abstracts and papers for the conference.

Specific instructions to authors: 

  • The abstract submitted should not be more than 250 words
  • Nature of presentation:Poster presentations, oral presentations, panels and workshop formats
  • All abstracts should be submitted in Microsoft word format
  • The font type should be Times New Roman 12pt, 1.5 spacing
  • The presenting author should be presented first and underlined
  • Indicate the institutional affiliation and the country
  • Indicate the email address of the presenting/corresponding author
  • All abstracts should be submitted in English
  • Themes of the submission should also be indicated.  
  • Abstracts can be sent via Email to: resilientconference2025@mak.ac.ug copied to ainembabazi.dorynn@gmail.com or submitted online at https://resilientconference.mak.ac.ug/submit-abstracts

Potential benefits and impacts of the conference

  • International networking and benchmarking on social development issues generally
  • Opportunity to influence social agendas within the global development landscape and social programming through impacting the regional and international social work associations and the United Nations agencies .

Conference Keynote Speakers

  1. Prof. Antoinette Lombard, IASSW President and Professor of Social Work at University of Pretoria.
  2. Prof. Jeannette Bayisenge, former Minister of Gender and Family Protection in Rwanda and Professor of Gender Studies, University of |Rwanda.
  3. Prof. Ann Christin E. Nilsen, PI of the RESILIENT project and Professor of Sociology at the University of Agder, Norway.
  4. Dr. Zena Mnasi Mabeyo, Head of the Department of Psychology at the Institute of Social Work, Tanzania.

Registration

Online: https://resilientconference.mak.ac.ug/conference-registration

Or in person: With $100 registration fees for non-Africa-based participants; Students $10 or UGX 30,000; National applicants $30 or UGX 100,000.

For Registration

Extended Deadline for abstract submission: 30th April 2025

Date for confirmation of acceptance of abstracts: Given on a rolling basis effective 15th of March 2025. This will continue up to the 15th of May 2025.

Chair Local Organizing Committee
Prof. Eric Awich Ochen
Tel: +256 772 352 887
Email: eric.ochen@mak.ac.ug

Conference Secretariat
Ms Doreen Ainembabazi
Tel: +256 774 468 902
Email: ainembabazi.dorynn@gmail.com and

Ms Prisciline Aciro
Tel: +256 778 549 669
Email: resilientconference2025@mak.ac.ug


[1] Twikirize, Janestic and Spitzer, Helmut (2019) Social work practice in Africa: indigenous and innovative approaches. Kampala: Fountain Publishers

[2] https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2018/11/UNDRIP_E_web.pdf

[3] See https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda

[4] Halkos, George & Gkampoura, Eleni-Christina, 2021. “Where do we stand on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals? An overview on progress,” Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier,  70(C), pages 94-122.

Mak Editor

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Humanities & Social Sciences

Call for abstracts on relationality between the US and Uganda

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Flags of Uganda and the U.S. Photo: ImageFX

Background

This call for abstracts is under the new U.S. Studies Center in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration supported by the U.S. Mission Uganda. As part of the startup grant for the Center, funds were earmarked for the initiation of the research agenda on the Study of the United States. The research agenda is pitched on how Uganda’s civilizational experience—related to progress in culture, economy, peace, science, and technology; can be strengthened by leveraging fraternal relations between the people of Uganda and the United States. Therefore, the Department of Political Science invites contributions to a special publication on, “Relationality Between Uganda and the US since 1945”.

The sense of “Relationality”

We take “Relationality” to connote encounters between civilizations. It speaks to the debate on how civilizations can transform each other through engagement. Where civilizations are suggestively transformed on account of relationality, the outcome is “relational interdependence”— relating to how the aspects drawn from other civilizations become constants in the national life of a people. Relational interdependence is a debate and it is sufficient to note that its generative power is drawn from “cross-fertilization—relating to enriching the existing ways of knowing and understanding life in general and “sharing”—relating to forms of exchange among people from different civilizations.

We, therefore, invite researchers from the disciplinary boundaries of humanities and social sciences to engage with the notions of “cross-fertilization” and “sharing” to examine how Uganda-United States relations have impacted Uganda’s civilizational experience as reflected in the different domains of (our) Uganda national life, including:

  1. Peace and Security
  2. Development/Foreign Assistance
  3. Public Health
  4. Education
  5. Press and media
  6. Socio-economics
  7. Political organization
  8. Arts, Music
  9. Literature, Language
  10. Visualization of national history and heritage

The researchers should interrogate the extent to which relations between Uganda and the United States have impacted one of the domains of Uganda’s national life (as listed above) since 1945.

The Plan

  1. We plan to commission researchers to undertake studies on the domains of Uganda’s national life and how Uganda-US relations have impacted them since 1945. We shall publish an edited book volume with Routledge Publishers as part of the dissemination of the findings.
  2. We thus ask interested researchers to submit 500-word abstracts proposing a paper contribution to the research agenda. The abstracts should revolve around one of the domains of Uganda’s national life. Researchers should also provide the titles of two recent publications on related topics.
  3. Selected researchers will receive a research grant of USD 4000, to facilitate data collection and writing.

The Process

A. Abstracts should be submitted by 15th January 2025, to the investigators:

  1. Dr. Edward S Kaweesi (PI) edward.kaweesi@mak.ac.ug
  2. Prof. Paul Omach (Co-PI) paul.omach@mak.ac.ug
  3. Prof. Phillip Kasaija(Co-PI) phillip.kasaija@mak.ac.ug

B. The selection process will be concluded on 20th January 2025, and the results will be communicated on 22nd January 2025
C. The meeting between the selected researchers and the investigators will take place on 30th January 2025.
D. Launch of the research agenda will take place on 21st February 2025.
E. Data Collection will take two months, from 1st March to 1st May, 2025
F. Review meeting, 9th May 2025
G. Writing process to take two months, from 15th May to 15th July
H. Peer Review of the first drafts (August)
I. 15 August, 2025, U.S Studies Center Public Dialogue on “Relationality Between Uganda and the United States since 1945”.
J. Revision of the drafts to take one month (September)
K. Peer review of the second drafts (October)
L. Revision of the drafts to take one month (November)
M. Submission of the final paper, 1 December 2025
N. Editorial Review and Proof Reading (January 2026)
O. Submission to the Publisher (February 2026)

Please direct inquiries to the investigators listed above.

Mak Editor

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Humanities & Social Sciences

Mak Reviews Bachelor of Chinese and Asian Studies Program to Address Key Gaps

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A section of Mak staff and stakeholders in a group photo after the BICAS Program review workshop on 5th December 2024. School of Languages, Literature, and Communication stakeholders’ workshop to review the Bachelor of Chinese and Asian Studies (BICAS) program, 5th December, 2024, Smart Room, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

The School of Languages, Literature, and Communication at Makerere University held a stakeholders’ workshop to review the Bachelor of Chinese and Asian Studies (BICAS) program. The workshop, held on 5th December, 2024 aimed at refining the curriculum to meet the evolving academic and professional needs of students and employers.

Assoc. Prof. Saudah Namyalo contributing during the discussion. School of Languages, Literature, and Communication stakeholders’ workshop to review the Bachelor of Chinese and Asian Studies (BICAS) program, 5th December, 2024, Smart Room, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Assoc. Prof. Saudah Namyalo contributing during the discussion.

The Dean of the School, Associate Professor Saudah Namyalo emphasized the significance of engaging stakeholders in the curriculum review process. She noted that feedback from students, employers, and academia is crucial for identifying gaps and improving the program.
“It’s a very important stage in our curriculum review to ensure that we have stakeholders’ workshops. This is an opportunity to hear from potential employers, students, and academic experts. Today, for example, we’ve learned that many of our graduates are not fully grounded in the science of the language, and because of that feedback, we are going to improve on it,” she said.

The Dean highlighted gaps in the current curriculum, such as limited focus on linguistic aspects like syntax, morphology, phonology, and semantics, which are essential for students pursuing advanced degrees. Additionally, the cultural component of Chinese language education was found to be inadequate.
“There’s no way you can teach a language detached from its culture. We are going to introduce courses emphasizing the culture of the Chinese so that the two go hand in hand,” she added.

A section of former students, stakeholders and Mak staff during the meeting. School of Languages, Literature, and Communication stakeholders’ workshop to review the Bachelor of Chinese and Asian Studies (BICAS) program, 5th December, 2024, Smart Room, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
A section of former students, stakeholders and Mak staff during the meeting.

The review aims to address these gaps by incorporating courses that build linguistic competence and cultural understanding. The program will now cater to both beginners and advanced learners, allowing graduates to pursue academic careers, including master’s and PhD programs, in Chinese linguistics. It will also strengthen the Asian Studies strand, enabling students to specialize in either Chinese language or broader Asian studies.

Dr. Enock Sebuyungo: Aligning Uganda’s Needs with Global Opportunities

Dr. Enock Sebuyungo, Head of the Department of European and Oriental Languages, underlined the growing importance of Chinese proficiency in Uganda. He noted that China’s rise as a global economic superpower has strengthened ties with Uganda in trade, education, and infrastructure development.
“Chinese companies dominate Uganda’s major infrastructure projects, and increasing numbers of Ugandans engage in trade and studies in China. Proficiency in Chinese offers competitive advantages for accessing the Chinese market,” he said.

Dr. Enock Sebuyungo making his opening remarks. School of Languages, Literature, and Communication stakeholders’ workshop to review the Bachelor of Chinese and Asian Studies (BICAS) program, 5th December, 2024, Smart Room, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Dr. Enock Sebuyungo making his opening remarks.

Despite this, students under previous programs faced challenges achieving desired proficiency levels in international tests like HSK3. Employers expressed dissatisfaction with graduates’ language skills, and scholarships for study in China remained underutilized. The proposed BICAS program aims to bridge these gaps by producing graduates proficient in Chinese, knowledgeable about Asia’s economic and geopolitical landscape, and skilled in business, tourism, and diplomacy.

The BICAS program aligns with Makerere University’s expertise in foreign language instruction and supports Uganda’s strategic need to engage with Asia’s rapid development. It is expected to attract students from Uganda and East Africa, where Chinese is currently offered only as a short course. The program projects an annual revenue increase of UGX 865 million from an estimated 200 enrolled students. Partnerships with Chinese companies will provide scholarships for 10-15 students per intake, ensuring financial sustainability and accessibility.

Mr. Tang Fei, one of the Directors of the Confucius Institute at Mak attending the curriculum review. School of Languages, Literature, and Communication stakeholders’ workshop to review the Bachelor of Chinese and Asian Studies (BICAS) program, 5th December, 2024, Smart Room, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Mr. Tang Fei, one of the Directors of the Confucius Institute at Mak attending the curriculum review.

Uganda joins a growing list of countries incorporating Chinese studies into higher education, with similar programs established in Botswana, Australia, and the United States. Makerere University, which already trains secondary school Chinese teachers, is poised to create a critical mass of experts to sustain Chinese language education and strengthen Uganda-China bilateral relations.

Dr. Sebuyungo expressed gratitude to Associate Professor Helen Nkabala, Principal of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), for her moral and financial support in organizing the workshop. He also thanked the Confucius Institute and Xiangtan University for their invaluable contributions to the program.
“Confucius Institute and Xiangtan University sent us professors who reviewed this course. What we are looking at is a revised course done by professors from Xiangtan University, and we deeply appreciate their support,” he said.

Some of the stakeholders attending the curriculum review. School of Languages, Literature, and Communication stakeholders’ workshop to review the Bachelor of Chinese and Asian Studies (BICAS) program, 5th December, 2024, Smart Room, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Some of the stakeholders attending the curriculum review.

The Bachelor of Chinese and Asian Studies program positions Makerere University as a regional leader in language and cultural studies. It prepares graduates to address gaps in trade, diplomacy, and cultural exchange while enhancing Uganda’s ability to benefit from China’s global influence. The workshop marked a pivotal step in ensuring the program aligns with both local and international demands.

One of the stakeholders from Kyambogo University contributing. School of Languages, Literature, and Communication stakeholders’ workshop to review the Bachelor of Chinese and Asian Studies (BICAS) program, 5th December, 2024, Smart Room, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
One of the stakeholders from Kyambogo University contributing.

Jane Anyango

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