ACT - Africa Centre for Transregional Research

Restitution of Dignity?
Human Remains - Kolonialismus - Humanity

Human Remains in University Collections - Comparison and Entanglements

Five years of ACT - we celebrate! (04.05.2025)

Since 4 May 2020, the ACT has been making African perspectives at the University of Freiburg and in the city more visible and promoting reciprocal research between Africa and Europe. In May 2025, we are celebrating our fifth anniversary with five exciting events.

Reading and Discussion: "Issa" by Mirrianne Mahn

14.05.2025, 19:30
jos fritz Cafe

with Mirrianne Mahn und Weertje Willms, in co-operation with other institutions

Vernissage: The Currency Lab

15.05.2025, 19:00
E WERK

Film Screening: "Forgotten Voices"

18.05.2025, 19:30
Kommunales Kino Freiburg

Event Series: Our forgotten liberators - (De)colonial perspectives on the Second World War

Films and lectures in Freiburg
11.03.2025 - 03.06.2025

organised by iz3w and Kommunales Kino Freiburg, in cooperation with the ACT and other institutions

Reading and Discussion

Migration - Challenge of the 21st century

with Bartholomäus Grill, Daniela Evers MdL, Laura Lambert, Yahya Sonko, Joseph Mackert, Franzisca Zanker
26.05.2025 19:30

Public Lecture

"Tackling the flood menace in Accra, Ghana. A question of failing to plan or planning to fail"

Prof. Martin Oteng-Abbabio
26.05.2025 13:00-14:00, Raum 200, Herderbau

Freiburg Africa Talk: The Rule of Law and the “Many Democracies”

with Prof. Dr. Edwin Etieyibo, University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa)

16.06.2025, 20:00

Short Story Reading: The Spiritual Mechanics of Within

with Bumni Agusto and Dr. Stehanie Boye, as part of "The Currency Lab"

24.06.2025 19:00, Kammertheater, E WERK

Academic lecture: ‘Colonial violence and postcolonial identity: in search of self-determination in West Africa’

with Dr. Kokou Azamede from University Lomé in Togo, in co-operation with Graduiertenkolleg 2571 and De/Coloniality Now

08.07.2025 20:00, KG1, HS1228

Policy Paper on the Restitution of Human Remains

Richard Tsogang Fossi and Andreas Mehler have published a policy paper on dealing with colonial legacy in university practice and research in the virtual encyclopaedia “Rewriting Peace and Conflict“ of the Postcolonial Hierarchies network.

New impulse for cooperation between the University of Freiburg and the University of Ghana (19.05.2025)

The University of Freiburg and the University of Ghana are strengthening their long-standing collaboration by agreeing an enhanced partnership, renewing a Memorandum of Understanding and signing a Student Exchange Agreement.

Partnership Baden-Württemberg Burundi (23.03.2025)

For more than 40 years, Baden-Württemberg and Burundi have been linked by a state partnership. In the anniversary year of 2024, the ACT and the ABI have been involved in the partnership in cooperation with the state of Baden-Württemberg, the SEZ and GloPart.

Delegation from Cameroon commemorates ancestors at University of Freiburg (06.03.2025)

Andreas Mehler and the ACT accompanied a delegation from Cameroon on their visit. The University of Freiburg has been keeping human remains of the Maka - now they are to be returned.

"Hey, weren't they the good guys?!" - Book reading on the topic of nature conservation in Africa with investigative journalist Olivier van Beemen (11.02.2025)

In an insightful lecture, van Beemen shared his research on the neo-colonial structures surrounding the NGO African Parks, and discussed the topic with Dr. Lerato Thakholi from the University Wageningen.

"Restitution is not just about objects!" - New Video with Dr. Richard Tsogang Fossi published (03.02.2025)

Dr Richard Tsogang Fossi does not stop at recounting the history of looting and plundering in the former German protectorate of Cameroon, but builds a bridge to the here and now. The ACT-in-Video production is available on the university's media portal.

ACT Director Andreas Mehler comments on Germany's new Africa policy guidelines in DW article (15.01.2024)

On Deutsche Welle, Andreas Mehler calls the new guidelines in Germany's Africa policy a "boost to realism"..

Living Up to Popular Expectations during Intervention: Filling Voids and Confronting Spoilers in the Central African Republic and Beyond (13.01.2025)

ACT member Tim Glawion publishes article in International Peacekeeping

Funding for New Project on Human Remains Approved (20.12.2024)

Good news for the new research project “Human Remains in University Collections - Comparison and Entanglements” - a first grant in the form of seed money from the “Research, Innovation and Transfer” funding stream has been approved as part of the EUCOR Campus start-up funding program.

Interview with ghanaian filmmaker and PhD student Aseye Tamakloe ("When Women Speak")

Aseye Tamakloe visits the ACT in the winter term 20204/25 with the Erasmus+ partnership between the University of Freiburg and the University of Ghana. In the interview with the ACT, she talks about connections between cinema und research.

Recording available: Restitution - A positioning

On 27.11.2024, Dr. Richard Tsogang Fossi und Dr. Fiona Siegenthaler discussed questions of restitution, moderated by Prof. Dr. Andreas Mehler. A recording of the Freiburg Africa Talk is now available on the University of Freiburg's video portal.

Evening Event: Strengthening Global Partnerships (18.11.2024)

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the partnership between Baden-Württemberg and Burundi, a discussion event was held on November 18, 2024 at the University of Freiburg on the topic: “Global Partnerships - Challenges and Perspectives for Universities and Civil Society.”

ACT member Gloria Kenyatta defends her dissertation (14.11.2024)

On November 14, 2024, Gloria Kenyatta defended her doctoral thesis on “The Effects of Participatory Processes on Public Policy Development in Kenya's Devolved Governments”. Her supervisors Ewald Eisenberg (Kehl University of Applied Sciences) and Andreas Mehler, as well as the ACT congratulate her warmly!

De/Coloniality Now funds research tandem by ACT member Dr. Tim Glawion (25.11.2024)

In the project, Tim Glawion will conduct research on peace and security in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo together with academics from the University of Bangui and Ghent University.

ACT welcomes guests for the winterterm 2024/25 (30.10.2024)

As the new semester starts, so do new scholarship programs. We are pleased to welcome guests of the University of Freiburg from Ghana and Nigeria at the ACT.

Get to know the former adademic coordinator of the ACT: Dr. Stephanie Boye  (15.10.2024)

In her recently published dissertation, Dr Stephanie Boye opens up new perspectives on Franco-Senegalese literature and the untranslatable Senegalese term jom. Her unusual career is closely linked to her time in Senegal. In this portrait, she talks about her story.

Interview with Archivist Judith Boateng from the University of Ghana (15.10.2024)

Judith Opoku-Boateng visited the ACT in September 2024 and joined the Restitution Workshop held together with MIASA. We asked her about her passion for preserving Africa’s audiovisual heritage, the role of archives in the restitution debate and the challenges she faces in preserving audiovisual heritage.

Call for Applications extended: PhD Erasmus+ Scholarship for semester stays at University of Ghana (11.10.2024)

All active PhDs in Humanities at the University of Freiburg can apply for funding until the 21st of October 2024.

Symposium: Refugees and Displaced Persons in the Great Lakes Region  (25.09.2024)

The ABI research cluster “Patterns of (Forced) Migration” in association with the ACT, organised a symposium on Refugees and Displaced Persons in the Great Lakes Region, which provided an opportunity for researchers from the region, as well as those working there, to offer their insights.

Former REK-funded Dr. Agbelengor successfully defended his PhD thesis (09.09.2024)

The doctoral student visited Freiburg and the ACT in 2022/23 under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Andreas Mehler.

New ERC Grant for Franziska Zanker (ABI): "The Political Lives of Migrants: Perspectives from Africa" (05.09.2024)

The European Research Council will fund a new research project on migration in Africa, led by Dr. Franziska Zanker at the Arnorld-Bergstraesser-Institut.

Workshop Report: Human Remains in University Collections - Comparison and Entanglement (15.07.2024)

Following research projects by the ABI and ACT on the restitution of human remains, a workshop on “Human Remains in University Collections - Comparison and Entanglements” was held at the ABI on July 15, 2024.

"Of Ears of the Living and Voices of the Dead" (15. and 18.07.2024)

A public science communication experiment on the subject of restitution took place on the Platz der Alten Synagoge in Freiburg, conceived by a group led by Dr. Balz Alter, together with E 3600 sicentific artworks, director Michael Buseke and dramaturge Lucie Tuma.