Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia’s comparative literature department in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences will host the fifth annual Southeast African Language and Literature Forum Oct. 10-12 in Room 142 of the Tate Student Center.
The conference is free, but registration is required.
Gabriel Ruhumbika, a UGA professor of comparative literature, will deliver the keynote address on “African Languages and African Development in the 21st Century” Oct. 10 at 9:30 a.m.
The theme of this year’s conference is using language and literature to enhance cultural understanding. The Southeast African Language and Literature Forum, or SEALLF, aims to promote the study, teaching, research and overall sustainable development of African languages and literature. It provides a platform for strengthening the teaching of African languages and literature in the southeastern region of the U.S.
“As a mechanism to create new opportunities for collaborative work between scholars and institutions, SEALLF promotes the interconnectedness of African languages, literatures and cultures through the teaching and research presentations,” said Dainess Maganda, lecturer in comparative literature and 2014 conference chair.
“As the world becomes more and more interconnected, we all need to learn our place and how to understand each other better through various avenues including language and literature. The conference offers something for everyone but especially for UGA faculty and students.”
Among the primary goals of SEALLF is fostering a sustainable relationship between historically black colleges and universities and community colleges by promoting teaching and research on African languages, literatures, linguistics and cultures in these institutions.
The conference is sponsored by the comparative literature department and the African Studies Institute. For more information and to register, contact Susan Nkurlu at snkurlu@uga.edu.