MAAAS 2003: Teaching Africa

By: Garth Myers

The University of Kansas hosted the 9th Annual Conference of the Mid-America Alliance for African Studies (MAAAS), October 3-5, 2003. Over 60 registrants heard presentations from 37 presenters on topics related to the techniques, technologies, and themes of African Studies teaching. Speakers came from 15 universities, along with several high schools. Eight states were represented, with six of them being midwestern states.

The 9th conference set a MAAAS record for international participation, with five registrants from Nigeria. The 9th MAAAS conference also took off in new directions, both because it was the first MAAAS conference focused directly on the teaching profession, and because several regional universities made their presence known in exciting ways. In particular, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville’s large contingent at the conference brought new energy to the group, and Edwardsville promises to host the 10th gathering in fall 2004. MAAAS’s leadership cadre is now more broadly spread across the region than it has been at any time in its history, with officers coming from Langston University (Oklahoma), the University of Kansas, the University of Oklahoma, Pittsburg State University (Kansas), Southwest Missouri State University, Kansas State University, ad the Truman State University (Missouri). The ASRC, having hosted the MAAAS conference three times out of nine, is both excited to remain a part of the organization’s guiding forces and delighted with the expansion in terms of geography and personnel that the 9th conference has produced.