AASR: Members,
Meetings, Media, &
Membership

 

AASR

 

The African Association
for the Study of Religions

 


The African Association for the Study of Religions (AASR) is an academic association of scholars of religions posted in universities in Africa, and of scholars of the religions of Africa posted in universities outside Africa. It was founded in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1992 at a Regional Conference of the International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR). The AASR has been affiliated to the IAHR since 1995.

Members

The AASR has currently 245 members, with sizable numbers in the Anglophone parts of Africa:

Outside Africa, a fair number of scholars specialising in the religions, or a religion, of Africa in universities in Europe and North America and elsewhere have joined. In

Meetings

AASR meets at the quinquennial world congresses of the IAHR for electing a new AASR Executive for the next five-year period and for dealing with matters that need the approval of the AASR General Meeting. So far it has met at
  • Mexico City in August 1995
  • Durban in August 2000
  • in Tokyo in March 2005

It will meet again in Toronto, in August 2010, during the 20th IAHR World Congress.

In addition, AASR 'will endeavour to organise a major regional conference at least once every five years in Africa itself' (AASR Constitution, art. 5.2). So far AASR has organised three conferences in Africa. It is currenly organising the fourth meeting.

  • The First AASR Conference in Africa was held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 27 to 30 July 1999
  • The Second AASR Conference in Africa convened in the University of Ghana, at Legon, Ghana from 4 to 8 February 2004.
  • The Third AASR Conference in Africa has been held in the University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana, from 8 to 13 July 2007 on the theme Health, Healing, and the Study of the Religions of Africa
  • The Fourth AASR Conference in Africa will be held at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) at Ile-Ife, Nigeria, from 17 to 21st January 2009 on the theme Religion, Environment and Sustainable Development

Media

The AASR has two media for communication with its members. It publishes a bi-annual AASR Bulletin, the latest being AASR Bulletin 31 (December 2009).
This internet site is its other means of communication, with the general public through the pages which are accessible to anyone; and with its members through the pages which are accessible only to its members on condition that they have paid their annual membership fee

Membership

Scholars of religions posted in academic institutions in Africa, or of religions of Africa posted in universities outside Africa may apply for AASR membership by accessing and completing the AASR Membership Form. For the annual AASR membership fee see AASR Membership Dues

 

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