WELCOME!

Message from the AASR President

“This conference marks a milestone — the tenth gathering of scholars committed to understanding the profound and varied religious landscapes of Africa on their own terms.”

On behalf of the Executive Committee of the African Association for the Study of Religions, it is my honour to welcome you to Gaborone, Botswana, for our tenth biennial conference. That we have reached this milestone is a testament to the sustained intellectual commitment of our membership and the generosity of our partner institutions across the continent and beyond.

The theme, Spirituality, Gender and Agency in African Religions, reflects a deliberate convergence of three of the most generative axes of inquiry in our field. Questions of gender and spiritual agency are not merely contextual; they are constitutive of how African religious traditions are lived, contested, and transmitted across generations. We are pleased that this year’s programme reflects both the breadth of regional scholarship and the depth of methodological innovation within the Association.

We extend our warmest thanks to the Local Organising Committee at the University of Botswana, whose expertise and hospitality have made this conference possible, and to the graduate grant awardees whose participation enriches our collective inquiry.

Prof. Damaris Paristau

President, African Association for the Study of Religions

Message from the Local Organising Committee

“It is our privilege to welcome the AASR family to Botswana a country whose motto, Pula, speaks not only of rain but of blessing, prosperity and life.”

On behalf of the Local Organising Committee at the University of Botswana, we extend a warm welcome to all delegates joining us in Gaborone for this milestone conference. We have worked to ensure that the academic programme is matched by the warmth of our hospitality and the richness of our local context.

The University of Botswana is proud to host a gathering of this significance. The Department of Philosophy, Theology and Historical Studies has been privileged to bring together scholars from across Africa and the global north for what promises to be an intellectually generative three days. Botswana’s own scholarly tradition in religious studies, ethics, and African philosophy provides a fitting backdrop for the conversations that will unfold.

We look forward to welcoming you, and we hope that you will take the opportunity to experience not only the intellectual richness of the programme but also the warmth and hospitality of our beautiful city. Pula!

Rev. Dr. Tshenolo Jennifer Madigele

Chairperson, Local Organising Committee

University of Botswana, Gaborone