The Canadian Association of African Studies (CAAS) extends a special invitation to all researchers and professionals working in the multidisciplinary field of African Studies for its next annual hybrid conference to be held at the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, from June 12 to June 16, 2024, in Montreal, Canada. The theme for the 2024 CAAS conference is “Sustainability and Sustainable Development in Africa: Past, Present, and Future.”

Sustainability is a ubiquitous term in public discourse today. Yet, it is plagued with diverse interpretations from the classroom and boardroom to the policy arena. Within the framework of environmental philosophy, sustainability has been described as any “activity, practice, process or institution that has the capacity to continue or be continued indefinitely” (Leist and Holland 2000). Earlier, in 1987, the United Nations (UN) defined sustainability in its Brundtland Report as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” This definition inspired the introduction of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. Eight years after the inauguration of the SDGs, many African countries have only recorded limited successes in its implementation.

Considering that the above UN and academic conceptualization of sustainability have their origins in Eurocentric thought, one is compelled to ask whether sustainability from African points of view would hold similar meanings. In other words, what does sustainability mean from and for Africa? How has sustainable development been practiced in Africa? Similarly, what are the historical and contemporary practices of, and approaches to, sustainable development in Africa? How can African indigenous knowledge enrich the debates on the definitions of sustainability and sustainable development? What is the future of sustainable development ideas in Africa post-COVID-19?

In seeking answers to these questions, we invite scholars, public and private-sector experts, and custodians of traditional knowledge to propose papers and sessions on African ideas, approaches, and practices of sustainability and sustainable development. We enthusiastically encourage submissions that engage with the cultural, social, political, economic, health, and environmental dimensions of our theme. While we are particularly keen to receive submissions that address the conference theme in different ways, multidisciplinary papers from all corners of African studies are most welcome.

Submission Instructions

Individual Submission: Individual proposals should include an abstract (250-word maximum), and the email and affiliation of presenters. Please note that participants can only present one paper, whether single or co-authored. Please submit your proposal here. 

Group Submission: Panel, roundtable, and workshop proposals should comprise a 250-word summary, and the email and affiliation of all panelists. Please submit proposals here. 

NEW! Deadline for submission of proposals: January 5, 2024.

Participants who require a Canadian visa are encouraged to submit their proposal in time for CAAS to issue their acceptance letter.

Conference in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: The conference is slated to be in-person on the McGill University campus in Montreal, Canada. However, given the highly uncertain context and health restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be virtual/hybrid participation options.

Diversity Statement: CAAS is committed to equity and diversity and welcomes applications from women, visible minorities, Africa-based scholars, scholars at all ranks and career stages, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity. CAAS is enriched intellectually, socially and culturally by the presence and participation of people from diverse backgrounds. Students, especially graduate students, are also encouraged to submit abstracts for consideration.

In conjunction with CAAS, the Canadian Journal of African Studies (CJAS) is actively seeking to further diversify the journal’s content and operations, both to reflect CAAS’s membership and to engage more closely with knowledge production from the continent at the epicenter of the journal’s focus. The journal remains committed to its mandate to publish scholarship in both English and French. The journal is committed to the possibility of publishing a selection of peer-reviewed articles submitted from this conference in a special issue of CJAS.

Please note that if your proposal is accepted, you must pay the CAAS membership dues in order to appear in the conference program.

For questions/inquiries, please email caasconference2024@gmail.com

Individual Submission

Group Submission

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Lunch & Learn - Resource Sheet

June 12: Non- Academic Job Preparation (English)

June 12: Academic Job Preparation (French)

June 13: Academic Job Preparation (English)

June 13: Non-Academic Job Preparation (French)

June 14: Pedagogy Workshop: Epistemic (T)errors [Africa in the Classroom] (English)

June 15: Surviving Academia as a Black Woman