"Reconfiguring African Studies" Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence at the University of Bayreuth

This latest episode of the Cluster Conversatioins features Prof. Dr. Ute Fendler and artist Migline Paroumanou reflecting on her work during a residency in Bayreuth, where she explores identity, memory and belonging through the historical context of La Réunion, the Indian Ocean and Africa. Drawing on colonial history, slavery and ritual practices, she describes her artistic approach as a symbolic act of repair and healing that connects past trauma with present human experience. Through ceramics, performance and collective participation, her practice invites others to engage consciously in processes of apology, care and transformation.

More on Dr. Migline Paroumanou

More info on the Cluster.

In this episode of the Cluster Conversations, host Dr. Christine Vogt-William sits down with the Cluster's artist fellows Dr. Epifania Amoo-Adare and Ann-Marie Ellmann for a thought-provoking exchange on knowledge-making, creative research practices, and navigating the spaces between disciplines. Together, they explore how intellectual curiosity, personal experience, and collaborative inquiry shape their work within the Cluster — and beyond. Tune in for an inspiring conversation that blends reflection, insight, and a touch of scholarly playfulness.

more info on Dr. Epifania Amoo-Adare and Ann-Marie Ellmann here:

https://www.bayreuth-academy.uni-bayreuth.de/en/Fellows/Fellows-24_25/index.html

You can find more info on the Cluster here.

In this latest episode of Cluster Conversations, Prof. Eric Anchimbe sits down with Dr. Feyi Ademola-Adeoye, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Lagos and a fellow at the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence at the University of Bayreuth.

Together, they delve into the evolving world of Nigerian proverbs and explore how younger generations are remixing and reinterpreting these age-old sayings to reflect today’s social realities. From the streets to social media, from tradition to satire, this conversation examines how language evolves with culture. Ademola-Adeoye unpacks the creative ways Gen Z is turning conventional wisdom on its head — sometimes humorously, sometimes critically — to challenge inherited norms and speak to current struggles. But why are today’s youth giving grandma’s proverbs a modern twist? What does it say about shifting values, hardship, and identity in contemporary Nigeria? And can a proverb still guide us if it’s been reimagined on Instagram?

Tune in for a lively and insightful exchange, including a few post-proverbials you won’t forget!

More about Dr. Feyi Ademola-Adeoye

More about the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence

In this latest episode of the Cluster Conversations, fellow Dr. Renu Modi talks with her host Prof. Dr. Clarissa Vierke about her recent fellowship with the Cluster of Excellence in Bayreuth. Modi reflects on three decades of India-Africa relations, highlighting how economic cooperation and culturalexchange have reshaped the landscape of South-South collaboration. From her stay in Bayreuth, she contrasts African Studies in India and Germany, uncovering unique differences in focus – from pragmatic development to rich cultural and religious studies. The fellow-host-duo also talk about textiletrade and "counter-archives," where oral histories, attic finds, and Indian Ocean connections reveal untold stories between the continents.

A must-listen for anyone curious about global interconnections, hidden histories, and the evolving meaning of solidarity.

Find out more about Renu Modi here.

Find out more about the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence⁠ here⁠.

In this latest episode of the Cluster Conversations, artist fellow Thandeka Mfinyongo talks with her host Dr. Katharina Greven about her recent residency with the Cluster of Excellence in Bayreuth. During her stay, Thandeka Mfinyongo was working on her project “Ingoduko” which she  considers a sort of homecoming and an appreciation of African music – her music encapsulates where it began and a nostalgia of home. It is a musical performance celebrating our culture and giving a voice to the Xhosa indigenous instruments, uhadi (gourd bow) and umrhubhe (mouth bow). While in Bayreuth she gave workshops and concerts to teach indigenous music to young people and anyone interested.

Find out moreabout Thandeka Mfinyongo ⁠here⁠.

Find out more about the Africa Multiple Cluster ofExcellence⁠ here⁠.

In this episode of the Cluster Conversations, Cluster fellow Dr. AbdulGafar Fahm talks with this host Prof. Dr. Britta Frede about his Cluster project, in which he investigates thetransformative role of digital technology on Islamic learning within Nigerian Muslim societies, with a focus on the ethical implications that arise in the contemporary digital landscape. Digital technology, including social media platforms, online learning portals, and mobile applications, has redefined traditional methods of religious education, making Islamic teachings more accessible than ever before. However, this accessibility brings both opportunities and challenges.

Find out more about Abulgafar Olawale Fahm ⁠here⁠.

Find out more about the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence⁠ here⁠.

Dr. Christabel Aba Sam is a Senior Lecturer in the Department

Find out more about Christabal Aba Sam ⁠here⁠.

Find out more about the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence⁠ here⁠.

Neelima Jeychandran is an Assistant Professor of African Visual Culture in the Department of Art History at Virginia Commonwealth University, Qatar. In this episode she talks with her host Clarissa Vierke (Professor of Literatures in African Languages at the University of Bayreuth) about Jeychandran's work on oceanic crossovers and material histories of West and East Africa and western India. She is an ethnographer, editor, scholar, and was a fellow at the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence from May until July 2024.

Find out more about Neelima Jeychandran here.

Find out more about the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence here.

In this episode of the Cluster Conversations, fellow Dr. Nyindem Nancy Sirih-Nagang talks with her host Dr. Eric Anchimbe about her research on the linguistic

⁠More info about Dr. Nyindem Nancy

The Cluster Conversations are published by the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence at the University of Bayreuth. More information.

In this episode of the Cluster Conversations, fellow Dr. Habibat Oladosu-Uthman talks with her host Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Seesemann about her project on identity politics in the various Houses of God in West Africa. The research scrutinizes gender politics and dynamics among Vodun worshippers in Lome, the capital city of the republic of Togo, and Sango worshippers in Yoruba land, Nigeria vis a vis the practices in the Mosques amongst the Muslims.

More about Dr. Habibat Oladosu-Uthman

Find out more about the Cluster of Excellence