Citizen Perspectives on Societal Challenges in Mali
The programme Perspectives citoyennes des défis de société au Mali is a five year project funded by the Embassy of Sweden in Bamako on behalf of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), 2022-2026. It is led by the Forum for Africa Studies at Uppsala University, and will be implemented in collaboration with Swedish and Malian partners. The programme is the outcome of years of working with Malian researchers and students on key problems in local arenas in Mali. In such collaborative research projects, particular attention has been paid to engaged research, such as the studies of security and safety from below in two Malian municipalities (2017), of municipal democracy in the Sahel (2019), and to the Malian crisis and transition (forthcoming). Methodologically and practically, it furthermore draws on collaborative research carried out in Burkina Faso, notably on sociopolitical transformations, published in English as "Nothing will be as before" (2017, 2018), security from below (2019), and women leadership (2021).
The programme leader is Sten Hagberg, Professor of Cultural Anthropology and Director of Forum for Africa Studies, who has also been in charge of developing the programme. At Uppsala University, he will be supported by a coordinator and a financial officer. In Mali, the research lab LACET at the Institut des Sciences Humaines, will be the main actor leading the programme, including coordination, logistics, and management. Collaboration will be developed with the public universities, as well as, with actors engaged with communication and public debate, including Centre Djoliba and Studio Tamani.
The main objective is to promote citizen perspectives through the implementation of engaged research, the organization of citizen debates and the capacity building of young researchers. Particular attention will be paid to the promotion of women leaders as researchers, teachers and opinion leaders.
The programme is composed of two parts:
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The implementation of strategic studies and citizen debates, in particular the documentation and analysis of citizen perspectives of the challenges of Malian society. The results of the strategic studies will then be presented to the general public and published in the form of books accessible to non-specialists, “briefs” or podcasts/television programs in different Malian languages.
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The strengthening of networks between Malian and Swedish educational research institutions in order to develop partnerships between research teams from two countries. The programme will also organize on-site training workshops in Mali on research methodology, project conceptualization, data analysis and scientific writing.
List of main events implemented or planned
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21-25 August 2023: Working Workshop on Malian Women's Political Participation.
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2-4 May 2023: Post-fieldwork workshop with 13 researchers who are participating in the study of Malian women's political participation.
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24-28 April 2023: International Workshop, inlcuding research presentations, working groups, and networking, with Swedish and Malian Researchers at the Institut des Sciences Humaines, Bamako.
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Jan.-April 2023: Joint fieldwork on women's political participation in municipalities across Mali.
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17 Jan. 2023: Official launching of the programme Citizen Perspectives in Mali will take place at the Institut des Sciences Humaines, Bamako, Mali in the presence of the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Prof. Amadou Keïta, and the Ambassador of Sweden in Mali, H.E. Ms Kristina Kühnel.
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13-14 Jan. 2023: Pre-Fieldwork Workshop for the study of Women's Political Participation jointly led at the Institut des Sciences Humaines by Sten Hagberg and Yaouaga Félix Koné.
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14 Dec.-15 Dec. 2022: Stakeholders Meeting at Uppsala University, including a Symposium, and an information & network meeting.
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14 Dec. 2022: An International Symposium on Citizen Perspectives in Mali at Uppsala University.
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31 Oct.-4 Nov. 2022: A contact mission was carried out by Sten Hagberg and Oulia Makkonen in Mali including meetings with the Minister of Highed Education and Scientific Research, Vice-Chancellors of three Bamako Universities, the Embassy of Sweden, the Centre Djoliba, and, of course the Institut des Sciences Humaines, the Malian focal point; the LACET research lab had an important meeting regarding programme implementation.
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20 Oct. 2022: Désiré Ballo, Programme Officier at the Embassy of Sweden in Mali, made a working visit to Uppsala University to further project planning with the Uppsala team.
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12 Aug. 2022: The Programme was signed by the Embassy of Sweden and Uppsala University.