The Africa-Europe Group for Interdisciplinary Studies (AEGIS) builds on the resources and the research potential available within Africanist institutions based in the European Union. Describing its aim, AEGIS notes that "As the dynamics of contemporary change in Africa and the continent's response to globalization are intimately linked, understanding the continent's evolution is the major academic and policy challenge AEGIS seeks to address."
Description
AEGIS perceives itself as "a research network of European studies centres which aims to create synergies between experts and institutions. With primary emphasis on Social Sciences and Humanities, AEGIS' main goal is to improve understanding about contemporary African societies." To achieve this,
AEGIS consequently aims to: (i) Share intellectual resources for research and advisory purposes; (ii) Conceptualise new research themes (iii) Improve and disseminate knowledge about Africa (iv) Provide academic guidance and foster institutional exchanges of students, senior researchers and academic staff (v) Promote interdisciplinary approaches to the study of Africa
Comment
Given its multiple members who are individual scholars and academic institutes with access to vast resources for research, AEGIS provides its user members access to research tools that deepen their engagement and understanding of Africa. AEGIS is therefore a good platform from which to engage Africa's history, culture, religion, politics, economics, climate and many other issues. Furthermore, AEGIS organizes an interdisciplinary conference that addresses themes relevant to Africa's current socioeconomic context.
