WHY THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AFRICA IN IRELAND?

Irish Context

Ireland has a long history of engagement with Africa, from the middle of the 19th century thousands of young Irish men and women of all denominations took part in the missionary movements spreading their faith across the continent. In 1984, a group of workers in Dunnes Stores refused to handle produce from South Africa, in protest against Apartheid. Subsequently, the anti-apartheid movement was wholeheartedly supported by the people of Ireland. Since the 1960s Irish peacekeepers have been active on the continent and Sub-Saharan. Africa is the focus of Irish overseas aid and development programmes. National charities have devoted financial and human resources to alleviating poverty or aid during humanitarian emergencies in Africa. The connections with Africa have been also growing through business links in both directions and migration from Africa to Ireland and Ireland to Africa. Despite the deep connections and engagement, the knowledge of Africa that is disseminated to the public through media reports focus mainly on deficit aspects of Africa, generally highlighting conflicts, natural disasters or humanitarian crises and a people in distress and extreme poverty. This unidimensional focus on the dramatic or tragic events and the lack of coverage of the strong side of Africa’s healthier life, past and contemporary developments, human achievements, and advancements on the continent results in affirming negative stereotypes of Africa and Africans in Ireland and globally. The Institute of African Studies seeks to redress this imbalance through introducing a diversity of voices reflecting the varying contexts which exist in the continent of 55 countries and its diaspora in Ireland and other parts of world. Ireland today has a cohort of African scholars and academics as well numerous Irish people with extensive knowledge of Africa who can contribute to broadening our understanding and deepening our knowledge of Africa.

Global Context

Establishing this institute in the decade of 2020-2030 is timely. In the year 2020, 17 African countries celebrated 60 years of independence and the protracted struggle for unity in Africa cumulated into the commencement of Africa Continental Free Trade Area building on the increased political unity under the African Union which has set forth and is implementing the ambitious 2063 vision of a more prosperous, united, and democratic Africa. In this year, also Ireland marked 60 years of Irish diplomatic presence in Africa. It was also the year when the need for a more nuanced and fair portrayal of Africa and its people has been highlighted throughout the world. The amplification of Black Lives Matter from the protests of the tragic demise of an unarmed African American, George Floyd at the hands of a police officer pinpointed the racism experienced by people of African descent and the need for a re-appraisal of how Africa is presented to the world. The United Nations already declared the years 2015-2024, the International Decade for People of African Descent (IDPAD) and called on all its member states to recognize Africa and the presence of African people and their contribution in and outside Africa in other parts of world since earlier centuries. The decade of 2020-2030 becomes timely and of significance to set up the institute in Ireland to provide education, training, and research on Africa.