• INITIATIVES
• RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION ACTIVITIES
  
• PROJECTS

INTRODUCTION

The ASRF Plan of Action is intended to serve as a compass for navigating the affairs of the association for the next two years. As was indicated in the preface, the “Plan” builds on the existing activities of the ASRF, and seeks to explore new frontiers of activities and projects. Ultimately, the “Plan” is designed to help increase the ASRF’s outstanding reputation as a citadel of critical, rigorous and people-centered scholarship on Africa and the African Diaspora, an arena for rendering service to the peoples of Africa and the African Diaspora so that they can improve their welfare and well-being; and a family that seeks to nurture, counsel, and support its members so that they can continue to develop as “scholars-citizens.”

Organizationally, the “Plan” is divided into several parts. Part one deals with the various administrative matters that are essential to the effective operation of the organization. In short, the tasks to be undertaken in this section are routine ones such as the finalization and dissemination of the organization’s ratified charter, the establishment of the website, and the launching of the Charter-mandated newsletter. The next three sections of the “Plan” deal with programmatic and project-based activities. Specifically, part two addresses five major initiatives—The Female Members’ Professional Development Support Initiative, Members’ Publication Support Initiative, Members’ Tenure and Promotion Support Initiative, Partnerships with African Communities, African Universities and Research Institutes’ Initiative, and Summer Institute for Graduate Students at African Universities’ Initiative. The third section focuses on research and publication activities, including the establishment of a “Monograph Series” and an online peer-review journal, and the holding of two research conferences. Additionally, the ASRF will continue to commission various research projects that would lead to the publication of books on diverse subjects and issues. The final part of the “Plan” outlines the commitment to undertake two development projects on the continent. The specifics of these projects will be determined by each executive board.