HOFSTRA CULTURAL CENTER presents an international conference
Thursday-Saturday
April 2-4, 2009
Equatorial Guinea, a former Spanish colony (1778-1968) and the only Spanish-speaking nation-state in Africa, has recently marked the 40th anniversary of its independence. This conference, Between Three Continents—the fulcrum of an initiative designed to reshape the place of Africa in debates on the Spanish-speaking and Atlantic worlds—will address historical and cultural connections between Equatorial Guinea, Spain, and the Americas. It will bring together a large number of scholars, cultural figures, and historical protagonists in the life of Equatorial Guinea. The study of Portuguese and Spanish colonial interventions in Africa necessitates disciplinary approaches that encompass comparative colonial interventions, political and diplomatic history, constitutional law, economics, anthropology, literature, linguistics, film, music, photography, plastic arts, ecology and ecotourism, and the politics of oil. In conjunction with the conference, other academic institutions in the United States—including Bates College, The Catalan Center at New York University, Harvard University, Hunter College, University of Missouri-Columbia, Morehouse College, Saint Joseph’s College, University of South Carolina-Upstate, and Spelman College—will host additional panels and events featuring at their institutions a number of the Equatorial Guinean participants attending the conference, thus allowing broader dissemination of the project. There will be several special events held in conjunction with the conference.
This conference is a non-partisan academic forum, in which participation and attendance is open to all. Neither Hofstra University nor the conference organizers are responsible for any opinion, political or otherwise, expressed by the participants or by the attendees.
All events, unless otherwise noted, will take place at the Hofstra University campus. Panel sessions and special events will be held at the Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater (CCT) on the main floor of the Joan and Donald E. Axinn Library, and in 246 East Library Wing (246 ELW), on the second floor of the same building.
Confirmed Special Guest Speakers from Equatorial Guinea:
Enenge A’Bodjedi
Juan Tomás Ávila Laurel
Gerardo Behori Sipi Botau
Justo Bolekia Boleká
Juan Manuel Davies Eiso
Elvira Dyangani Osé
Rafael Evita Enoy (in memoriam)
Donato Ndongo-Bidyogo
María Nsue Angüe
Adolfo Obiang Bikó
Enrique Okenve
Damaso Mitoha Ondo Ayekaba
José Fernando Siale Djangany
Remei Sipi Mayo
Tusantu Tongusalu
Francisco Zamora Loboch
The conference organizers strongly recommend that participants arrive at the hotel no later than the afternoon of Wednesday, April 1, 2009. It is our expectation that conference participants and panelist will be present for all panels and special events during the conference, which lasts from Thursday, April 2, at 9:00 a.m. to the evening of Saturday, April 4. Meals for conference presenters will be provided on campus.
Panels and presentations will be in Spanish, English, Portuguese, and French. All presentations will be limited to exactly 20 minutes (approximately 9-10 read pages) without exception. All panels will feature either a respondent or a 30- minute period for further debate, as well as questions from the audience. Please note that there will be no special keynote addresses, in order to maintain equality between panels. All panelists will have the same standing, although some Guinean special guest speakers may act as respondents for panel presentations.
For more information contact the Hofstra Cultural Center at (516) 463-5669
Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Project and Conference Director:
Benita Sampedro Vizcaya (Hofstra University)
Conference Co-Director:
Baltasar Fra-Molinero (Bates College)
Project Collaborators and Co-Sponsoring Institutions:
Juan Caamaño, Queens Collage
Carlos Contreras Cervantes, Centro Cultural Español de Malabo
Bradley Epps, Harvard University
Baltasar Fra-Molinero, Bates Collage
Julio González Ruiz, Spelman Collage
María Hernández Ojeda, Hunter Collage
Antoinette Hertel, Saint Joseph’s Collage
Michael Janis, Morehouse Collage
Mary Ann Newman, The Catalan Center at New York University
Jorge Salvo, University of South Carolina-Upstate
Michael Ugarte, University of Missouri-Columbia
Express Travel (Florida)
Instituto Cervantes
Program for Cultural Cooperation between Spain’s Ministry of Culture and U. S. Universities
Spanish Consulate in Boston
Spain’s Chamber of Commerce in New York
