African Studies Centre Leiden Africa Thesis Award 2023

The African Studies Centre Leiden was founded on 12 August 1947 as the Afrika-Instituut, with board members during the formative years including Prof. F.M. baron van Asbeck, K.P. van der Mandele and Prof. P.J. Idenburg. It consisted of a scientific documentation centre in Leiden and a trade office in Rotterdam, which later moved to The Hague and changed its name to the Netherlands-African Business Council (NABC). The Afrika-Studiecentrum Leiden was officially set up on 28 August 1958. The African Studies Centre Leiden has had various addresses in Leiden over the years – Rapenburg 45, Rapenburg 8, Stationsplein 10 – and has been housed at Wassenaarseweg 52 since 1989. Many well-known Africanists have worked at the African Studies Centre Leiden over the years. Kofi Abrefa Busia, who later became Prime Minister of Ghana, worked at the Centre from 1959 to 1962.

The award aims to encourage student’s research and writing on African topics and to promote the study of African cultures and societies. It is presented annually to a student whose master’s thesis has been completed on the basis of research conducted on an African topic. The award consists of a prize of € 500,- and publication of the winning thesis in the ASCL’s African Studies Collection. All theses submitted will be made available full text online via the ASCL’s library catalogue.