AUGUST 5-7, 2009

Following the very successful 1st ICASAD (International Conference on Afro-Hispanic Studies across the Disciplines) held in 2007 at the University of Ghana, the conference organizers believe it would be more beneficial to broaden the scope of this important intellectual dialogue. ICASAD, then, becomes ICALLAS, which inserts the concerns of peoples of African ancestry suitably within the wider coordinates of Luso-Brazilian and Latin American Studies.

ICASAD initiated an important dialogue among the various disciplines that are engaged in the study of issues related to Africa and the peoples of African ancestry in the Spanish-speaking world. The conference brought together scholars, writers, and artists from all over the world. In over seventy papers and workshops presented, conference participants examined contributions made to Hispanic studies in general by Afro-Hispanic writers, artists, and intellectuals. The 1st ICASAD fulfilled the conference’s goal in a fundamental way: it provided a framework for cross-disciplinary interactions and offered a forum for scholars from diverse fields of study related to the Afro-Hispanic world to share their research and scholarly endeavors. The second gathering – ICALLAS – is intended to foster a continuation of this important dialogue by building on the gains made in 2007.

The rationale for choosing the site of this international conference has not changed. Most of the slaves that were transported to the Americas came from this part of Africa.  Consequently, a historical connection exists between Ghana and the sons and daughters of Africa who ended up on the shores of the Caribbean and other slave ports in the Americas. The slave forts of Cape Coast and Elmina have, therefore, become key tourist destinations for many from across the world.  Since Ghana’s political independence over fifty years ago, it has played a leading role in advocating for peace and freedom on the African continent. Holding this conference in Ghana is a way of recognizing the importance of this country within the annals of world history and its current position as a genuine democratic nation in Africa.  Furthermore, since its establishment, the Department of Modern Languages of the University of Ghana has been at the forefront in the promotion of Hispanic studies on the African continent.  The conference continues to honor the efforts of this department, which has produced outstanding African Hispanists, who teach in various institutions in North America and Europe.

Conference site:  Kwame Nkrumah Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon (Accra).