Zimbabwe's NoViolet Bulawayo
has won the 2011 Caine Prize for African Writing, described as Africa's
leading literary award, for her short story entitled 'Hitting
Budapest', from The Boston Review, Vol 35, no. 6, November/December
2010. The Chair of Judges, award-winning author Hisham Matar, announced
NoViolet Bulawayo as the winner of the £10,000 prize at a dinner held
11 July)at the Bodleian Library in Oxford.
The Booksellers' Choice Award
is chosen and presented by the South African book trade in recognition
of outstanding contribution to the industry. It is awarded to the book
that booksellers across South Africa have most enjoyed reading, selling
or promoting over the past year. The award is only open to South African
authors who are published in South Africa and celebrates the excellence
and high standard of South African writing.
The shortlist:
* 50 People Who Stuffed Up South Africa by Alexander Parker Illustrations by: Zapiro published by Burnet Media
* Awesome South Africa: The Best, Greatest, Craziest, Biggest and
Funniest by Derryn Campbell, published by Awesome SA Publishers
* Evita's Kossie Sikelela by Evita Bezuidenhout published by Random House Struik
* Four Drunk Beauties by Alex Smith published by Random House Struik
* Happiness is a Four-letter Word by Cynthia Jele published by Kwela Books
* Zoo City by Lauren Beukes published by Jacana Media
The winner of the LIASA Western Cape Branch Librarian of the Year for 2010 is
Ingrid Thomson of UCT. Through her dedication not only to the Association and
the WCHELIG Interest Group, but to the library profession as a whole, Ingrid
continues to find new ways to inform, educate and broaden the interests and
intellectual stimulation of her colleagues throughout South Africa. A former
LIASA: WC Branch PRO and Treasurer, Ingrid has also served as National PRO for
LIASA. She continues to edit the People column in the LIASA-in-Touch magazine
amongst her many other roles of blogger, teacher and role model. Her passion
for Web 2.0 technologies has made her a fore-runner in the use of many of the
social media tools that we now see as a necessity to communication with our
members.
Ingrid will now be competing in the National LIASA Librarian
of the Year Award, the winner of which will be announced at the Gala Dinner
during Conference 2010.
Africa The shortlisted writers for Africa's Best Book are:
Trespass by Dawn Garisch (South Africa) The Double Crown by Marié Heese (South Africa) The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria) Eyo by Abidemi Sanusi (Nigeria) Tsamma Season by Rosemund Handler (South Africa) Refuge by Andrew Brown (South Africa) Kings of the Water by Mark Behr (South Africa)
The shortlisted writers for Africa's Best First Book are:
I Do Not Come to You by Chance by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani (Nigeria) The Shape of Him by Gill Schierhout (South Africa) The Shadow of a Smile by Kachi Ozumba (Nigeria) Come Sunday by Isla Morley (South Africa) Sleepers Wake by Alistair Morgan (South Africa) Jelly Dog Days by Erica Emdon (South Africa) Harmattan Rain by Aysha Harunna Attah (Ghana)
Penguin Books announced today a new literary award for writers from the African continent. The Penguin Prize for African Writing has
two categories: a previously unpublished full-length work of adult
fiction and one of non-fiction. The prize in each category will be R50
000 and a publishing contract with Penguin Books South Africa, with
worldwide distribution via Penguin Group companies.
Penguin South Africa’s CEO Alison Lowry commented, “Although
this prize does not exclude established authors, we believe that there
are new writers from Africa for whom Penguin can provide a platform,
and in so doing we hope to reflect and showcase the diversity of voices
on our continent both at home and abroad.”
Books to be considered for the
non-fiction award will be serious narratives that examine and explore
African issues and experiences for both local and international
audiences in an engaging, thought provoking and enlightening way.
For the fiction prize the judges
will be looking for novels of freshness and originality that represent
the finest examples of contemporary fiction out of Africa.
Penguin’s Chairman and Chief Executive, John Makinson said, “As
we approach the end of our second decade of publishing in South Africa,
it is exciting to be able to look ahead to the next phase of the
company’s development. The Penguin Prize for African Writing will give
us opportunities to reach new readers across Africa and bring talented
and important writers to the attention of book lovers around the world.”
Submissions for both categories are now open, and close on the 30th of January 2010. The shortlist will be announced in April 2010 and the final prizes will be awarded in September 2010.
See below documents for the fiction and non-fiction prize criteria.
The shortlists for the 2009 Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Book
and Best First Book from Africa were announced today, 18 February 2009.
Former
regional Commonwealth Writers' Prize winner for Africa's Best Book,
Damon Galgut, is joined by academic Tim Keegan and journalist, poet and
campaigner Mandla Langa in the line up for the Best Book Award. Sindiwe
Magona and Zoë Wicomb complete the shortlist.
The full shortlists are:
Best Book Damon Galgut (South Africa) The Imposter Penguin Tim Keegan (South Africa ) My Life with the Duvals Umuzi Sindiwe Magona (South Africa) Beauty's Gift Kwela books Mandla Langa (South Africa) The Lost Colours of the Chameleon Picador Africa Zoe Wicomb (South Africa) The One That Got Away Umuzi
Best First Book Jassy Mackenzie (South Africa) Random Violence Umuzi Uwem Akpan (Nigeria) Say You're One of Them Abacus Megan Voysey-Braig (South Africa) Till We Can Keep An Animal Jacana Media Chris Mamewick (South Africa) Shepherds and Butchers Umuzi Sue Rabie (South Africa) Boston Snowplough Human & Rousseau Jane Bennett (South Africa ) Porcupine Kwela Books
The
judging panel was chaired by Elinor Sisulu (South Africa). She was
joined by judges Kole Omotoso (Nigeria) and Billy Karanja Kahora
(Kenya).
Elinor Sisulu commented:
'Once again Africa's
publishing powerhouses, South Africa and Nigeria dominated the entries.
Of over fifty entries received, only two were from Kenya and two from
Ghana. There was an unusually high number of short story collections
among the entries.'
The Commonwealth Writers' Prize, a much
valued and sought-after award, aims to reward the best Commonwealth
fiction written in English, by both established and new writers, and to
take their works to a global audience. The two African regional
winners that emerge from the shortlists will be announced on 11 March
2009 at The Time of the Writer Festival in Durban, South Africa. These
two winners will then enter the final phase of the competition and go
on to compete head to head with the other six finalists from Canada and
the Caribbean, Europe and South Asia and South East Asia and the
Pacific for the overall Best Book and Best First Book award.
The
two overall winners, chosen by an international panel of six judges
coming together in New Zealand, will be announced on 16 May at the
Auckland Writers' and Readers Festival (AWRF).
Each of the
regional winners will receive £1,000 and in addition be invited to take
part in a week-long series of community events and public readings
alongside the final judging in New Zealand, culminating in the
announcement of the two overall winners for Best First Book and Best
Book. The overall Best Book winner will receive £10,000 and the overall Best First Book winner will receive £5,000. Source: http://www.commonwealthfoundation.com/news/news/detail.cfm?id=497
The Heinrich Boell
Stiftung Southern Africa invites applications for internships for
2009
Applicants should be
graduates of
political or social science, gender/ feminist studies, migration
studies, sustainable development, environmental science (other relevant degrees
will be considered)
post graduate
students of the above mentioned fields of study who are working on their
research projects
Candidates must have
demonstrated English writing skills, be proficient in MS Office and preferably
have some qualitative research & field work experience.
They should be willing to assist in programme management work as well as in the
organisation and documentation of events. Exact tasks and responsibilities will
be negotiated on an individual basis.
The HBS prefers internship periods
of 3-6 months. Monthly stipends will be awarded while interns will be
responsible for own travel to Cape
Town & accommodation.
We particularly
encourage applications from the SADC region.
Applications should include a CV, a letter of motivation, and a
writing sample from the applicant’s topic of study. Please send applications to
info@boell.org.za
Deadlines for
internship applications:
November
21st
2008: For
internships starting in Jan / Feb / Mar / Apr 2009 February 27th 2009: For
internships starting in May / Jun / Jul / Aug 2009 June 30th 2009: For
internships starting in Sep / Oct / Nov / Dec 2009
Programme on the Study of the Humanities in Africa (PSHA)
Centre for
Humanities Research of the University of the Western Cape
Master’s,
Doctoral and Postdoctoral Awards in the Humanities for the 2009 Academic
Year
The Programme on the Study of the Humanities in Africa at the
University of the Western Cape invites suitably qualified candidates to apply
for masters, doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships for the 2009, 2010 and 2011
academic years. The PSHA is an exciting research platform based in the Centre
for Humanities Research. It is dedicated to redefining Humanities research in
and about Africa and making sense of the driving forces of globalization. The
fellowships are made possible by generous grants from the Ford Foundation and
the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
The PSHA encourages scholarship that
rethinks foundational categories of culture, identity and nation through
exploring contestations surrounding notions of multiculturalism,
postcoloniality, and cultural sovereignty in Africa. As such, the programme
emphasises critical reflection on the humanities and African modernities. The
postdoctoral awards are aimed at fostering critical dialogue in an academically
engaged and supportive environment on the key themes of the PSHA. In 2009
the PSHA will continue its explorations into the renewal of the study of
humanities in Africa. In the first semester fellows will be involved in a study
of work of Edward Said to draw out themes specific to the PSHA project. During
the second semester our focus will turn to the ways in which the humanities are
being conceptualized, debated and reformulated in African institutions.
SELECTION PROCESS
Selection of candidates will be based on strength of academic achievement
and commitment to the intellectual outlines of the PSHA and the CHR. Successful
candidates will become Fellows of the CHR. Those selected for this prestigious
fellowship programme will be required to participate in a reading programme with
other recipients of the grant and faculty members. Successful candidates
will be required to be present on campus during the relevant academic semesters
unless granted leave by the fellowship board. All fellows will be required to
produce two peer-reviewed journal articles over two years, credited to the
University of the Western Cape, and at least show significant progress towards
completing a monograph, which when published should contain appropriate
acknowledgement of the University. Masters and doctoral fellows will be
supported to complete their dissertations and will be expected to publish two
articles based on their research in academic journals in their fields of study.
The Centre for Humanities Research at UWC offers a supportive scholarly
environment for pursuing research.
The centre hosts a weekly seminar
series where prospective candidates can present their research and solicit
valuable feedback from an interdisciplinary forum of academic staff and graduate
students. Fellows are required to participate fully in the seminar series. The
centre also provides office accommodation and access to the UWC – Robben Island
Museum Mayibuye Archive collection. Through participation in the Centre’s
activities and programmes, postdoctoral fellows are expected to contribute to
the vitality of graduate studies at UWC by sharing the most recent scholarly
discussions and debates through participation in the Centre’s programmes and
through publication.
Masters and Doctoral Fellowship recipients must be
registered in a department in the Arts faculty at UWC.
FELLOWSHIP AWARDS
For 2009, 2010 and 2011 the Programme offers one masters, three doctoral,
and three year-long postdoctoral fellowship awards in disciplines associated
with the humanities. These fellowships are underwritten by the Ford Foundation.
The masters award is valued at about R77 000,00 for two years. The doctoral
awards cover three years of study at approximately R86 000,00 per year while the
post doctoral fellowship is valued at approximately R100 000,00. These amounts
cover a monthly stipend, travel costs, accommodation and basic research
expenses. Applicants are also invited for a two year post doctoral award in
the humanities supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the office of
the Deputy Vice Chancellor at UWC. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation award is
valued at R 320 000, 00 for two years.
APPLICATIONS
Applicants for doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships are required to submit
a letter concisely explaining their interest and the following appendices: an
eight page description of their research project, a plan of work on the
project, a two page statement on how the specific research project enhances the
study of the humanities in Africa, a curriculum vitae, three letters of
recommendation from academic referees (to be sent directly to the PSHA), a
writing sample consisting of an extensive research project or publication,
preferably in a peer reviewed journal, and a copy of their academic transcript.
They will be selected by a panel of core faculty associated with the PSHA.
Applicants for master’s fellowships should supply a three to four pages
proposal on planned research, a chapter from an honours long paper, a letter of
motivation, curriculum vitae, academic transcript, three academic letters of
reference and a brief one page statement of interest in the broader intellectual
study of the humanities. The fellowship cannot be held concurrently with
other fellowships without prior agreement with the CHR director.
Closing date The closing date for applications is 24 November 2008. The
Selection Committee may interview applicants. Incomplete applications will not
be reviewed.
Applications must be posted to Ms. Lameez Lalkhen, Centre for Humanities
Research, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535.
Electronic applications will unfortunately not be accepted. However enquiries
and referees letters may be electronically sent to llalkhen@uwc.ac.za Telephonic enquiries
may be directed to (+27) (0)21-959-3162.
Professor Premesh Lalu DIRECTOR Centre for Humanities
Research University of the Western Cape Private Bag X17 Bellville
7535 South Africa
Fellowship competitions in Ghana, Nigeria,
South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda (2008-2009 academic year)
Deadline for receipt of
applications at ACLS: December 1, 2008.
With
financial support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, ACLS announces competitions for:
Dissertation-completion
fellowships (Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania,
and Uganda)
Early-career postdoctoral
fellowships for research and writing (Ghana,
Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania,
and Uganda)
Fellowship recipients may request an allowance for residence away from the home
institution.
In future years, post-doctoral awardees who complete manuscripts under terms of
Carnegie/ACLS fellowships will be eligible to apply for publication subsidies.
Stipends
will be $9,000 for dissertation and $16,000 for postdoctoral fellowships, with
cost of living adjustments for each of the five countries. The
fellowships are intended to release recipients from teaching and other duties
for an academic year to devote full-time to research and writing.
Approximately 40 fellowships will be awarded in all five countries combined
during the first competition year. Applications will be evaluated by an
international peer-review committee of distinguished humanities scholars.
Eligibility:
Applicants
Dissertation applicants must be doctoral candidates in their final year of
writing the dissertation.
Postdoctoral candidates must be scholars who have obtained the Ph.D. within the
past five years.
All applicants must be citizens of an African country residing in, and having
an institutional affiliation in, Ghana,
Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania,
or Uganda.
Eligibility:
Projects
Projects proposed must be in the humanities, defined by the study of history,
language, and culture, and by qualitative approaches. The list of
humanities disciplines includes anthropology, studies of the fine and
performing arts, history, linguistics, literature studies, studies of religion,
and philosophy. Projects in social sciences such as economics, sociology
or political science, as well as in law or international relations, are not
eligible unless they are clearly humanistic in content and focus.
Selection
criteria
the intrinsic interest and substantive merit of the work proposed
the clarity with which the intellectual agenda is presented
the contribution the work is likely to make to scholarship in the region as
well as internationally
the feasibility of the workplan.
The ACLS
African Humanities Program seeks to promote diversity (in terms of discipline,
institution, region, gender, and historical disadvantage) for the sake of
excellence in humanities scholarship. Applications are welcome from all
eligible scholars in Ghana, Nigeria, South
Africa, Tanzania,
and Uganda.
Application
forms and instructions are available from September 2008 on the ACLS website: http://www.acls.org/grants/Default.aspx?id=3210. For
printed versions of application forms and instructions, please write to the African
Humanities Program: ahp@acls.org
Deadline
for receipt of applications at ACLS: December 1, 2008.
Zimbabwe's NoViolet Bulawayo
has won the 2011 Caine Prize for African Writing, described as Africa's
leading literary award, for her short story entitled 'Hitting
Budapest', from The Boston Review, Vol 35, no. 6, November/December
2010. The Chair of Judges, award-winning author Hisham Matar, announced
NoViolet Bulawayo as the winner of the £10,000 prize at a dinner held
11 July)at the Bodleian Library in Oxford.