About the Center

The Work of APARC

APARC will help to fulfill an essential part of the academic mission of African and African-American Studies at Boston University and complement the mission of other departments with an international focus. The Center will function in several ways:

• The Center will be a repository for the interviews, writings, papers, and other documents obtained from democratically elected leaders of Africa and others who have influenced the present phase of Africa's development. The Center will provide two-year residential opportunities for democratically elected former African leaders to write, lecture, and engage the university and the broader community on African issues and matters of interest relative to Africa
  
  
• In addition to documenting the present phase of Africa's development, the Center will function as a venue to examine, debate, and contribute to the development of current policy regarding Africa. Former heads of state in residence, scholars, and students, among others, will actively participate in policy discussions
  
  
• Symposia and conferences will be an integral part of the Center's activities
  
  
• The Center will publish books, academic and policy oriented articles, conference proceedings, and the Annual African Leaders State of Africa Report
  
  
• Fundamental to the concept of the Center is that it function, in part, like a U.S. Presidential library. This means that it will have a public component, enabling citizens (opinion leaders and others) to develop a better understanding of the present realities and future potential of Africa.
  
  
• The Center will maintain and disseminate information on training experiences in Africa and sponsor students for such experiences.

The intent is to develop APARC as an internationally recognized Center for research and dialogue on contemporary political and economic trends in Africa. By involving African leaders in the work of the Center - with an emphasis on acquiring and exploring ideas that emerge from Presidential documents and interviews - APARC will be uniquely positioned to secure its place as a top international Center for the study of Africa.

An expanded vision for the Center's activities includes:

• Providing current data and up-to-date analyses of political and economic trends in Africa in a form that will be accessible to corporations and entities interested in developments in Africa
  
  
• Acting as a magnet for researchers from other institutions and journalists interested in accessing in-depth and current information on Africa
  
  
• Providing a forum to critique and hone policy approaches by a range of policy makers, such as members of Congress, Congressional staffers, and the staff of NGOs
  
  
• Broadcasting speeches and symposia sponsored by the Center through WBUR, BU's National Public Radio affiliate, and/or offering similar content for distribution on television through PBS, CNN or other outlets.

Next: The Structure of the Center
Previous: APARC at Boston University