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African Symposium Puts Smith on the Map Twenty-year-old Moliehi Pefole '02, an international student from Maseru in Lesotho, has often questioned why profound problems still exist in her homeland even some 50 years after Africa gained independence from colonial rule. "You wonder why Africa hasn't made more progress," she says. "And you wonder why its problems are so complex when Africa is one of the richest continents in the world because of all its natural resources." After attending a weekend-long symposium held at Smith this fall on "African Development in the 21st Century," Pefole, a biochemistry major, feels that she better understands the character of Africa and its evolving position in the international arena. "Now I am very hopeful about the future of Africa," she insists. Some 25 scholars from Africa, Canada and the United States convened to examine the challenges confronting Africa as it struggles with long-term development and its enormous diversity in economics, politics and geography. Topics discussed over the three days included economics and trade, land and environment issues, women and development, democracy and participation, and culture, history and development. Elliot Fratkin, associate professor of anthropology at Smith, deems the symposium a "tremendous success." He was among the key organizers for the event, along with Greg White, assistant professor of government, and Scott Taylor, Gwendolen M. Carter Lecturer in African Politics with the government department, who is also credited with the idea for the conference. "The fact is," Fratkin says, "the symposium has put Smith on the map in African studies. The participants, all very eminent people in their fields, said it was the first time they really got to spend time together as a cross-disciplinary group-anthropologists, economists and political scientists alike. Here we had a forum in which to really listen to each other." "Academics like to talk," noted White in his welcoming speech to the audience. "But the main reason for this gathering is to provide a forum for cross-disciplinary study and discussion of African development. It's 1999, a true milestone, 50 years after colonial rule. It's a good time to take stock of Africa." He urged participants to consider the symposium an affirmation of the value of African studies and the contribution it can make to social science theory. "We strongly believe in area studies and find it very fertile ground," White said. Smith students who attended also benefited. The agenda offered audience members a chance to connect with some leading scholars during the panel presentations and informally during social hours. "The scholars were really very accessible to us," says Pefole. Students also attended in official roles. A dozen members of the Smith African Students Association (SASA) acted as chaperones for visiting scholars and helped with conference logistics. Pefole says, "The symposium happened at a good time for SASA. It was a good way to build our community and also raise awareness about Africa. In other words, we are here as African students and Africa does exist in its own right and is not just another tourist site." The symposium was held in honor of the late Gwendolen Carter, a leading scholar of African studies, who taught political science at Smith from 1943 to 1964 and was the Sophia Smith chair from 1961 to 1964. A noted author and pioneer in the field of comparative study of African politics, she is probably best known for her work on apartheid. The symposium and related activities were supported by the Gwendolen Carter African Studies Fund at Smith College. Additional assistance was provided by Five Colleges, Inc.

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