Home

In a globalized world, language regiments the flow of knowledge. Against the background of its "difficult heritage", Afrikanistik as the study of African languages, literatures and texts is in a privileged position to mediate heterotopic and heterogeneous knowledge practices. We invite young scholars to recalibrate Afrikanistik with their innovative ideas in dialogue with African Studies.

Latest News

RecAf Forum - Borrowed Words and Borrowed Time

In this session of the RecAf Forum on Language Work, Tessa Dowling, Senior Lecturer in the African Languages and Literatures Section at UCT, will present on "Borrowed words and borrowed time".

RecAf Forum - The Work of Publishing Literature in Ghanaian Languages

In this session of the RecAf Forum on Language Work, Nikitta Dede Abena Adjirakor, a Ghanaian researcher, storyteller and educator, will present on "The Work of Publishing Literature in Ghanaian Languages".

Challenging Parts of Speech | Afrikanists Assemble | Episode 41

This month’s question is: “In what ways do you think African languages challenge the linguistic categories of parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc.) that have long been dominant in language research and teaching?”

Writing Seminar 2025 - Projects in African Studies

Recalibrating Afrikanistik will offer a writing seminar during the summer semester 2025. The seminar will enable advanced students to complete individual writing projects in a supportive and critical, structured environment.

Extended Registration Deadline: 14 May 2025

AHYU Special Issue

As an outcome of the RecAf seasonal school in Abuja, AHYU (A JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE) recently published the special issue "Creativity in Language and Beyond".

Forum on (African) Language Work

Every first Tuesday of the Month, RecAf hosts the Forum on (African) Language Work highlighting diverse perspectives of and engagements with Language Workers.

Where are we heading?

  1. goal-1

    A critical debate about the history and objects of our discipline

  2. Languages, literatures and texts as situated knowledge practices

  3. Joint knowledge production with young scholars and six partner universities