The Nordic Africa Days (NAD) is the biannual conference of the Nordic Africa Institute organised for the past 15 years in the Nordic Countries, with participants representing the state of the art in African Studies and Africa related knowledge production.

The Nordic Africa Days 2014 has a thematic focus on different assumptions of governance. It cuts across research topics covering most African developments and processes, including, but not restricted to, conflict, security and democratic transformations; rural and agrarian changes, properties and resources; urban dynamics; and African international links in the global world. It is thus clearly multidisciplinary. This theme goes beyond the common reading of governance in political science or international relations. It aims to connect the formal state with other non-state forms of governance. Often, the state is discussed as an evil entity preying on its ethical citizens. Citizens are then described as the victims of state power. But are states not run by the same people that, looking at it from the opposite angle, are viewed as victims?

PhD candidates and other young scholars are strongly encouraged to participate in the conference. The conference aims to be a forum for academic exchange and intellectual development, where contributions from a new generation of researchers are important and welcome. The conference also provides a venue for dialogue between Africa specialists within academic and policy arenas.

 

The conference is particularly inviting papers discussing governance in different ways. Papers should not just be looking at the state structures and sub-national government levels, but also at the formulation and governance in alternative structures such as ethnic and religious groups and socio-economic networks, which may at times compete and at times cooperate with state orchestrated governance. Contributions focusing on measuring and assessing governance and discussing criteria for governance and leadership are also especially encouraged.