For the first time in two decades, Queen's will host the annual meeting of the Canadian Association of African Studies. The conference, Communities and Transformations in Africa and African Studies, runs from May 4 through 7. This year's conference has approximately 100 registrants from 10 different countries, including Mobina Jaffer, Canada's first Muslim, African-born senator, who will attend the opening reception.

stephanie.earp@queensu.ca, 613.533.6000 ext 79173 or Jeff Drake, jeff.drake@queensu.ca, 613.533.2877, Queen's News & Media Services.

"Queen's has a dynamite African Studies research group, and I wanted to highlight one of the strengths of the university." says Marc Epprecht, professor of Global Development Studies, and chair of the organizing committee.

This year's conference will overlap with a Cuban conference called The Measure of a Revolution: Cuba 1959-2009, hosted by Sociology. The two events will come together for a morning of panel discussions.

Running May 7 through 9, The Measure of a Revolution includes over 47 different panels, and hundreds of different speakers – including Ricardo Alarcon, president of the National Asssembly of Cuba. "The conference will encourage critical thought and discussion on the revolution – its accomplishments, disappointments and future prospects," says organizer Catherine Krull, professor of sociology at Queen's.

For more details on these events please see:

http://www.queensu.ca/sgs/events/communitiestransformations.html

http://www.queensu.ca/sociology/?q=themeasureofarevolution09

If you are interested in covering this event please contact Communications Assistants Stephanie Earp,