Africabeat is not dead, merely on a very long holiday

Africabeat is not dead, merely on a very long holiday.  I've been frantically visiting graduate schools and am trying to finish up field research for a book I am writing on China and Africa.  The conversations on this blog were very much a part of its genesis, so thank you to everyone who participated. 

I've also just started writing a column for EbonyJet called The New World.  The first column is autobiographical, and by consequence, not that interesting!  But I hope that I can use it to explore topics dear to my heart--migration, identity, change, politics, globalization, and global Black culture--using the particular lens through which I see the world. 

Finally, and this is very exciting for me since it means the political scientist part of my tag line is about to become a little less "aspirational," I will be starting doctoral studies in the Department of Government at Harvard University this fall.  In the US, master's degrees and Ph.D's generally form a continuous course of study, which means it should take me anywhere from five to seven years to finish!  I'm aiming for six.

I hope to be back in a real way in September, but I might just send a few dispatches into the ether in the intervening months.  After all, there's like seven African countries I hope to visit in the weeks to come, and the Olympics in Beijing.  These are exciting times!

Comments

[Blaise]

Salut Jen
J'espère bien que le coeur de Africabeat continuera de battre pour le plus grand plaisir de ceux qui en vivent ; et je te souhaite plein succès dans tes divers projets...
Amicalement
Blaise

[Jennifer Brea]

Merci, Blaise. J'espere qu'on aura l'opportunite a se recontrer un jour!

[Binason Avèkes]

Oui, j'espère aussi, avec plaisir !