Two scientific engagements held in Ghana at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Cape Coast, and at the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, Legon
The CDD-Ghana held two scientific engagements for academics, policy-makers and senior students at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Cape Coast, and at the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, on November 23th and December 19th 2016, respectively.
Following on the heels of similar events held during Spring of last year at the University of Development Studies and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, the two recent scientific events aimed to introduce the R4D project on “Ethnic Power Relations and Conflict in Fragile States’’ to the academic and policy making communities. The participation of policy-makers was of particular relevance given that the R4D project’s aim is to increase knowledge dissemination on the conflict potential of ethnic exclusion especially in nascent democracies. Representatives of the CDD-Ghana also gave an in-depth overview of the Family of EPR datasets and outlined their relevance for the study of ethnic politics and conflict. In addition, the participants were given the opportunity to discuss and advise on the coding of politically relevant ethnic groups in Ghana in the EPR Core dataset as a way of improving the data collection in future updates. The conference also gave the participants the opportunity to discuss the relevance of ethnicity for politics in Ghana, especially in the light of the recent general elections held on December 7th, 2016.
The main speakers at these events were Dr. Franklin Oduro (Deputy Director and Head of Research and Programs, CDD-Ghana) and Nana Kwabena Aborampah Mensah (Senior Research Officer, CDD-Ghana) and Nene-Lomo Kuditchar (PhD Candidate, Department of Political Science, University of Ghana and Research Associate, CDD-Ghana). The attendance numbered 60 persons at the University of Cape Coast, while 25 persons participated in the event held at the University of Ghana. Of particular mention is the participation of the Director of the Institute of Development Studies, University of Cape Coast, Prof. P. K. Agbesinyale, and Dr. Bossman E. Asare, Head of the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, Legon.