Kenya Scholars & Studies Association (KESSA)

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

5^th KENYA SCHOLARS & STUDIES ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE

 DATE
 Friday & Saturday
September 7- 8, 2012

 VENUE
Bowling Green State University

 Bowen Thompson Student Union
Bowling Green, Ohio 43403

 THEME
Kenya,a Nation in Transition; Opportunities and Challenges 

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In 2012, Kenya will witness the first parliamentary and presidential elections since the promulgation of a new constitution in 2010. For the first time since independence, a cabinet minister will not simultaneously serve as a member of the executive and legislative branches of government. Similarly, the office of Governor will come into being under the county-based devolved system of government. These changes and others are thought to usher in a different political climate – to the extent that many envision a nation in transition. Whether it is fitting or not to call Kenya a nation in transition is superseded by these two questions: (i) What opportunities does this change offer the country and its citizens? (ii) What constraints or roadblocks do Kenyans face in realizing the fruits of this much-anticipated change? These questions and others form the core of the theme of the 5^th Conference of the Kenya Scholars and Studies Association (KESSA) at Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA.  The conference will be held in the Bowen Thompson Student Union on September 7-8, 2012.

On behalf of the organizing committee, I would therefore like to invite you to submit a paper/poster abstract for the 2012 conference which presents us with yet another exciting and thought provoking weekend of professional engagement, dialogue, and networking. Abstracts and organized sessions under the broad theme of “Kenya, a Nation in Transition: Opportunities and Constraints” are welcome.  Suggested topics include but are not limited to:

Proposals for organized paper sessions, panels, and round-table discussions are welcome.  Organized paper sessions should consist of 4-5 papers.  Session organizers should clearly identify all session participants and submit all session abstracts in one package and should ensure that each abstract meets the abstract guidelines noted above.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATION GUIDELINES: Each paper/poster presentation will last for 15-20 20 minutes depending on the number of papers in each session. The conference venue has audio visual capabilities including laptops (with PowerPoint) and overhead projectors.

PARTICIPATION ELIGIBILITY: Anyone interested in advancing the cause of Kenya may participate in the 5^th KESSA conference.  All participants (presenters and non-presenters) must register for the conference.

Please consider contributing and/or forwarding this announcement to appropriate colleagues and groups. All abstracts and/or organized session proposals should be submitted online - here!

Disclaimer on Funding: It is the responsibility of all participants to raise the funds needed to attend this conference. KESSA and Bowling Green State University do not provide any form of financial support to conference attendees.

The abstract submission 
deadline is 
Friday May 4, 2012.

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION: Presenters should submit 250-word (or less) abstracts that include the presentation's title, presenter, institutional affiliation, contact information (mailing address, phone, and email address), purpose, methods, conclusions, and three key words.  Abstracts should be edited for spelling, grammatical, and typographical errors.  Abstracts should convey research results clearly and concisely and should be as jargon free as possible since this is an interdisciplinary conference. Please do not include references, citations, and/or abbreviations in the body of the abstract. By submitting an abstract, you grant KESSA permission to include it in the conference program and/or disseminate it electronically. 

Proposals for organized paper sessions, panels, and round-table discussions are welcome.  Organized paper sessions should consist of 4-5 papers.  Session organizers should clearly identify all session participants and submit all session abstracts in one package and should ensure that each abstract meets the abstract guidelines noted above.

ABSTRACT ACCEPTANCE: While abstracts can be submitted before registration, KESSA will accept abstracts from registered attendees only.

The deadline for abstract submission is May 4, 2012.

CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY: To cancel your registration, please send an email to Dr. Charles Manyara, KESSA Treasurer at: cmanyara@radford.edu.

Please be sure to state your intent to cancel registration and also withdraw your submitted abstract.

• Requests received by June 29, 2012 will incur a 25% cancellation fee.
• Requests received by July 27, 2012 will incur a 50% cancellation fee.
• Requests received after August 31, 2012 cannot be processed.

SUBMISSION YOUR ABSTRACT

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Francis Koti, KESSA Secretary (or any other member of KESSA Executive) at: ftkoti@una.edu. 

We look forward to a great conference this year.

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