(Re)Membering Kenya
Identity, Culture and FreedomConference and book series
2008 - 2011
Goethe-Institut Nairobi
+254 20 2224640
info@nairobi.goethe.org
The conference series (Re)Membering Kenya – a collective project by Ford Foundation, Twaweza and Goethe-Institut Nairobi - was the most important intellectual attempt in Kenya, to react to the deep crisis in Kenyan society after the elections in December 2007. Using 25 conferences and 56 lectures at the Goethe-Institut in Nairobi the series brought together Kenya's best intellectuals. Since 2010, the first volume of the book series (Re)Membering Kenya is available in bookstores.PROJECT
(Re)Membering Kenya has in two conference series in 2008 and 2009 been consistently asking the fundamental questions about the Kenyan society. Historian George Gona and the cultural scientist Mbugua wa-Mungai in cooperation with Goethe-Institut Nairobi and our partner Ford Foundation selected the most interesting Kenyan thinkers and brought them together for
this project. We were especially interested in young scientists and activists, who are used to advanced approaches on the issues and who are prepared for relentless discourses. The approach is interdisciplinary, with a particular focus on a historical, sociological and cultural-scientific approach including the newest thoughts in the fields of cultural and postcolonial studies.The journalist Tom Odhiambo summarized the goal of this project in an article for the Nation in this way:
“[...] the much desired national reconciliation and dialogue will not come by itself. This is the moment for all Kenyans to claim their rightful place in the forum that will shape Kenya’s future. (…) We do not just have the problem of a dysfunctional political leadership; we the citizens are not talking amongst ourselves and to the leadership. It is the only way to guarantee that a small group of less than 300 citizen do not hijack the agenda and the future of more than 30 million Kenyans. It is in this sense that we welcome the (…) public lecture series “(Re)Membering Kenya – Identities, Cultures and Freedom” that ran at the Goethe-Institut in Nairobi in 2008.” (National dialogue must not be left to politicians alone, Tom Odhiambo, Daily Nation (07.04.2009) – at the second series of the project.)
PUBLICATIONS
The long-awaited first volume of the book series of (Re)Membering Kenya has been available in bookstores since 2010. It documents the first eight conferences, which took place in the period from June to October 2008. Volume 2 and 3 of the series are yet to be published in 2012.
LINKS
Our publicatiosFord FoundationTwaweza
