Remembering Research Realities : Celebrating the Research Master’s African Studies, Leiden University.

Following nationwide budget cuts in higher education, the Research Master African Studies (ReMAAS) at the African Studies Centre Leiden (ASCL), Leiden University, will be discontinued in 2027. In this edited volume the ASCL brings together alumni who were angered and shocked by this decision, and passionate about delivering an urgent response. The scrapping of the programme, with its unique emphasis on conducting empirical research in Africa, puts an end to a steady stream of groundbreaking contributions to science by its students. 

Through a blend of scholarly rigour and nostalgia, this volume showcases the diversity and intellectual strength of the work produced in the ResMAAS and celebrates its legacy. The chapters contain nine condensed versions of high-quality theses as well as reflections from their authors and the editors on what the programme meant to them and their academic careers. In an era in which academia - particularly the social sciences and humanities - face significant threats, this book underlines the necessity for scholars to articulate their concerns and to stand in solidarity against such profound and alarming developments. 

Year of publication: 2025
Series: African Studies Collection
Volume: 86