General Assembly Distinguished Lectures

The Claude Aké lecture delivered by Mahmood Mamdani offers an African perspective on 9/11, arguing that the roots of the terrorism so widely promulgated are in America (the 'democratic empire') and the Cold War. Mamdani underlines the aspect of terrorism he terms 'culture talk' - the language of contemporary globalisation. Samir Amin provides a critical overview and exploration of the alternatives to neoliberal globalisation, imperialism and militarism. Fatou Sow stresses the need to rethink development from positions that have regard for gender, and casts doubt on the slow pace of the integration of women into various spheres, despite women having acquired the 'right to have rights'. The fourth lecture, also delivered by Fatou Sow, is a critical tribute to Léopold Sedar Senghor, the Senegalese 'Poet-President', commenting in particular on his attitudes to African languages and négritude, and includes the texts of his most beautiful poems dedicated to African women.