The Sudan Studies Association is pleased to announce that its 2001 conference will be held at Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA, on May 24-26. This year's theme is: "The 20th Anniversary of the Sudan Studies Association. The Sudan and its Community of Scholars." Abstracts of 200-250 words of proposals for papers and panels should be sent by March 1, 2001, to:

Dr. 'Abdullahi 'Ali Ibrahim, SSA President and Program Organizer, History Department, University of Missouri-Columbia, 101 Read Hall, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. Tel. 573-882-9492; Fax 573-884-5151, E-mail: ibrahima@missouri.edu

A Friendly Word on the focus on Sudan Scholars and their Archives

This conference celebrates the 20th anniversary of our association. Without veering away from our tradition of assigning open themes conferences to accommodate all interests and concerns, this conference will have the scholars of Sudan and their work as a major focus. We will review the quality, range, and implications of the contributions of these scholars. Additionally, we will appraise their resources and archives. To this effect, Sudan scholars are defined broadly to include, in addition to traditional scholars, activists, public scholars, athletes, unionists who have been forming public opinion through rain and shine. This examination is hoped to chart the research agendas of the country and its routes for the 21st century. It is also intended to bring attention to local archives that are still distanced from academic scholarship. Contributions to the conference are to evaluate scholars and their resources. The following list of scholars and archives is representative but not conclusive.

1. Biographies of leading scholars in the field of Sudan Studies. The paper presented previously by Martin Daly on MacMichael sets the tone for the things we expect in this respect. Biographies of and tributes to scholars who left in their prime are especially welcome. Names that come readily to mind are Natale Akolawin of Khartoum law School MOB, Bashir Ibrahim Bashir, Abbas Ibrahim, Hancock, Mohammed Abdullah Raman Ali.

2- Notes that describe the history and publications of cultural institutions. The following is just a representative list: The National Records Office; Sudan Notes and Records; Sudan Philosophical Society; al-Mahad al-'Ilmi and its publications; Ahfad College and its publications; Khatmiya; Ansar and other Sufi Brotherhoods; The Publications Bureau in Khartoum and Juba and their rich magazines such as al-Sibyan; Majalat al-Dirasat al-Sudaniya; the Folklore Archive and the Traditional Music Archive of the Institute of African and Asian Studies of the University of Khartoum; Sudan Government Publications; Comboni College and the Verona Fathers' Publications; Khartoum University Press; Sudan Association for the Protection of the Environment; al-Tamadun Press; Bakht al-Ruda; Luka Training Center; Jabeit Industrial School; Al-Rottal, the Newsletter of the Sudan Railways; Haqybat al-Fan. And the role of people like Dimitri al-Bazar, Mubarak Ibrahim, Ali Shumu etc. in its documentation and dissemination; Omdurman Radio and TV, Juba Radio and regional radios and TVs; The Vigilant of the Southern Front; Kordofan newspaper (of the late al-Fatih al-Nur); Sawat al-Maraa (of Fatima Ahmad Ibrahim); The Records of Licos family and their movie theaters; Majalt al-Qisa (1960s, Osman Ali Nur, the volumes recently republished in Khartoum); The Sudan Workers' Federation and its publications, Hilal and Mariekh and their literature recording their histories; The publications and archives of the Republican Brothers and the Communist Party; In our emphasis on public health, we encourage participants to present papers or organize using or discussing the work of Welcome Labs (Kitchner lab), the records of the Tropical Diseases Hospital, and the campaigns to eliminate malaria.

The conference will honour Mohamad Wardi for his years of achievements, where a specail panel will dicuss his work. The conference will also observe a special tribute to the late Osman Hasan Ahmed for his labor to bring this association into being and to support its work in his capacity as the Sudan Cultural Counsel in the early 1980s. The details and range of the tribute will be discussed and determined later.

Hotels: The main meetings will be at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center on the campus of Michigan State University. Phone # is 517-432-4000. Conference rates are 79.00 + taxes single or double room. This rate will be available through mid-April, 01. Caller should identify him/herself with SSA. The Conference Convener and Local Arrangements Organizer is Dr. Malik Balla. He has made a special arrangement to provide an inexpensive boarding for graduate students attending the conference. He reserved a block of 15 rooms at Butterfield Guest House across from Kellogg Hotel. The rates are $20.00 per person for a double occupancy room. They charge $30.00 for single occupancy. These rooms have air conditioning but their bathrooms are shared and not private. Those interested in reserving at the Butterfield should contact Dr. Balla.

Registration: The SSA Members Conference Registration fee will be $30.00 anytime before 30 April 2001. After that date and on-site registration is $40.00. Non-Members of the SSA may register before 30 April at $40 or after or on-site at $50. Contact the Executive Director, Dr. Richard Lobban, 401-456-8784 for membership categories and rates. The banquet on Friday evening will be $35.00 and the Saturday luncheon will be $25.00. As usual there will be special speakers for these events.

Contact Persons in East Lansing: If there are any questions or problems concerning the conference procedures, participants may contact Dr. Malik Balla, the Conference Convener by email <balla@pilot.msu.edu> or by fax at (517) 432-2736 and by telephone at (517) 432-3569. Any regular mail should be addressed to Dr. Malik Balla, Conference Convener, African Studies Center, 100 Center for International Studies Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1035

P.S. Participants are kindly requested to abide by the deadline for submitting their papers and panel proposals. The program committee is keen to have its input in streamlining the papers to address the focus of Sudan scholars and their sources. Last minute or late proposals are not going to help us in this regard. The chair of the program committee will be pleased to receive tips and suggestions to enhance the substance of the conference, to diversify participation, emphasize the Sudan community of scholars theme, and making the meeting a fun and a memorable experience. On this cherished occasion in which we celebrate our 20th birthday, veteran members of the Association, who lost contact, are urged to consider attending this ritual of coming of age in East Lansing. A pilgrimage to East Lansing is a rite of passage for us. This conference will be our third in this wholesome city of African and Sudanese studies.

Undergraduate and graduate students are asked to talk or e-mail the chair about their research agenda or other activities. Don't hesitate in letting us know how we can help you feature in the sessions. This worked last year. We had one of our most inspiring sessions thanks to an effective exchange of views between the chair and a group of undergraduates.