The Institute of International Affairs, Ghana, a leading Ghanaian Think Tank has won plaudits at the James Madison University’s 11th Interdisciplinary AAAD conference for its innovative idea to investigate how Social media is bridging the divide between African American Diasporas and the African homeland.

The institute participated in James Madison University’s 11th annual Interdisciplinary AAAD Conference, which was held from February 17 – 20, 2021, on the theme “Movements, Collectives and Collectivity.” This virtual conference included a group of scholars and archivists from a wide variety of overlapping and intersecting fields connected to Africana studies.

The GhIIA team, represented by Mr. Cherk Klutse, Head of Programs and Outreach and Mr. Charles Ansre, Head of Research, delivered a presentation on the topic: “Global partnerships in the age of virtual educating and living, a view from Accra.”

The panel was moderated by Dr. Melinda Adams. Other members on the panel included Swabra Abdallah, a representative from the United States International University-Africa, Kenya, and Taryn Roberts, a representative of the James Madison University, USA.

The thrust of the GhIIA’s presentation highlighted the institute’s response to the shocks of COVID-19, through an accelerated use of technology in structuring global partnerships. This included offering virtual internships and executing in-person events virtually.

The crunch of the GhIIA.org’s presentation however was the exposition on the institute’s findings on their investigations into how social media is serving as a bridge between Africa and the diaspora. Mr. Charles Ansre, Head of Research at GhIIA.org, speaking on this said, “Our initial investigations point out that cultural exchanges are being accentuated at a faster pace than ever before due to the influence of social media.

In the past, it would have taken a number of years for a cultural trend in African to be transferred to the diaspora in the U.S; we now see that in a matter of days or weeks. Music stars on the continent are finding greater traction amongst the diaspora and indeed we are seeing social media as the bridge.”

Mr Cherk Klutse, Head of Programs and Outreach at the GhIIA.org, reiterated this position, noting, “It is indeed these insights that drove the Institute’s focus on aggressively exploring global partnerships based on new technology and virtual platforms''.

He asserted in his closing remarks that, “Post-covid, the virtual platforms that have been developed will not go away but will be fused into a merged experience where some interactions will be virtual and others in-person.”

In her concluding remarks during the conference, Taryn Roberts, Director at James Madison University, noted that, “The JMU values its partnerships with institutions in Ghana including the Kufuor Foundation and the Institute of International Affairs, Ghana (GhIIA.org), and looks forward to further developing these strong ties using virtual platforms.

She went further to highlight the Summer Abroad program saying that; “the JMU has an award-winning Summer Abroad Program which has been in existence for the last 20 years in Ghana under the leadership of Prof. Owusu Ansah, a well-known Ghanaian academic and historian who is on the faculty to JMU.”

The discussion ended on a high note with the GhIIA.org proposing to host the next AAAD conference in Accra, Ghana.

For more information on the 11th Annual Interdisciplinary AAAD Conference, please visit www. https://www.jmu.edu/africana/aaad-conference.shtml

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