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This article surveys the development of Canadian Studies in Czechoslovakia/the Czech Republic from 1985 (the year the first such course was offered at a Czech university) down to the present. It also deals with the wider context of the development of Canadian Studies in Central Europe under the aegis of the Central European Association for Canadian Studies, established in 2003 with its Secretariat located at Masaryk University, Brno. In both the Czech Republic and the wider region, the late 1990s saw a steady growth in Canadian Studies, fostered by financial support from the Canadian government and outreach activities by Western European Canadian Studies associations. The first decade of the twenty-first century saw an explosion of activities - many new courses and degree programmes, conferences and specialized seminars, international projects, publications, the launching of the Central European Journal for Canadian Studies. The century's second decade, however, has witnessed retrenchment, the result of systemic changes in higher education systems and the Canadian government's cancellation of all support for Canadian Studies activities in 2012. Nevertheless, in both the Czech Republic and Central Europe, Canadian Studies continues to enjoy a significant and respected presence in the higher education sphere.

Gendering Knowledge in Africa and the African Diaspora addresses the question of to what extent the history of gender in Africa is appropriately inscribed in narratives of power, patriarchy, migration, identity and women and men's subjection, emasculation and empowerment. The book weaves together compelling narratives about women, men and gender relations in Africa and the African Diaspora from multidisciplinary perspectives, with a view to advancing original ways of understanding these subjects. The chapters achieve three things: first, they deliberately target long-held but erroneous notions about patriarchy, power, gender, migration and masculinity in Africa and of the African Diaspora, vigorously contesting these, and debunking them; second, they unearth previously marginalized and little known his/herstories, depicting the dynamics of gender and power in places ranging from Angola to Arabia to America, and in different time periods, decidedly gendering the previously male-dominated discourse; and third, they ultimately aim to re-write the stories of women and gender relations in Africa and in the African Diaspora. As such, this work is an important read for scholars of African history, gender and the African Diaspora.

Locating Pamiri communities in Central Asia / Carole Faucher and Dagikhudo Dagiev -- Identity formation, borders and political transformations -- Geography, ethnicity and cultural heritage in interplay in the context of the Tajik Pamiri identity / Sunatullo Jonboboev -- Pamiri ethnic identity and its re-emergence in post-Soviet Tajikistan / Dagikhudo Dagiev -- Transformations and lost in the Wakhi language / Sherali Gulomaliev -- The Tajiks of China: identity in the age of transition / Amier Saidula -- Archaeology, myths, intellectual and cultural heritage -- A Badakhshani origin for Zoroaster / Yusufsho Yaqubov and Dagikhudo Dagiev -- The Silk Road castles and temples: ancient Wakhan in legends and history / Abdulmamad Iloliev -- Nasir-i Khusraw's intellectual contribution: the meaning of pleasure and pain in his philosophy / Ghulam Abbas Hunzai -- Religious identity in the Pamirs: the institutionalisation of the Ismaili dawa in Shughnan / Daniel Beben -- Forgotten figures of Badakhshan: Sayyid Munir al-Din Badakhshani and Sayyid Haydar Shah Mubarakshahzada / Muzaffar Zoolshoev -- Social cohesion, interactions and globalization -- Blessed people in a barren land: the Bartangi and their success catalyser Barakat / Stefanie Kicherer -- Promoting peace and pluralism in the rural, mountainous region of Chitral, Pakistan, Mir Afzal Tajik / Ali Nawab, Abdul Wali Khan -- A "shift" in values: mother's educational role in the Gorno-Badakhshan Region / Nazira Sodatsayrova -- Project identity: the discursive formation of Pamiri identity in the age of the internet / Aslisho Qurboniev -- Religious education and self-identification among Tajik Pamiri youth / Carole Faucher

The authors examine the role of international faith-based NGOs in foreign aid and development assistance for Africa, with special reference to the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). The MCC is successful in its contribution to development and empowerment in the 20 African countries in which it works because of its philosophical and programmatic focus on accountability, its holistic approach to basic rights, and a 'listen and learn' approach which embraces empowerment and social justice. Although a 'small is beautiful' philosophy does not necessarily feed the 'quick fix' methods associated with the New Policy Agenda, it remains the most effective, efficient, accountable, and grassroots-responsive way of dealing with development issues. (InWent/DÜI)

Industrial forest concessions cover about 45 million hectares in Central Africa. This paper discusses the weaknesses of the current concession model and initiatives for helping it evolve; it then proposes a new type of concession, entitled 'Concessions 2.0', adapted to the future challenges presented by the overlapping among the rights and modes of the harvesting of multiple resources. This proposed model is based on four features: (i) mapping and recognition of the customary territories within and around the industrial concession, (ii) timber revenue sharing indexed on the extension of the customary territories and contractual management agreements within the communities, (iii) allowance of commercial exploitation of non-timber resources by entitled claimers under the supervision and/or in association with the concessionaire, and (iv) inclusive governance for the management of overlapping rights over the concession area. (Résumé d'auteur)

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