Events
2025
Recent global evidence highlights the deep connections between planetary health and human reproduction. The degradation of planetary health has significant repercussions on human well-being, particularly reproductive health. Africa, with its limited economic and technological resources, is particularly vulnerable to these challenges. This conference seeks to explore how planetary health and its driving forces shape reproductive practices in Africa.
The central question guiding this conference is: How are planetary health challenges reshaping reproductive practices in Africa?
Aligned with the Wellcome Trust-funded Reimagining Reproduction Project, the conference theme, Seeds of Change: Planetary Health and Reproduction in Africa, highlights the interconnectedness of reproductive health, environmental sustainability, and the future of African communities. In this conference, we seek papers that examine the challenges whilst also sowing the seed of innovative ideas and the nurturing of transformative strategies to promote planetary health and reproductive well-being across the continent. By examining the links between reproduction and planetary change, we aim to deepen our understanding of reproductive realities in Africa as we envision sustainable futures.
2024
Across the African continent, as in other parts of the world, reproduction extends far beyond mere childbirth, encompassing a broad spectrum of issues. These include technological advancements, transnational fertility practices and caregiving dynamics, reflecting the multifaceted nature of reproductive experiences worldwide. Yet, for all the richness in Africa, our understanding of reproduction remains limited to concerns about population growth and prevention. Turning against this narrow version of reproduction, in ‘Conceiving Change’, we pose new questions around the complexity of reproduction amidst contemporary realities in Africa. What does reproduction mean in Africa and to Africans? How are contemporary realities configured in redefining reproduction on the continent? And what is the space for faith, ancestors, science, and assisted reproductive technologies in Africa’s reproductive cultures? Through examining the complex terrain of reproductive rights, technologies, social and cultural dynamics of reproduction, encompassing a broad range of issues, including but not limited to; technologies, innovation and reproductive possibilities; transnational reproduction, in/fertility, birthing, parenting, caring, gender, race and sexuality, we aim to invigorate discussions on how we might conceive of reproduction in contemporary times.
2023
For too long ideas about reproduction in Africa have been stubbornly grounded in precarity and risk, and imperilled by political warfare and conflict, poverty, hunger and wider socioeconomic inequalities. As a consequence, prevailing research on reproduction remains concentrated on infant and maternal mortality, preventing fertility, death, disease and devastation with limited attention to understanding the interconnected bonds between family, reproduction and care- a lacuna this one-day conference aims to address.
Turning against a narrow version of reproduction, this conference asks new questions about the relationship between family, care and reproduction in Africa. What does family mean in Africa and how does it impact reproduction and care? What is the space for faith, science and assisted reproductive technologies (ART) in Africa? Amidst diverse challenges, technological advancements and complex family structures, social practices and kinship ties are changing. How do contemporary reproductive practices bear the imprint of historical legacies and what does this mean for care and families? By re-examining reproduction, as entwined with family care, the conference seeks to create a space for different conversations that illustrate the profound connections between birth, care, family, desire, joy and freedom.
The “Family Matters: Reproduction and Care in Africa” conference aims to illuminate these intricate dynamics, fostering transnational and nuanced approaches to reproduction and caregiving within African families.
2022
This event is the first of five events that take place annually, once in each of the 5 countries that are part of the Re-imagining Reproduction: Making babies, making kin and citizens in Africa project. The keynote speakers will discuss the idea of whether there is a need to re-imagine scholarship on reproduction in Africa, what this might look like and/or what this might achieve.
The aim of this event is to discuss the idea of what a reimagining of scholarship on reproduction in Africa might look like and might achieve (or not). Towards this end we will be discussing studies of reproduction of the past, present and future, asking:
- What does re-imagining reproduction entail?
- What are the prospects, opportunities and challenges involved?
- What are the emerging trends in reproduction and caring within Africa?
