Workshop in Dakar on the topic "Ordinary Infrastructures – African Articulations of Urban Infrastructures beyond the Other"

10/21/2025

Roadside stalls selling plastic jerry cans in the Kariokor area in Nairobi — Roadside stalls selling plastic jerry cans in Kariokor, Nairobi (2021)

An interdisciplinary roundtable workshop entitled "Ordinary Infrastructures" addresses urban infrastructures in African cities. The event is organised by Amadou Dramé (Université Cheikh Anta Diop), Austin Ablo (University of Ghana), Moritz Kasper, Raffael Beier and Sophie Schramm (TU Dortmund) as well as Wangui Kimari (American University, Nairobi).

From 21 to 25 October 2025, a multidisciplinary roundtable workshop titled “Ordinary Infrastructures” will take place at Université Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar, Senegal. The event is convened by Amadou Dramé (Université Cheikh Anta Diop), Austin Ablo (University of Ghana), Moritz Kasper, Raffael Beier, and Sophie Schramm (TU Dortmund), as well as Wangui Kimari (American University, Nairobi), and is supported by the DFG-funded Point Sud programme.

The workshop invites critical engagement with African urban infrastructures through the lens of “ordinariness” – moving away from narratives of exceptionalism and othering. Participants will explore how mundane practices and artefacts shape urban infrastructural life and how these can help reconceptualize infrastructure beyond dominant global paradigms.

The event targets early-career researchers from across the African continent and beyond. In addition to roundtable sessions, the programme includes keynote lectures, joint excursions in Dakar, interactive activities, podcast recordings, and mentoring formats.

Weitere Informationen finden sich auf der Website des Förderprogramms Point Sud