Conference delivers fresh insights on energy, waste and the environment in West Africa
Rice University hosted the Energy, Waste, and the Environment in West Africa conference Sept. 12-13, an event that convened scholars, policymakers and artists to address pressing environmental issues in West Africa. Organized by Rice assistant history professor Nana Osei-Opare and associate anthropology professor Gökçe Günel, this interdisciplinary conference aimed to spark critical conversations about how societies in the region are managing their natural resources and dealing with the consequences of energy production and waste.
“The conference brings together historians, anthropologists, geographers, policymakers, artists and filmmakers,” Günel said. “We’ve cast a very broad net to ensure diverse perspectives are represented.”
With representatives from West Africa and all over North America, the conference covered a wide array of topics with thematic panels that explored the intersection of energy, waste and environmental challenges. This marked the first time such a comprehensive event on these themes had been hosted at Rice with discussions touching on historical and contemporary responses to environmental crises in the region.
“Our goal was to bring African scholars to Rice to think critically about energy, waste and the environment,” Osei-Opare said, emphasizing the importance of engaging a global audience. “It’s been incredible to see the diverse ways people from Africa, North America and beyond are grappling with these issues across disciplines.”
The event also highlighted two of Rice University’s academic strengths: environmental studies and African and African American studies. The discussions around energy, waste and the environment resonated with both faculty and students, furthering interest in the global implications of these topics.
“In each panel, the people are also citing and talking about other panelists' work that they're drawing from,” Osei-Opare said.
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