Englisches Seminar

From Africa to the Diaspora: Another Perspective on Afrofuturisms

A Global Encounters Workshop, 19-20 March 2026, University of Tübingen

What if the “Black” futures were theorized from Africa? What if the trajectory was reversed that way? This two-day workshop on 19 and 20 March 2026 brings together an international group of scholars and writers to facilitate critical encounters and build connections between different Afrofuturist traditions of literary, cultural and artistic production from African and Afrodiasporic contexts. Most prominently, the workshop aims to bridge a critical gap between different Afrofuturist traditions and to broaden the theoretical reflection of Afrofuturist visions of the future. Panel discussions will be open to interested students and guests. Please contact the organizers for details. 

Program

Thursday, 19 March

10:00-10:45 Arrival and Workshop Opening

11:00-12:30 Theorizing on Future Imaginings from Africa 

Kasereka Kavwahirehi (online) and Addamms Mututa 

(chair: Russell West-Pavlov)

13:00-14:00 Lunch break (snacks)

14:00-15:30 Proto-Afrofuturism and Progress Narratives

Astrid Franke and Whitney Frazier Peterson 

(chair: Anya Heise-von der Lippe)

15:30-16:00 Coffee break

16:00-17:30 African Afrofuturist Literary Cultures

Yannick Essengue and Jean-Jacques Tsoungui

(chair: Louis Nana)

19:00 Dinner 

Friday, 20 March

9:45 Second day opening 

10:00 Performance Poetry

Philipp Khabo Koepsell

10:30-12:00 Artists in Conversation: Afrofuturist Arts and Practices

Laura Nsafou in conversation with Ridal Carel Tchoukuegno

12:15-12:30 Short Film

12:30-14:00 Lunch break (mensa)

14:00-15:30 Roundtable African Afrofuturisms - Connections and Directions

with special guest Schwarzrund

15:30-16:00 Workshop Close and Publication Opportunities

From 16:00 Time to explore Tübingen Old Town

 

Venue: 

Brechtbau, Wilhelmstr. 50, room 306 

Organizers:

Dr. Louis Nana (Romanisches Seminar) 

PD Dr. Anya Heise-von der Lippe (Englisches Seminar)