51社区

Dr. Ghirmai Negash, professor of English at 51社区, takes over as the new president of the African Literature Association determined to forge a new path to safeguard the association during the pandemic.

In his acceptance address, 鈥�,鈥� he says that 鈥渁s we explore our path to the future鈥� during these trying times of coronavirus pandemic, 鈥渋t is imperative that we accept the fact that we鈥檙e already working鈥攁nd will increasingly do so鈥攊n a radically re-structured and re-cultured environment.鈥�

Among the initiatives Negash cited to help keep the association strong while universities and faculty face budget and enrollment and challenges due to the pandemic, Negash cited:

• Building the Journal of the African Literature Association's presence online.
• Broadening membership and strengthening the association's intellectual base.
• Initiating the ALA Lecture Series, virtually, to support members鈥� research and creative endeavors.

鈥淲e increasingly will be working in a fundamentally changed post-COVID-19 social and institutional environment,鈥� he said. 鈥淎ccordingly, we will need to adjust our ways of thinking and doing to meet the challenge. We can achieve this by together forging a new path for our association.鈥�