The International Conference São Tomé and Príncipe from an interdisciplinary, diachronic and synchronic perspective is the result of a partnership between researchers at the Centre of African Studies (CEA) at ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL) and the Global Development Programme at the Tropical Research Institute (IICT) in Lisbon. As part of on-going research projects, the conference aims to present and share studies and project results from research conducted on São Tomé and Príncipe in various areas of scientific knowledge.

The International Conference São Tomé and Príncipe from an interdisciplinary, diachronic and synchronic perspective is the result of a partnership between researchers at the Centre of African Studies (CEA) at ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL) and the Global Development Programme at the Tropical Research Institute (IICT) in Lisbon. As part of on-going research projects, the conference aims to present and share studies and project results from research conducted on São Tomé and Príncipe in various areas of scientific knowledge.

Reflecting its small physical dimensions, the volume of scientific scholarship focused on São Tomé and Príncipe is relatively meagre compared to that related to larger Portuguese-speaking African countries such as Angola or Mozambique. In recent years, however, the number of research studies undertaken in relation to the small archipelago in the Gulf of Guinea has increased considerably, in both the social and natural sciences. Consequently, this conference intends to give major visibility to research that has been done, create opportunities for researchers of different scientific areas to present their work, and thus to promote interest in São Tomé and Príncipe and of the role played by scientific research.

Emphasis is given to comparative and interdisciplinary research, including historical, anthropological, sociological, cultural, economic, political, biological and environmental perspectives.  This will allow for an historical approach not only in global terms or on the level of the archipelago’s relationship with the African continent and the world, but also with regard to the importance of knowledge in this society’s current context.  A deeper historical understanding of the realities of this archipelago is expected to enable a better comprehension of the current situation of this country, as well as to help to identify current problems and collaborate in their solution.

The conference is open to all interested parties, researchers and the general public. Paper proposals must be submitted in the form of an abstract, in Portuguese or English, to the e-mail address: coloquio.stp@gmail.com. The deadline is 15 December 2011. The results of the evaluation of the abstracts will be reported before the end of January 2012. Papers can be presented in Portuguese or English; however, simultaneous interpretation will not be available. Each presentation lasts 20 minutes.
 
Registration is mandatory and free, but the organisation will not pay any travel expenses or accommodation.
 
Rules of the submission of paper proposals:
Abstracts should be between 300 and 500 words, text font Calibri, font size 11, with body text 1.5-spaced and double-spaced between text sections; key words: minimum 2, maximum 5.
Please include name(s) of the author(s), institutional affiliation and the author’s e-mail address.

Contacts:
coloquio.stp@gmail.com
Ana Cristina Roque, tel. +351 213600580/1/2
Gerhard Seibert, tel. +351 21 790 39 03