Procida hosts seminar on African social and political movements

The event, scheduled to take place from Sunday, October 7 to Tuesday, October 9 at a picturesque village on an island off of Naples: the Scuola di Alta Formazione in the Conservatorio delle Orfane in Terra Murata, on the island of Procida. Three days, organized by Naples's Universita' Orientale, will focus especially on the Maghreb, Egypt and sub-Sahara Africa, with university docents and experts coming from Italy, France, and North African countries. ''The seminar aims to be an ideal continuation of our reflections made last March on the Arab revolts,'' explained Ersilia Francesca, seminar organizer and professor of contemporary economic history of North Africa and the Middle East at the Universita' Orientale. ''This time we have, however, widened the spectrum of our inquiry, looking also at other countries,'' Francesca added. In particular, there will be a comparison between Maghreb countries and South Africa, an African state that emerged from long years under apartheid and isolation, but now has found a path for political and economic development. South African scholar Noor Nieftagodien - a history lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg - will open talks on October 9 speaking on ''Protests, democracy and the reconstitution of local movements.'' But the subjects to be addressed will be many and varied, from grassroots rule to the focus on women's role in the societies and politics of North African countries - a topic that will also reflect on the role of women in Islamic movements. Another topic will be the Arab Spring and art, beginning with graffiti in Cairo and winding up with revolutionary literature and clandestinely filmed documentaries made by young people on what occurred.