RESEARCH IN PROGRESS

PL/WCD M) CURRENT PROJBCT5 OF THE FELLOWS

OF THE INSTITUTE OF AFRICAN SHDIES

Dr. Afari Cyan is conducting research en:

i) Political representation in Ghana frxxn
the inception of the Legislative Council
Research  involves  the collection of
basic  data  about  Ghana's  political
representatives at the national  level
in respect of age, duration of office,
education  and professional  qualifica-
tions.

ii) Forms of political  instability in Ghana
Involves  identification

since  1952. 
and explanation of causes and factors.

Dr. Kofi Ermeleh Agovi's research interests
are in the  areas of African  Literature
and drama.  Present  research is concen-
trated on the following:
a)  African  Oral  Literature, principally
of the Nzema  people. 
Involves the
collection of literary  texts,  clan
dirges of the Nzema,  riddles and
installation texts.

b)  African  Written  Literature. 

Under
this, two  projects  are envisaged:  A
history of creative writing in Ghana -
1920-78 and (ii) African  poetry and
its ancestry.
c) African Drama.
Three projects  are currently  underway  -
theatre  performances 
i)  History  of 

in

Ghana, 1920-60.

ii) Theatre and politics in Africa,
iii) The concept of tragedy in festival

drama.

**- K. /hpora  Daricwa is putting  together
research  materials  collected  over the
years. He is also conducting research en
the traditional education of the child.
This project  aims to document the  codes

60

of  conduct of traditional  professional
groups,  and how they  nurture,  train,
educate and hand over  their professions'
to the succeeding generation.  The insti-
tutional  elements of the professions -
stated  objectives, behavioural  patterns,
symbols and emblems, utilitarian cultural
objects,  oral and written  traditions -
are examined in relation to the education
of children.  Interviewing  involves  both
parents and children.

Prof. KMone Arhin is

i)  currently  editing  I.A.S.  publication

The Life and Mark of Rene  Narwsh.

ii)  writing up research on Make: the Bio-
graphy of Krcto Edusei, a CPP Regional
Boss.

iii)  engaged in research with  Ms.  Karen
Legge  (university of Liverpool), in
Aransie  (Bekwai)  District of Ashanti
on  The Political  Economy of Modem
Chieftaincy.

iv)  with  Ms. W.J. Donkor  (Department of
General  and African  Studies, UST,
Kunasi) doing research on /tan  Palace
Organisation with particular reference
to Kunasi: Towards the study of patri-
monial ism in West Africa.

v)  conducting  docunentary  research  with
Aggrey-Fym,  National  Serviceman, on
The  Era of Primitive  Acamilation in
Ghana.

vi)  ongoing  literary and  field  research:
The Social Framework of Economic Deve-
lopment: the Measurement of comnitment
to  Development:  Fieldwork, 
Bulsa
District.

prof.  Kofi  Asare-Clpcfcu  has  the  following

projects:
i) Research on Akan Clans - brings together
oral  and  written  information  on  the
Akan clans.

ii) Dsnuah  and  the Afrikania  Mission:  the
man and his message.  This  is a study of
the life of the founder of the Afrikania
Mission  and  the  Mission  itself,  its
ideological  origins,  its  teaching  and
irtpact on contemporary Ghanaian society.
iii) Profile of a Ghanaian  Prophet:  Yeboah-

Koree and the Feden Church.

iv) Research  to  update  material  contained
Opoku,  1978.  West  African  Traditional
Religion.

Dr. AX  Awadoba  is conducting research  into
various  aspects  of  seme  Upper  Eastern
Ghanaian  Societies,  principally 
the
Kasena-Nankana and the Kusasi.  Research
embraces  kinship  networks,  economics,
markets and exchange, marriage, funerary
practices,  linguistics  and  political
relations.  At the moment, he  is helping
the  Kasem  Department  of  the  School  of
Ghana  Languages  to  produce  informative
material on the gramnar and phonology of
the Kasem language.  He envisages parti-
cipating  in collaborative  research  with
the  Kasem  Department  of  the  School  of
Ghana Languages on Kasena-Nankana history,
culture and society.

Dr. K.N. Bane is conducting research  in  the

following areas:

i) The sociology of the military  in Africa
-  a study of  the  role  of  the  military
in political change, social  development,
social mobility etc. in Africa.

ii)  Folk  media  and  development:  research
into the use of folk media to facilitate
the acceptance of  development  ideas  in
rural and urban Ghana.

iii) A  study of the  social  background  of  a
cohort of  Ghanaian  University  students
and its relationship  to their  academic
career at the University.

iv)  A  study  of  traditional  education  in
Ghana.  This  will  attempt  a  detailed
description and analysis of the content

61

and  methods  of  Ghanaian  indigenous
education.

Mr. E.Q. Blavo, Administrative  Secretary  of
the  Institute,  is  conducting  research
on:

i)  the  development  and  organization  of
social  services  in  Ghana  (with  Mrs.
Nana  Apt  Van  Ham  of  the  Sociology
Department).

ii) new religious movsnants  in Ghana: their
impact on  society  (also  with  Mrs.  Van
Ham).

iii)  towards  a  Ph.D.  dissertation:  the
problems  of  refugees  in  Africa:  n
challenge to social policies  in African
countries.

Dr. 6.P. Hagan's  general  research  interests
are in the fields of African philosophy,
society and culture.  He has some major
publications in the pipeline on
i) Elements of African philosophy.
ii)  Three  systems  of  health  delivery  in

Ghana.

iii) Wealth, popular following  and political
power.
iv)  Dramatic  elements  in  African  ritual
form.
v)  He  envisages  a  detailed,  empirical
study  over  a  five-year  period  of  the
Swedru  District  of  the  Central  Region
of  Ghana  since  its  formation  for  an
analysis of the problems of culture and
development. 
The  possible  therres
include  ecology  and  geography,  ethnic
composition,  settlement  and  population
distribution 
and
physical  infrastructure, economic  acti-
vities, education,  traditional  politi-
cal  structures,  religious  activities,
festivals  and  other  celebrations,  law
and criminality,  income and  expenditure
levels, women's roles.

patterns, 

social 

Prof. M.E. Knopp  Dakubu's  current  research
is  organised  around  3  main  areas  as
follows:

i)  A  Dangne-English  Dictionary  Project
well  under way.  She expects to have a
trial edition by autimn 1968.

ii) The  Seciolinguistics  of Accra, from a
historical point of via*.  She  expects
to  write a bock in 1968-89  involving
aspects of language  and  comnication
patterns  among  migrants  from  Northern
Ghana,  and  the  history of Hausa in
Ghana.  She also expects to revise Gst-
Bnglish  Dictionary,  and  write on Ga
syntax.

influences on Ga society  and culture

i i)  Annotated translations  of  Danish  authors

on  the  Ga  not  available 
such as Rtfner, B«&m and Monrad.

in  E nl

i i i)  Publication  of  collections  of  o
traditions  of  the Ga-speaking people

Mr.  AbJcwei  deal's  present 

research *  iS

organised around four main areas:

i)  Mxlem  African  Literature:  a  series  of

publications  and essays  is envisaged,

i i)  Children's  Literature: 

continuing
research  into  literature  for  Ghanaian
children, 
^
preparation  for  publication  of 
text-
books of  children's  verses,

the  writing 

towards 

i i i)  Piblishing  and Literature.  This  invol-
ves research  into the connection between
the  practices  and  conditions  of 
the
publishing  industry  and  its 
impact  on
African  literature,  and the  publication
of  critical  essays on the theme,

iv)  Ghanaian  Literature  Anthologies.  This
involves 
carpi lation
towards  the  production  of  anthologies
of  Ghanaian poems and short  stories.

research  and 

Dr. Gwusu-Breqpong is  engaged  in  research  in
techniques.

folklore  methodology  and 
He plans research on

i)  Queen Mothers  in  Akan  Societies,  with
(Indiana

Professor  Beverly  Stalltje 
University, USA),

i i)  Chieftaincy  Problems  of  the  Techiman

Traditional Area.

i i i)  Research 

into  narrative  genres 

in
Ghanaian  societies,  such  as  folktales,
jokes,  personal  experience
riddles, 
stories,  poetic 
insults  and  other
neglected  genres,  through  collections
of  folktales  from each region  in Ghana,
iv)  Collection  of  materials  on  festivals
and  celebrations  among  the  Bono-Anafo
peoples of  Ghana and on food ways.

Mr.  S.S.  Qjarcoopaie  plans 

to 

the 

initiate
research projects  into  the  origins  and
development  of 
socio-political
institutions  of  the  Ga-speaking peoples
of  Ga  Mashie,  Osu,  Labadi,  Teshie,
Nungua and Tema, through the collection,
examination  and  obcunentation  of  oral
In
traditions,  archival  sources  etc. 

iii) Dagaare Language Studies.  This involves
publications  on  introductory  phonology
and  grammar,  analysis  of tales in
Dagaare  and a project on the  Dagaare
xylophone  in  relation  to  its  language
and its literature.

Ms. Takyiwaa  Manuh's  research  interests  are
on Ghanaian women and analyses of their
roles  in society, culture, the economy,
religion and politics.  Current research
is on

i) Women and socio-economic change in Ada.
This involves an analysis of the changes
in productive, familial and other roles
for  women  following  on  the  ecological
and  other  developments  around  the  Ada
Songor lagoon.

ii) An analytical bibliography on  women in
Ghana,  with  Dr.  Elizabeth  Ardayfio
Schanabrf  (Department  of Geography,
University of Ghana)  and  Mrs.  Kate
Ifcafc-Akoto (RIPS, University of Ghana).
Involves the compilation from archival,
library, Governmental  and other sources
of materials on or about Ghanaian women
frcm  the  pre-colonial  period to the
present.

iii)  With  Dr.  Ardayfio-Schandorf,  'Gender
and  access to control  over  land in
Ghana1.
iv)  Project  on  'Madam  Sophia  Doku, Mother
of the Party1.  This is a study of the
life of first ten CPP women  parliamen-
tarians during the  1st  Republic  (1957-
1966).

Dr.  Irene  Odotei is currently  engaged in
updating  the  following  research  mate-
rials on the Ga for publication:

i) A History of the Ga -  1600-1850.
Includes papers on the economy, politi-
cal  changes,  religion  and  historical

62

addition  there  will  be  comparative
studies of similar or analogous  insti-
tutions  of  contiguous  ethnic  groups
like  the Adangres  and Akans.  The
ultimate purpose would be the publica-
tion of a caiprehensive handbook and a
history of the Ga-speaking  people  frcm
about 

m

Mrs. Brigid Sackey is currently  researching

into:

i) the involvement  and participation of
ii) the church of  'fyaneson  Pa1  (Ekwam)

women in spiritual churches in Ghana.
revisited.

iii) Traditional  interpretations and treat-
ment of certain childhood maladies e.g.
bed-wetting, whooping cough, nuips.
iv) Housemaids as agents of witchcraft.
Mrs. Esi Sutterland-Addy
i)  is currently  engaged  in writing up
teaching  manuals to accompany  Scyene
Akuffo and Ephraim Aw video packages.

ii) envisages  commencement of research on
individualism  in  traditional 
tale
telling.  The project will  examine the
influence of factors such as age, sex,
domicile,  personality/disposition  and
class on the telling of tales.  Arising
from this is a possible video production
on  the art of  story  telling  and a
seminar on the topic.

rmm  mm 

PRIZE FOR AFRICAN

ANTtR0PajOGM988

The Amtry  Talbot prize, which is awarded
annually and which  in 1968 will  amount to
approximately  £570 will  be awarded  to the
author or authors of the work which, in the
opinion of the Judges, is the most  valuable
of  the works  of anthropological  research
relating to Africa  which  are submitted in
the competition.

Only  works published  during the calendar
year  1968 are eligible  for the  award.
Preference will be given to works  relating

63

in the first  place to Nigeria, and in the
second  place  to any other  part  of  west
Africa or to West Africa in general.  Marks
relating  to other  regions of Africa are,
however, eligible.

All applications, together with two copies
of the book, articles, or work in question,
to be received by the 31st January, 1989 by
the  Trustees:  Barclays  Bank  Trust  Company
Limited,  Trust  Management  Office, P.O.  Box
No.27, 
Park,
Northwich.  Cheshire,  CW9  7RE,  England.
Please  quote  reference  nuiter  61/888.
Entries  will not be returned to candidates
but will be at the disposal of the Judges.

Gadbrcok 

Octagon 

House, 

DOTES ON CONTIIIUTOIS
KLEVOR ABO is a Principil  Research  Assistant
at the Institutt  of African  Studies, Con-
ducting  research on African Music.

KOFI ERMELEH  AGOVI  is Senior  Research  Fellow
in tha Institute  of African  Studies, spe-
cializing in Draw  and Literature.

KWASI  AHYEMEDU  is a Lecturer  in the Depart-
went  of  Economics,  University  of  Ghana.
He  has an  abiding  Interest  in  economic
policy.

KVAME  ARHIN  is Professor  and Director  of the
Institute  of African  Studies. His research
is In the area of Economic  Anthropology.

ALBERT  KANLISI  AWEDOBA  is an  anthropologist
and a Research  Fellow in the Institute  of
African  Studies.

GEORGE  BENNEH  is Professor  and Head  of the
Department  of  Geography,  and  Pro-Vice-
Chancellor of the University of Ghana.

MARY  ESTHER  KROPP  DAKUtU  it  Professor  and"
Oeputy Director of the Institute  of African
Studies, specializing In Linguistics.

TAKYIWAA  MANUH  is a  Research  Fellow  in the
Institute  of African  Studies,  specializing
in Women's  Studies.