The Director of Makerere Institute of Social Research cordially invites you to attend the 2026 MISR Graduate Students' Conference, which will be held from Thursday, 2 July, to Saturday, 4 July 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. 

 Theme: Reading War and Armed Conflicts in Postcolonial Africa

 Concept: 

From the late 1950s to the 1970s, only a small number of African states won self-rule through full-scale armed struggle against the colonial state. In many cases, African states achieved independence through negotiated transitions and political pressure. By contrast, the post-independence period has been marked by widespread civil wars (secessionist conflicts, armed resistance, counterinsurgencies), ethnic violence, inter-state and geopolitical proxy wars. Coupled with imperialist aggression on the continent, these armed conflicts have reconfigured states, reshaped identities, disrupted natural and material ecosystems, and reorganised society in fundamental ways. The euphoria of independence in many postcolonial African states has slowly cascaded into numerous tragedies. War, in particular, has been a recurrent reality, devastating populations from the Sahel to Mozambique, and beyond.

 Keynote Speaker: Dr. Busingye Kabumba, School of Law, Makerere University.

Venue: MISR Seminar Room 1.

Should you wish to attend, kindly confirm your participation by emailing: communications.misr@mak.ac.ug, copy to: communicationatmisr@gmail.com, no later than Tuesday, 30 June 2026.  Attendance will be confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to venue capacity.