The XIV All-Russian School of Young Africanists conference dedicated to the 55th anniversary of the Department of African Studies of ISAA MSU was held on November 17-18, 2015. The annual forum, organized by the Institute of African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Scientific Council on African Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences in cooperation with universities in a number of Russian cities, has the main goal of attracting the widest possible range of young researchers from the African continent and supporting this area in Russian science. The conference aims to help young scientists understand the importance of different research areas for a full-scale understanding of the processes taking place in the socio-political and cultural life of Africa.

This year, the School was held jointly with the Department of African Studies of ISAA MSU. The conference was attended by 93 students, postgraduates and young scientists from academic institutes and universities in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Yaroslavl, Tyumen, Saratov and Simferopol. Young economists, political scientists, sociologists, cultural scientists, linguists and anthropologists shared their research results and discussed contemporary problems in Africa.

The plenary session was opened by Acting Director of the IAfr I. O. Abramova. She noted the growing importance of Africa in the world and the urgency of developing research on the continent in Russia. On behalf of the MSU ISAA management, the conference was welcomed by Deputy Director V. E. Smirnov. He reminded the audience about the outstanding contribution of the MSU ISAA to the development of Russian African studies and a significant date - the 55th anniversary of the Department of African Studies.

The anniversary was discussed in the report of the head of the Department of African Studies of ISAA MSU N. V. Gromova. The history of the department dates back to 1960, when the first group of African students was recruited to study the Swahili language. This was the period of mass liberation of African countries from colonialism (1960 - "The Year of Africa"). Tasks were set - to train specialists in African studies, to strengthen ties between the USSR and Africa in the field of cultural and business cooperation. During the 55 years of the Department of African Studies, 10 major African languages were taught as the main ones at ISAA, and now, in addition to African languages, students study literature and historical subjects.

At one time, well-known African artists worked here-doctors of Sciences N. V. Okhotina, A. B. Davidson, I. I. Filatova, S. Ya. Berzina, A. S. Balezin and others. Currently, such scientists as E. S. Lvova and A. L. Yemelyanov (the historical block), N. V. Gromova and V. Ya. Porkhomovsky teach linguistic courses. The Department has produced about 300 highly qualified African studies specialists, prominent scientists, government and public figures, and translators. She has prepared numerous textbooks and manuals on African languages, history, and literature.

The conference was continued in five sections, the most numerous of which was " International Relations and foreign Policy in Africa "(headed by V. G. Shubin, SV. Kostelyanets, O. S. Kulkova (IAfr)). Young researchers in Africa focused on the development of the continent's countries. Africa in the twenty-first century is slowly making steady economic, social and political progress. The UN, in close cooperation with the African Union and regional economic communities, continues to provide various kinds of assistance in the implementation of the African "Agenda 2063", which is a transformative development program designed for 50 years. A.M. Solntsev (RUDN University) outlined the main goals of this program, which include about 20 areas. Among them are the eradication of poverty, the achievement of food security, the development of health and education, the achievement of gender equality, and the reduction of inequality both within and between African countries.

The role of the UN in the development of the African continent was discussed in a speech by N. Kolomiytseva (PRUE). Plekhanov, Moscow), which reviewed UN peacekeeping activities and

ZHERLITSYNA Natalia Aleksandrovna-Candidate of Historical Sciences, Researcher at the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences, ns_inafr@mail.ru.

the organization's fight against hunger in Africa. The UN peacekeeping forces are a permanent and integral part of the history of the African continent: 19 thousand soldiers from the UN peacekeeping forces are involved in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; 12 thousand are trying to restore order in the Central African Republic; 10 thousand are trying to restore order in the Central African Republic. They were introduced in Mali.

The dynamically developing partnership and interaction between the countries of Africa and BRICS became the subject of the study. Kuydina (MSU). The BRICS countries actively help Africa by pursuing an independent foreign policy on the continent, contributing to the industrialization of African countries and the modernization of their infrastructure.

The attention of young researchers was drawn to the policy of China and Turkey towards Africa. The rapid expansion of China's presence on the continent was evaluated ambiguously in the report of A. Parianova (Saratov State University). In general, relations between China and African states are mutually beneficial. At the same time, it would be wrong to deny that Beijing has a geopolitical calculation. China's interest in the continent is driven by the desire to gain access to natural resources and gain a foothold in a strategically important region.

The policy of another country claiming regional leadership, Turkey, was analyzed in the reports of M. Kolesnikova (St. Petersburg State University) and S. Kostelyants (IAfr). Turkey is an active participant in the "battle for Africa", Ankara officials even began to call Turkey an "Afro-Eurasian country". Along with maintaining traditional partnership relations with the countries of North Africa, a fundamentally new moment in the field of political, trade and economic cooperation between Turkey and the states of the African continent was Ankara's consistent reorientation towards developing relations with the countries of Tropical Africa-Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Africa.

G. Lukyanov (Higher School of Economics) noted two main challenges associated with the collapse of the old socio-economic system and the growing internal conflict in the country: the military threat stemming from the activities of the terrorist group ISIL and other radical Islamist groups in the region. Libya, and the migration challenge coming from this zone of instability.

The impact of armed conflicts on population movement within the countries of the African continent was studied by V. Pavlova (IPSU). Forced migrations lead to the destabilization of countries and the emigration of qualified personnel. This problem is relevant for many African countries, in particular for the DRC. Since the outbreak of the Second Congolese War in 1999, about 1 million people have been displaced from the war zone. By 2002, the number of internally displaced persons had reached 2.3 million. Most of the internally displaced people moved from the eastern provinces to the center or west of the country. Such processes lead to the formation of slums and temporary settlements in the form of refugee camps.

The current topic of migration was also raised at the meeting of the section " International Law in Africa "(head-Adu Yao Nikez, RUDN University). In 2014, the total number of migrants in the world was 232 million, including about 33 million Africans, and this number is increasing by 4 million annually. Participants of the meeting discussed such aspects of the problem as the rights of refugees and internally displaced persons to housing, land and property restitution (E. Agrba, RUDN University); protection of the rights of migrant workers (X. Davlatov, RUDN University) and guarantee of the rights of refugee children (Moscow M. Osipova reported that, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), 4.5 million children have recently become refugees due to armed conflicts and instability in the world. Among the countries of global exodus, including those under the age of 18, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan continue to be among the leading countries.

The issue of protecting human rights by the state on the basis of international law remains one of the most acute problems in modern international relations in general and on the African continent in particular. E. Alisievich (RUDN University) considered the issue of observance of the rights of Africans by transnational corporations. Environmental pollution, lack of social guarantees, repression of trade union activists and human rights defenders, the use of child labor, and the deterioration of people's health are sad consequences of the activities of TNCs on the African continent. Human rights problems in the context of commercial structures on the continent and in different countries are generally caused by weak public administration and the judicial system, the legacy of colonialism, ethnic tensions and poverty, and the widespread use of informal employment. Legal issues

aspects of environmental protection during the war period were discussed in the report of Serikpa Attebi Rene (RUDN University). In times of conflict, negative impacts on the environment are inevitable, and wars have always caused significant damage to nature, especially when it comes to the pristine nature of Africa.

The topic of energy development and the role of the African continent in this process attracted the attention of the speakers of the section "Resources and Economic Potential of Africa" (headed by V. Sidorov and A. Khamatshin, IAfr). Attention to global energy markets and their prospects for further development is huge, especially in light of the events of 2015. African and Middle Eastern countries are significantly limited in the use of a number of energy sources due to natural, technological and political reasons. But, according to the speaker, in the coming years, Africa and the Middle East may begin to influence not only the supply of energy carriers, but also the demand for certain types of raw materials. The report was devoted to the energy policy of the North African countries by A. Noskov (IAfr.). O. Konstantinova (IAfr.) discussed the possibilities of Africa in creating alternative energy from renewable sources (solar, wind and water). They are the ones who can come to the aid of humanity in the future. For example, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia account for 85% of the installed wind potential in Africa and the Middle East. The Congo River has a high hydroelectric potential (40 thousand km2). MW), which allows to meet a significant part of the continent's electricity needs. Currently, two hydroelectric power plants have been built on the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

To. Tuktamysheva (Kazan Federal University) analyzed the main energy strategies of South Africa. South Africa's energy sector is based on fossil fuels, and about 77% of South Africa's energy needs are met through the use of coal. But the country's government also seeks to develop modern innovative technologies, such as nuclear power, biomaterials, and renewable energy resources (hydro, solar, and wind).

The topic of the speech was Sh. Makhmudova (Tyumen State University) presented an analysis of the investment attractiveness of South Africa. The speaker noted that South Africa plays a key role in economic processes on the African continent, producing 18% of the GDP of the South African region. South Africa produces 45% of Africa's mineral resources, 50% of its purchasing power is concentrated, and unlike its neighbors, the country has a diversified economic structure. V. Sidorov (IAfr), having analyzed the economic relations between the Russian Federation and South Africa, concluded that South African companies have a successful experience in working in Russia. The largest of them are Naspers (information technology), Mondi (pulp and paper industry) and Barlowworld (dealer of special equipment).

The section "Social and Cultural studies" (headed by E. S. Lvova, ISAA MSU, I. G. Tatarovskaya, IAfr.) was attended by 20 young scientists. Features of the demographic development of African countries were studied in a number of reports. Thus, M. Agafoshin (MPSU) noted significant changes in the demographic and confessional structure of the African population. Demographic data indicate a trend towards increasing the share of the Muslim community in the region in the coming decades, despite the high birth rates of African Christians. The population here is the youngest in the world - 18 years old. But for Christians and Muslims, this indicator is different. Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa are the youngest religious group in the world at 17 years of age, while Christians have a median age of 19. The analysis of the confessional structure of the Ethiopian population, given in the report of I. Zakharov (MPSU), confirms the conclusions of his colleague: the total birth rate of Christians is lower than that of Muslim women. Currently, the confessional structure of the population of this country is dominated by Christianity - 63.1%, which dominates in the western regions of the country. Islam ranks second in terms of the number of adherents - almost 34% of the population.

The problem of Afrikaner migration from South Africa after 1994 is covered by A. Balikhina (MSU ISAA). According to official figures, 60,000 people left the country between 1996 and 2001. The main reasons for emigration are security problems in South Africa. Farmers, successful entrepreneurs, and engineers from South Africa are very much in demand in Australia and New Zealand, where significant communities have already formed.

African art and cultural aspects of socio-political processes - the topic of the reports of R. Latypova (KFU) "Musical art of the Republic of South Africa" and I. Tatarovskaya (IAfr) " Ontology of the supernatural in African mythology-

N. Khokholkova (Yar.GU) presented the report "Afrocentrism: an alternative cultural code of Africa". The cultural code of Africa, developed by M. K. Asante, an African-American specialist in mass communications, is based on the principle of unity of the peoples of the continent and the diaspora. According to the Afrocentrism theorist, the existing differences between Africans are less significant than what they have in common. By general, he means somatic characteristics, as well as the way of perception of the world, spiritual culture, moral values, and social experience.

N. Voronina (IAfr) considered the role and place of new Christian churches in the modern society of African countries. The situation of religions in modern Africa is characterized by the growth of non-traditional churches, various branches of Protestantism and Catholicism. These new churches are ready to adapt to modern socio-economic conditions, as well as to local ethnic and historical features, while maintaining a certain unity in their originality.

A. Luchinina (KFU) in the message "African collection of the Ethnographic Museum of Kazan Federal University" told about one of the oldest museums of the humanities profile. The African collection, which appeared in the museum at the beginning of the 20th century, includes hunting tools of ancient Africans, edged weapons, wooden and clay dishes, ancient musical instruments and ritual African masks.

Several reports of the section were devoted to gender aspects. The history of the women's movement in Nigeria is the subject of N. Zakharova's report( Yar. GU). The Abeokuta Women's Union, founded by Funmilayo Ransom-Kuti, became one of the strongest women's organizations in the 20th century on the African continent. The peak of the organization's activity occurred during the Second World War and the first post-war years. The Abeokuta Union stood up for women's rights, defended a fair tax policy, and formed an anti-colonial opposition in Abeokuta. The report of A. Pisarev (MSU ISAA) analyzes the phenomenon of women's settlements in Kenya on the example of Umoja. Umoja (Swahili for "unity"), founded in 1990, is located in the north of the country, about 380 kilometers from the capital, Nairobi, on the banks of the Ewaso Ngiro River. At the best of times, Umoja served as a shelter for 200 people, 60 of them women, the rest-children. The speaker concluded that the problems of women's rights are rooted in the traditional way of life of the Samburu and other ethnic groups in Kenya.

A number of reports of this section were based on the results of field ethnographic expeditions, in which young researchers participated. Thus, O. Ivanchenko (IAfr), based on the results of an expedition to Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) in September 2015, described the practices of mutual assistance among the poorest communities in the modern African metropolis.

The section "Research in African Linguistics and Philology" (headed by N. V. Gromova, MSU ISAA and A. R. Fattakhova, KFU) brought together young scientists from Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan Universities. Future Swahili language specialists presented several reports: A. Kosmylin (KFU) studied complex words (composites) A. Lazarev (St. Petersburg State University) drew the audience's attention to the categories of type, time and mood in Swahili from the point of view of analyzing their components and translating them into Russian. K. Mandrygina (KFU) reviewed the specifics of proverbs and sayings in Swahili, and M. Melnikova (KFU) noted the peculiarities of translating Swahili-language newspaper headlines into Russian.

V. Kim (ISAA MSU) turned to the topic of enriching the Amharic vocabulary through borrowing, and D. Savelyeva (St. Petersburg.GU) conducted a thematic analysis of contemporary poetry in Ethiopia, reviewing some of the works of poets Melaku Getachew, Sebsybe Bade, Solomon Mogese, Agenyehu Adane Dylnesahu, written in 1990-2010.

The report by A. Lyakhovich (St. Petersburg State University) is devoted to the peculiarities of the artistic language of the book "No matter how long the Night lasts" by the Nigerian writer Mahmud Barau Bambale, written in the mid-1980s in Hausa. christian tradition, elements of archaic beliefs, and modern concepts.

The results of the conference were summed up by N. A. Zherlitsyna, Scientific Secretary of the Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and N. V. Gromova, Head of the Department of African Studies at ISAA MSU. They noted the high level of reports, the great interest shown by the conference participants in the scientific discussion, the enthusiasm and creative approach of scientific youth to the study of Africa. The XV School of Young Africanists in Russia is scheduled for November 2016.

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