TWENTY-FIFTH ANNUAL ATWS MEETING, THE

Journal of Third World Studies, Spring 2008

The Twenty-Fifth Silver Anniversary Annual Meeting of the Association of Third World Studies (ATWS), Inc., the largest organization of its kind in the world, was held in Lima, Peru, November 18-20. The conclave featured 130 attendees who participated in 45 panels and round tables which focused on the theme, "Development Strategies: Struggles for Peace, Justice, and Democracy."

The conference was sponsored by ATWS, Georgia Southwestern State University, and Louisiana State University-Shreveport.

The Keynote Banquet Address, "AIDS in Africa: On the Cusp of Hope," was presented by Mark Kline, M.D., President, Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatric AIDS Initiative (BIPAI). Emmanuel I. Udogu, Ph.D., professor of political science at Appalachian State University, gave the presidential address, "The Issue of Political leadership in the Third World: What is to be Done?"

Dr. Mark Kline received the ATWS Humanitarian Award for "His Untiring and Courageous Work in Combatting Pediatric HIV/AIDS in the Third World."

The prestigious ATWS "Presidential Award" for 2007 was presented to Michael Hall, Ph.D., associate professor of history, Armstrong Atlantic State University, "In Recognition of His Outstanding Contributions to the Promotion of Scholarship Devoted to the Third World."

Several awards were presented to recognize individuals who have made significant scholarly contributions to the academic discipline of Third World studies. The winner of the "Lawrence Dunbar Reddick Memorial Scholarship Award," for the best article published on Africa in the year 2006 issues of Journal of Third World Studies (JTWS), was Assefaw Bariagaber, Ph.D.,professor and chair of the Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University .Professor Bariagaber received this honor for his outstanding article, "United Nations Peacekeeping Operations: A Cookie-Cutter Approach?" published in Volume 23, No. 2, Fall 2006 issue of JTWS.

The winners of the "Cecil B. Currey ATWS Book Award," presented to the author(s) of the best book published in the area of Third World studies during 2006-2007, were Farhad Nomani, Ph.D., professor of economics and business administration, The American University of Paris, and Sohrab Behdad, professor and John E. Harris chair in economics, Denison University. Professors Nomani and Behdad received the award for their superlative work, Class and Labor in Iran: Did the Revolution Matter?, published by Syracuse University Press in 2006.

The Toyin Falola ATWS Africa Book Award, given for the best book on Africa published in 2006-2007 was presented to Assefaw Bariagaber for his outstanding work, Conflict and the Refugee Experience: Flight, Exile, and Repatriation in the Horn of Africa, Ashgate Press (UK), 2006.

The "Harold Isaacs Graduate Student Award," given to the author of the top graduate student paper presented at the annual ATWS meeting, was presented to Daniel Ogbaharya, Northern Arizona University, for his excellent paper, "The Impact of Institutional Degradation on Pastoral Livelihoods in the Horn of Africa: The case of the Borana of Ethiopia."

John Mukum Mbaku, Ph.D., who served over two decades (1986-2008) as Associate Editor of the African sections of the Journal of Third World Studies (JTWS), received the "ATWS Award for Outstanding Leadership and Service.." Outgoing President Emmanuel I. Udogu also presented "ATWS Outstanding Service Awards" to John Mbaku, Gary Kline, and William Pederson, Ph.D, professor of political science, Louisiana State University-Shreveport, ATWS , who is Executive Director of ATWS The Fidelis E. Udogu Africa Award for Outstanding Scholarly and Humanitarian Services," was presented to Akwasi B. Assensoh, Ph.D., professor of history at Indiana University-Bloomington.

Entertainment at the "Welcoming Reception" was provided by the Peruvian Folklore Show.

Newly elected ATWS officers are: Gary Kline, President; Peyi Soyinka-Airewele, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, Ithaca College, Vice-President/President-Elect; and Nurudeen Akinyemi, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, Kennesaw State University, Executive Council Post #1.

The Twenty-Sixth annual ATWS meeting will be held at Millersville University (PA), October 26-28, 2008.