Editoriale

Issue 2 (July 31 2002)
Contents:
DIASPORAS, BRAIN DRAIN AND RETURN	by Assouman Yao Honoré

THE SHADOW OF PREJUDICE	by Ogotemmeli

Guide to the new diaspora GOODBYE AFRICA	by Tana Worku Anglana

Animism THE ETHICAL CHALLENGE OF TRADITIONAL AFRICAN RELIGIONS	by Daniele Mezzana
ANIMISM AND ETHICS	by Stephen Moseray

An interview with ambassador Richard Zady THE AFRICAN DIASPORA UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT	by Alfonso Alfonsi and Assouman Yao Honoré

African societies OPPORTUNITIES, RISKS AND PROBLEMS IN THE URBAN SPHERE	by Abdou Maliq Simone

The ASCAD project A NEW ACADEMY IN AFRICA. WHY?	by Daniele Mezzana

Rwanda THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF HATE	by Abram de Swaan

The United Nations and the African diaspora NETWORKING	by Alfonso Alfonsi
ONLINE MEDICINE IN AFRICA	by Monga Kapema Eddy

Column Internet THE STRENGHT OF THE ONLINE BONDS	by Daniele Mezzana

Column LINKING OPPORTUNITIES AND CURRICULA	by Renato D'Arca

"African Societies" is an e-magazine which mainly aims to deal with the theme of what may be called a dual reality of Africa. Africa is presented to the world in two guises. The first guise is of a virtual kind through the international media that offer us a mainly negative, agglutinated and reductive picture of this continent. The second guise, so to speak the real one, refers to a plurality of societies that are mostly little known, misunderstood and somewhat invisible. The magazine wishes to open up a broad, fair and unbiased discussion on the issues stemming from this dual reality. This means not only a critical discussion of the production and maintenance of an image that is damaging to African societies from many standpoints, but also a commitment to researching their "truth". This undertaking cannot but involve observers, researchers and scholars not only from Africa, but also from all over the world, as a demonstration of just how much Africa fits in with the social and cultural dynamics of globalisation.

In view of the above, the e-magazine title itself aims to make explicit reference to African societies, whose invisibility is denounced in the sub-title.

The magazine is addressed to an educated audience of intellectuals, public administrators, officials of international organisations, ambassadors, entrepreneurs and professionals of every continent, but especially African. Obviously, particular attention will be given to the leaderships of civil societies and to the international network of non-governmental organisations.

The e-magazine will be a monthly feature available in three languages: English, French and Italian. The experimental phase will last six months.

The most important characteristic of this initiative is to promote two-way communication, making the most of the web, through forums, discussion groups and e-conferences on a theme. In this way, it will be possible to give visibility to criticisms, proposals and external creativity and also to use the information received as the basis for actual research.

Apart from the image of Africa in the international media, the main themes of the e-magazine will be "social fates studies" in Africa, modernity, the legitimacy or risks of a unitary approach to Africa, the need to represent the social and cultural fabric of African countries and, finally, the weight and historical role of the African Diaspora.