Examining narratives from now-adults who attended a small English Medium of Instruction school in West Africa during the 2000s, this study investigates the connections forged between language, hopes, dreams, and the manifold opportunities and challenges that unfolded as a result of their EMI education. Guided by the principles of Ubuntu, a…

Higher education institutions in Cameroon have undergone a major transformation (since the 1993 reforms) with a major objective to improve on the quality of graduates. However, concerns about leaders who are central to the implementation of these reforms have not been taken seriously. We live in a,multicultural context, especially in Cameroon with…

Universities have long been considered to possess the capacity that can foster local community development in a developing context such as in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, it is not clear what disposition the university should adopt, given the complexity surrounding its mission in a changing landscape. Drawing on the meaning of community development…

Studies conducted in Western countries document the special role of mother--infant face-to-face exchanges for early emotional development including social smiling. A few cross-cultural studies have shown that the Western pattern of face-to-face communication is absent in traditional rural cultures, without identifying other processes that promote…

This study has attempted to revisit gender issues presented in the New Literatures of Africa in English to investigate whether there is, indeed, an alternative vision of these issues. In spite of the great contributions of female writers in this literature, it has continued to be a male-dominated terrain. It is from this perspective that we…

In examining how English as a second language (ESL) learners process English formulaic expressions in a nonnative English context, this study aims to investigate the strategies that learners use and how first language (L1) culture and conceptual knowledge could influence the use of the strategies. This study is guided by the research question of…

In order to address the many challenges the world faces, new solutions are needed. This article explores how the Bishop of Buea, Cameroon created a University inspired by the Focolare movement's interdisciplinary paradigm and economic vision known as the Economy of Communion (EoC). In addition, the article presents some of the main cultural…

This study presents findings from a case study of 18 second- and 1.5-generation West African immigrants. We draw upon notions of elusive culture and indigenous knowledges to highlight participants' complex cultural identities and respond to anti-immigration discourses through positioning West African immigrant students as assets in American…

This article focuses on agency, as a natural disposition in children to be active and participative. Africa's parenting attitudes and education in African family traditions encourage and foster children's responsible agency in family life, cultural and economic activities, and their own developmental learning from an early, especially within the…

The improvement in women's status in Cameroon between 1960 and 1985 is examined. Progress and obstacles to progress in the following areas are highlighted: (1) opportunities outside of the home; (2) social status; (3) political role; (4) access to education; (5) marital rights and restrictions; and (6) religious role. (PS)

A federally-funded project had as its goal the development of six videotaped instructional modules and a teacher's guide to be used in college French classes, especially in black colleges and universities. The core material consisted of television programs from French-speaking Gabon, Cameroon, and the Ivory Coast. Initially, 45 Howard University…

This teacher resource packet, which includes 20 color slides with a descriptive script and comprehensive lesson guide, aims at engaging students in a study of the people, art, and culture of several West African nations, including the countries of Cameroon, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, and Nigeria. The packet, designed for use by general classroom…

The teacher's guide to a series of seven videotape recordings based on television programs of three African countries, Gabon, Cameroon, and the Ivory Coast, is for use in intermediate to advanced college level French courses. Its objectives are to: improve students' vocabulary, listening comprehension, and speaking skills; acquaint students with…

The eight articles in this collection focus on the Fulbe culture in West Africa, its intragroup relationships as well as its relations with other ethnic groups. Each article relates the concept of ethnicity to social and political differentiation among tribes. Following an introduction by Emily Schultz, John Lewis presents the findings of three…