Monday-Wednesday 13–15 January 2025

A three-day international workshop on medieval Africa, convened by François-Xavier Fauvelle (Centre de Recherche Français à Jérusalem), Yitzhaq Hen (Israel Institute for Advanced Studies) and Sarah Stroumsa (The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities), was held at The Israel Academy and the Institute for Advanced Studies in Jerusalem on January 13–16, 2025. The discussions were dedicated to recent advances and perspectives relating to medieval African societies and their interconnectedness with other parts of the globe.

With panels on various aspects of African history, the workshop explored human movement (slaves, pilgrims, soldiers, merchants, scholars), major cultural hubs (Sijilmassa, the peri-Saharan region, Mali, Ethiopia, etc.) and changes in the religious landscape (conversions and religious co-habitation), as well as epidemics. The workshop concluded with a panel on the development and future of African studies in Israel.