About Us

OUR MISSION

The purpose of the Congolese Studies Association (L’Association des Études Congolaises, or CSA-AEC), an independent professional society established in the United States, is to promote research, international cooperation, exchange of ideas, and meaningful dialogue on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

We offer deepened analysis on the Congo, and seek to offer an informed and nuanced narrative that replaces the often distorted presentations of the Congo. We also support expansion of teaching on Congo in American universities, as part of broader support for the field of African Studies.

L’objectif du Congolese Studies Association–L’Association des Etudes Congolaises, une organisation scientifique indépendante incorporée aux Etats-Unis, est de promouvoir la recherche, la coopération internationale, l’échange des idées, et le dialogue approfondi sur la République Démocratique du Congo.

OUR HISTORY

The Congolese Studies Association was founded in 2005 as an affiliate organization of the African Studies Association (ASA), by members of the ASA. CSA brings together scholars and a wide spectrum of practitioners in development and other sectors who have an interest in deepening scholarship on the Congo and being a voice for informed analysis on the Congo.

Many of us met at the ASA annual meetings and sought to elevate the crisis in Congo to a broader community, and provide a space to share the work of Congolese scholars and scholars of other nationalities engaged in scholarship on the Congo. We organize panels and roundtables on a wide range of issues related to Congo at the annual ASA meeting, and we host a business meeting to organize specific initiatives as the Congolese Studies Association. We have also hosted virtual presentations, which enable us to welcome panelists and an audience from all over the world.

We support each other in our work, seek to find areas of collaboration, counter uninformed narratives on the Congo, and aim to mentor the next generation of Congo scholars and advocates.

We work in close partnership with other professional organizations such as the Central Africa Studies Association, and the Congo Research Network.
We recognize those who have served in leadership of the Congolese Studies Association in the past:

Past Presidents:
Dr. Kasongo Kapanga – 2019-2023
Rev. Kasereka Kasomo, PhD – 2016-2018
Dr. Kasongo Kapanga – 2013-2015
Dr. John Nimis – 2010-2012

OUR TEAM

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Muadi Mukenge, M.A

President

Muadi Mukenge holds an M.A. in African Studies from UCLA, with a political science concentration, and brings particular expertise on the Great Lakes Region, the Horn of Africa, gender studies, international aid and development, and political economy.

She is the author of articles and book chapters on Africa and gender, and brings over 25 years of experience leading program portfolios and fundraising in international development and philanthropic organizations.

Muadi is a past Board Member of the African Studies Association, has presented in numerous conferences, and heads Coins of Hope International Missions, a rural development initiative in the Congo.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/muadi-mukenge-m-a-9656772a/

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Roger B. Alfani, PhD

Vice-President

Dr. Roger B. Alfani is a Congolese scholar currently working as a Core Fellow at Seton Hall University in New Jersey.

He completed his Ph.D. in religious studies and peacebuilding at the University of Montreal, Canada, where he previously studied theology and biblical studies for his M.A. He also holds an Executive M.S. degree in International Affairs with specialization in Foreign Policy Analysis from Seton Hall. His current research projects explore the relation between religion and refugees, and the nexus between religion and foreign policy.

Dr. Alfani is the author of Religious Peacebuilding in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Peter Lang, 2019).

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Aimé Césaire Atchom, M.A

Director

Aimé Césaire Atchom is a doctoral candidate at George Mason University’s Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter School of Peace and Conflict Resolution.

He has worked for various international NGOs and currently holds a position as Program Associate at the National Center for State Courts’ International Program Division in which he works to strengthen justice systems, especially in the Middle East and North Africa. Atchom earned an associate degree in law, then, a bachelor’s degree in political science. He also holds a master’s degree in international studies from the University of San Francisco.

Aimé taught a Global Conflict Analysis and Resolution course at George Mason University, in which he deployed a range of learning and assessment activities to address intersecting issues of conflict, globalization, and conflict resolution. Both his academic and work experiences have included a focus on Central Africa.

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Stella Wankamba, M.S.

Secretary/Treasurer

Stella Wankamba, M.S. is an accomplished Education Coordinator with expertise in lesson planning and educational programming. She brings competencies in Training Development •Curriculum Development •Behavior Analysis • Communication • •Strategic Planning• Differentiation Instruction (and) • Program Evaluation. Stella also brings analytical and leadership skills and experience leading complex operations and teams. Stella holds a Master of Science degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Capella University. Currently, she is the PRESIDENT of the BOARD OF DIRECTORS of Bilenge Bwanya Ya Congo, a non-profit based in Kinshasa, DRC with the mission to transform and revitalize schools in poor communities. In this role, Stella successfully created, implemented, and adapted a community centered development curriculum in seven poor neighborhood schools.