The Mega-Chad network

 

Mega-Chad is an international network concerned with multidisciplinary research on the history and evolution of societies in the Lake Chad basin.

Following a first multidisciplinary meeting held in Paris in 1984, the network has grown progressively to its present total of about 400 members in some twenty countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Japan, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Russia, Switzerland, USA and others.

The network name "Mega-Chad" evokes the maximal extension of Lake Chad several millennia ago and refers to a vast area extending over much of Niger, Chad, northern Nigeria and northern Cameroon and the CAR within which are many shared cultural traditions, influences and patterns of exchange

 

The Mega-Chad network aims to promote interdisciplinary research on past and present societies of the Lake Chad basin. It organized 18 colloquia, so far, and published their results. C. Baroin took part in most of them and co-edited five of the corresponding books. See:

 

https://www.cepam.cnrs.fr/megatchad/ouvrages.html

 

 Suggested readings:

 

BAROIN, Catherine. 2020. "Morale et violence dans les sociétés du désert", in E. CHAUVIN, O. LANGLOIS, C. SEIGNOBOS, C. BAROIN (dir.), Conflits et violences dans le bassin du lac Tchad, Actes du 17ème colloque Méga-Tchad, Marseille : IRD Editions, pp. 309-324.

https://books.openedition.org/irdeditions/38387

 

BAROIN, Catherine & BOUTRAIS, Jean (éds.). 1999. L'homme et l'animal dans le bassin du lac Tchad, Paris : IRD (ex-ORSTOM), 705 p.

https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/pleins_textes_7/divers2/010020133.pdf

 

BAROIN, C. 1999 . "L'âne, ce mal aimé", in BAROIN, C. et BOUTRAIS, J. (éds), L'homme et l'animal dans le bassin du lac Tchad, Paris : IRD (ex-ORSTOM), pp. 277-298.

 

BAROIN, C. 2009 . "Migrations et emprunts musicaux : les luths et leurs instrumentistes dans le bassin du lac Tchad", in TOURNEUX Henry et WOIN Noé (eds.), Migrations et mobilité spatiale dans le bassin du lac Tchad, Actes du XIIIe colloque international du réseau Méga-Tchad, Maroua, 31 octobre- 3 novembre 2005, Paris : IRD, CD rom, pp. 569-586.