André Chappatte Public Talk: "Migratory Adventure and Religious Experiences in a Provincial Malian Town"

André Chappatte is an assistant professor of anthropology at the Global Studies Institute, University of Geneva. He has conducted more than four years of fieldwork between southern Mali, Ivory Coast, and eastern Guinea. His multiple lines of research (e.g. Muslim life; ethics; nightlife; Chinese products) take as their starting point the moral becoming of human experience in West African societies. His analysis is influenced by social thought, human geography, and phenomenological writing. Chappatte’s book, “In Search of Tunga” focuses on young male migrants of rural origin who move to build better lives in Bougouni, a provincial town in southwest Mali. Describing themselves as “simply Muslims” and “adventurers,” these migrants aim to be both prosperous and good Muslims. Drawing upon eighteen months of fieldwork, author André Chappatte explores their sense of prosperity and piety in what they call “tunga” (adventure), a customary search for money and more dating from the colonial period. Join us for Chappatte’s presentation on his published work and findings.