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ArgumentAlthough it has long been existing on the other side of the Atlantic, where it found institutionalisation in the wake of post WWII black social movements in the US, the field of Black Studies is only emerging in Europe. Its development is uneven, however. Some European countries show a longer history and a more prolific scholarship than others in the study of people categorized as &#8220;Black&#8221;. Different approaches are being used, and different traditions are being formed. The relationships between scholarship, activism and the wider political landscape are more or less close, more or less explicit, more or less influential to each other, depending on the context. Although they all refer to the large, unavoidable, body of literature that has been produced on race and the black experience in the US, scholars in European Black Studies diversely engage with the concepts and theories that have been created in the American context and that mainly arise from a &#8220;middle-passage epistemology&#8221;, as Michelle Wright pointed out. The applicability of these concepts and theories in the European context, which show various histories of and relationships to blackness, is variously being questioned. Moreover, some scholars, although they address issues related to people categorized and/or identifying as &#8220;Black&#8221;, might not label their work &#8220;Black Studies&#8221;. The very subject of Black Studies, i.e. the &#8220;Black&#8221; subject, can also be understood in various ways. The question &#8220;who is Black?&#8221; has received diverse responses in the UK, France, Germany, or Belgium, for example, and definitions of blackness are far from being stabilized. However, efforts have been made during the last decade to put together research conducted in several European countries, i.e. to develop Black Studies at the European level, as several conferences and resulting publications such as AfroEuropa (e-journal launched in 2007), Black Europe and the African Diaspora (2009) or Africa in Europe (2013) testify.This international conference aims at interrogating that emerging field of Black Studies in Europe and exploring its state of the art, by putting into dialogue scholarship and research developed in various European countries. It will follow four lines of discussion: (1) How did &#8220;Black Studies&#8221; emerge in specific European domestic or regional contexts? Which concepts and theories are being used and/or developed? Where do they take inspiration from? How are transnational academic networks being developed? How are research agendas being framed? How do they relate to other relevant fields of study such as African Diaspora Studies, African Studies, Postcolonial studies, and Migration Studies? (2) Who is considered &#8220;Black&#8221; in European Black Studies? Is the very notion of Black Studies relevant across Europe, given the various definitions and lived experiences of &#8220;black&#8221; populations in Europe? Does &#8220;Black&#8221; equal, or goes beyond, &#8220;Afro-&#8220; categories (&#8220;Afro-Dutch&#8221;, &#8220;Afro-British&#8221;, &#8220;African diaspora&#8221;, etc.)? (3) To what extent do research agendas interact with social movements and/or other forms of activism related to race, on the one hand, and with the political environment, on the other hand? How does academia articulate with activism and with political developments on migratory, postmigratory and postcolonial issues? (4) To what extent do research agendas converge at the European level? Can we define a common conceptual framework for the study of blackness and race relations across Europe? Moreover, what is to be considered Europe in European Black Studies, given the tension between political, geographical, and symbolic definitions of the continent?Keynote speakersMichelle Wright (Emory University, USA)Paul Gilroy (King's College, London)Kwame Nimako (BESS, the Netherlands)Mireille Fanon-Mend&#232;s-France (Fondation Frantz Fanon, France)Roundtable participantsJacqueline Andall (University of Tokyo, Japan). Geographical focus: Italy.V&#233;ronique Clette-Gakuba (ULB), Sarah Demart (KULeuven), Nicole Gr&#233;goire (ULB), and Sibo Kanobana (UGent). Geographical focus:&#160; Belgium.Iolanda Evora (University of Lisboa, Portugal). Geographical focus: Portugal.Sarah Fila-Bakabadio (University of Cergy-Pontoise, France). Geographical focus: France.Marta Sof&#237;a L&#243;pez Rodr&#237;guez (University of L&#233;on, Spain) and Antumi Toasij&#233; (Pan-African Studies Centre in Parla, Spain). Geographical focus: Spain.Michael McEachrane (Raoul Wallenberg Institute for Human Rights, Sweden). Geographical focus: Sweden and Northern Europe.Kwame Nimako (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands). Geographical focus: the Netherlands.Peggy Piesche (University of Bayreuth, Germany). Geographical focus: Germany.Stephen Small (University of California Berkeley, USA). Geographical focus: UK.The roundtable participants will talk during approximately 90 minutes, which will be followed by 30 to 45 minutes of extensive discussion including the audience.The conference working language will be English.Additional activities include a decolonial visit of Brussels organized with the Collective Colonial Memory and Fight Against Discrimination and a book launch for Prof. Stephen Small's new book "20 Questions &#38; Answers on Black Europe".RegistrationThe number of participants is limited&#160;; therefore, we invite you to register for the conference as soon as possible. To do so, please contact Genevi&#232;ve Corbisier at lamc@ulb.ac.be.Further informations on&#160;https://lamc.ulb.ac.be/spip.php?article1438&#38;lang=enOrganizing committeeNicole Gr&#233;goire (FNRS, ULB, Belgium),Jacinthe Mazzocchetti (UCL, Belgium),Karel Arnaut (KUL, Belgium),Bambi Ceuppens (MRAC, Belgium),V&#233;ronique Clette-Gakuba&#160;(ULB, Belgium),Sarah Fila-Bakabadio (Universit&#233; de CergyPontoise, France),Pierre Petit (FNRS, ULB, Belgium),Sarah Demart (ULg, KUL, Belgium)Michelle Wright (Northwestern University, USA,)VenuesULB Solbosch Campus (Nov. 16) and VUB Plein Campus (Nov. 17)ProgrammeJeudi 16 Novembre 2017Salle Dupr&#233;el&#8211; Campus du Solbosch8h00 &#8211; 8h45&#160;Accueil &#38; Caf&#233;8h45-9h00&#160;Introduction: Nicole Gr&#233;goire (ULB) &#38; Jacinthe Mazzocchetti (UCLouvain)9h00 - 9h40&#160;Discours inaugural : Pr. Michelle Wright, Emory University, USATh&#233;oriser les identit&#233;s noires europ&#233;ennes au 21&#232;me si&#232;cle9h40 - 10h00&#160;Discussion inaugurale : Pr. Paul Gilroy, King&#8217;s College, Londres, Royaume-Uni,R&#233;ponse &#224; M. Wright10h00 - 10h30&#160;Questions-R&#233;ponses10h30 -11h00&#160;Pause-caf&#233;11h00 - 13h15&#160;Table-ronde 1. L&#8217;&#233;mergence des &#233;tudes noires en contexte europ&#233;en13h15 - 14h00&#160;Pause-d&#233;jeuner14h00 - 16h15&#160;Table-ronde 2. La &#171; Blackness &#187; - le fait d&#8217;&#234;tre noir - dans les &#233;tudes noires europ&#233;ennesVendredi 17 Novembre 2017Salle Q.D. &#8211; Campus de la Plaine (VUB)8h30 &#8211; 9h00&#160;Accueil &#38; Caf&#233;9h00 - 9h40&#160;Discours inaugural : Dr. Kwame Nimako, Directeur de l&#8217;&#233;cole d&#8217;&#233;t&#233; &#171; Black Europe Summer School &#187;, Amsterdam, Pays-Bays, Pouvoir, (mal-)repr&#233;sentation et &#233;tudes noires europ&#233;ennes9h40 - 10h00&#160;Discussion inaugurale : Mireille Fanon-Mend&#232;s-France, Pr&#233;sidente de la Fondation Frantz Fanon, Paris, FranceR&#233;ponse &#224; K. Nimako10h00 - 10h30&#160;Questions-R&#233;ponses10h30 -11h00&#160;Pause-caf&#233;11h00 - 13h15&#160;Table-ronde 3. Etudes noires, activisme noir et politique13h15 - 14h00&#160;Pause-d&#233;jeuner14h00 - 16h15&#160;Table-ronde 4. Vers un cadre conceptuel commun ?16h15 - 16h45&#160;Pause-caf&#233;16h45 &#8211; 17h30&#160;Conclusions : Pr. Jean Muteba Rahier (Florida International University, USA). L&#8217;effective transnationalisation des &#233;tudes noires et des &#233;tudes diasporiques africainesIntervenants aux tables-rondesJacqueline Andall (University of Tokyo, Japon). Focus g&#233;ographique : Italie.V&#233;ronique Clette-Gakuba (ULB), Sarah Demart (KULeuven), Nicole Gr&#233;goire (ULB) et Sibo Kanobana (UGent). Focus g&#233;ographique : Belgique.Iolanda Evora (University of Lisboa, Portugal). Focus g&#233;ographique : Portugal.Sarah Fila-Bakabadio (University of Cergy-Pontoise, France). Focus g&#233;ographique : France.Marta Sof&#237;a L&#243;pez Rodr&#237;guez (University of L&#233;on, Espagne) et Antumi Toasij&#233; (Pan-African Studies Centre in Parla, Spain). Focus g&#233;ographique : Espagne.Michael McEachrane (Raoul Wallenberg Institute for Human Rights, Sweden). Focus g&#233;ographique : Su&#232;de and Europe du Nord.Kwame Nimako (University of Amsterdam, Pays-Bas). Focus g&#233;ographique : Pays-Bas. Peggy Piesche (University of Bayreuth, Allemagne). Focus g&#233;ographique : Allemagne.Stephen Small (University of California-Berkeley, USA). Focus g&#233;ographique : Royaume-Uni.Les intervenants s&#8217;exprimeront pendant environ 90 minutes durant chaque session. Celles-ci seront suivies d&#8217;une discussion approfondie de 30 &#224; 45 minutes, incluant le public.La conf&#233;rence se d&#233;roulera en anglais. Une traduction vers le fran&#231;ais est pr&#233;vue.Activit&#233;s&#160;additionnellesJeudi 16 Novembre 201717h00 &#8211; 19h00&#160;Visite d&#233;coloniale de Bruxelles avec le Collectif M&#233;moire Coloniale et Lutte contre les Discriminations (&#8364;5)Vendredi 17 Novembre 2017A confirmer Bruxelles19h00 &#8211; 20h30&#160;Pr&#233;sentation du livre : 20 Questions &#38; Answers on Black Europe, avec Stephen Small (UC Berkeley)Samedi 18 Novembre 201710h00 &#8211; 12h00&#160;Visite d&#233;coloniale de Bruxelles avec le Collectif M&#233;moire Coloniale et Lutte contre les Discriminations (&#8364;5)Lundi 20 Novembre 2017A confirmer Li&#232;ge17h00 &#8211; 18h30&#160;Pr&#233;sentation du livre : 20 Questions &#38; Answers on Black Europe, avec Stephen Small (UC Berkeley)InscriptionLe nombre de participants &#233;tant limit&#233;, nous vous invitons &#224; vous inscrire d&#232;s &#224; pr&#233;sent. Pour ce faire, veuillez contacter Genevi&#232;ve Corbisier &#224; l&#8217;adresse lamc@ulb.ac.be, en indiquant &#224; laquelle de ces activit&#233;s vous souhaitez participer :Inscription &#224; la conf&#233;rence : &#8364;5Visite d&#233;coloniale de Bruxelles : &#8364;5/visiteLunch (Sandwiches &#8220;Fresh &#38; Natural&#8221;) par Gourmand Gaillard: &#8364;16/jour (sandwiches v&#233;g&#233;tariens, sans gluten, et halal disponibles sur demande)Comit&#233; d&#8217;organisationNicole Gr&#233;goire (ULB, Belgique) Jacinthe Mazzocchetti (UCL, Belgique)Sarah Fila-Bakabadio (Universit&#233; de Cergy-Pontoise, France) Karel Arnaut (KUL, Belgique)V&#233;ronique Clette-Gakuba (ULB, Belgique) Pierre Petit (ULB, Belgique)Comit&#233; scientifiqueKarel Arnaut (KUL, Belgique)Bambi Ceuppens (MRAC, Belgique)V&#233;ronique Clette-Gakuba (ULB, Belgique)Sarah Demart (ULg, KUL, Belgique)Sarah Fila-Bakabadio (Universit&#233; de Cergy-Pontoise, France)Nicole Gr&#233;goire (ULB, Belgique)Idesbald Goddeeris (KUL, Belgique)Jacinthe Mazzocchetti (UCL, Belgique)