AfriCHI’16 seeks to engage with Africa’s diverse languages, expressions, forms and genres, and enable submission by people who have had few opportunities to participate in international conferences. Some tracks encourage contributions that promote the use of communication forms other than writing, and languages other than English e.g. Local Language workshops and the Gumzo track. For written contributions to be archived in the printed conference proceedings however, they must contain some English content. Nonetheless, as we explain below, we want the contributions to communicate in whatever dialect works best for authors. As part of the conference, we invite you to mentor or be mentored by other conference participants. The remainder of this section documents various ways you can collaborate in written or other creative contributions, either to gain assistance in writing or to bring your ideas to a wider audience at AfriCHI’16.
Localised English Language Policy
Some tracks encourage contributions that promote using languages other than English e.g. Local Language workshops and the Gumzo track. However, for your written contribution to be archived as part of the printed conference proceedings, we also require written Extended Abstracts that include sufficient English for them to be accessible to international readers. Extended Abstracts, like Papers and Notes, should be well-written and may contain content that is not in English but where possible this content should be translated or summarized in English. We do not restrict English language use to UK or American English, rather, we encourage authors to use language that feels comfortable and meaningful to them.
Authors may include colloquial language, puns and local language terms, idioms or phrasing provided their meaning is explained in English. Authors should include a preface in English to explain their use of language and clarify the meaning of non-English terms within the main text or in additional footnotes. For example, the first use of “sharp” in a South African paper might include a parenthetical remark or footnote defining “sharp” as “ok, goodbye”; and the first use of “sawa” in a Kenyan paper might include a parenthetical remark or footnote defining “sawa” as “okay”. Please read our requirements and expectations for written submissions to specific tracks. If you have queries or need clarification about language, please contact the Language chairs: language at africhi dot net.
Assistance in Writing Print-based Submissions
We warmly invite less experienced authors to benefit from the assistance of mentors in preparing papers, notes and other written submissions. Assistance includes guidance on the content and/or format of their submission and/or help to address comments in reviews and prepare the camera-ready final paper or note. Mentors will not be anonymous and will not be involved in assessing that paper/note for acceptance to AfriCHI, e.g. in formally reviewing the submission.
If you are interested in mentoring or being mentored on your paper/note, or have questions about mentoring, please contact the Mentoring Chairs at by 10th January 2016.
Please bear in mind the earlier we can assign a mentor the more support we can offer. If you are interested in mentoring for other tracks, please contact the Mentoring Chairs at least a month before the deadline.
Collaboration on New dialogues for HCI
Are you an artist, oral performer or a documentary-maker with something to say about technology in Africa? Please consider contributing to our Gumzo track, which includes diverse multimedia and oral creations, from traditional to contemporary voice and/or body performances.
This track encourages collaborations and dialogue between scholars and creators of different sorts, to bring their ideas to the attention of people working in HCI/Interaction design. Thus, we warmly invite you to contact us (email ) if you would like to set up performances or screenings of your work at AfriCHI’16 and/or collaborate to write an extended abstract or paper in English to accompany your multimedia submission. Remember to contact us early – it will take time to set up a good collaboration.
If you have questions about collaboration on a submission to the oral or multimedia please contact the Gumzo Chair: .