Paper short abstract:

Through a qualitative research approach by engaging semi-structured in-depth interviews, this study investigates how the formal (economic and political) and informal (cultural) institutions in rural contexts within which women are embedded, influence their entrepreneurial participation in Western Kenya.

Paper long abstract:

This research investigates how formal and informal institutional factors influence rural female entrepreneurs in Western Kenya. Research affirms that entrepreneurship is institutionally embedded. These institutions are formal and informal, and they define the "rules of the game" that sets boundaries for entrepreneurship. Precisely, the formal institutions are political and economic-related rules and regulations which controls the access to opportunity fields for entrepreneurship. While informal institutions contain uncodified societal norms and attitudes that determine the collective and individual perception of entrepreneurship. Despite this, previous studies on women's entrepreneurship have adopted an individualist approach. These have largely focused on the influence of women's psychological and individual-related factors on their own entrepreneurial activity but underestimate the influence of the underlying institutional factors.

Few studies have investigated the impact of formal and informal institutions on women's entrepreneurship, but the majority of those that do are conducted in western contexts. Yet, these studies do not present the institutional context-specific peculiarities operative in non-western contexts. As such, there is paucity of research from non-western contexts particularly developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa. It is on this account that this study seek to investigate how formal and informal institutions influence rural female entrepreneurs in Vihiga County, Western Kenya. Previous studies in Kenya have concentrated on urban settings leaving the rural settings under-researched. This is despite the fact that women constitute 50.3% of Kenya's national population and 73.94% of women reside in the rural peripheries where they continue to shoulder the burden of the country's poverty.

Paper short abstract:

This communication aims to analyze the specificity of slavery in Angola in the territories under the administration of Queen Ginga. The documentary set consists of the Moumenta Missionária Africana - MMA and other administrative and ecclesiastical sources.

Paper long abstract:

Based on a research on the social and political "representation" of Queen Ginga and her fight against Portuguese domination in the Ndongo and Matamba region, the specificity of slavery in Angola in the territories under her administration is discussed. The aim of this work is to investigate how her foreign policy led to the organization of the African spaces, i.e., to the social and economic structuring of the places under her management. For this, a brief report on her life trajectory, origin and actions in European and African contexts is made, using administrative and ecclesiastical documents, such as the Monumenta Missionaria Africana, by Father Antonio Brásio.

Paper short abstract:

Through the analysis of the example of Brigida de Gouveia, a prominent resident of Ribeira Grande, we will discuss the activities and social position of female ship-owners in 16th century Cape Verde.

Paper long abstract:

Women tend to be forgotten when analyzing the local elites of the Atlantic Archipelagoes. However, when walking around Cidade Velha, in Cape Verde, one can't help but be to be amazed by the number of women buried in the churches of Nossa Senhora do Rosário and Nossa Senhora da Conceição, prominent members of the Cape Verdean elite, who commissioned their own graves. Most of these women where ship-owners, dedicating themselves to slave trade. By identifying these women, we aim to reconstruct their activities and kinship networks, thus understanding their contribution to the economy of 16th century Ribeira Grande and to the Atlantic trade.

In this poster we will present part of a research that we have been conducting with Instituto de Património Cultural (Cape Verde) within project CONCHA, a multidisciplinary project that addresses the different way that port cities developed around the Atlantic.

Paper short abstract:

The Núcleo de Estudos Africanos e Lusófonos was born from the will of students of the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of the NOVA University of Lisbon, to promote activities related to Africa and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

Paper long abstract:

The Núcleo de Estudos Africanos e Lusófonos was born in the will of students of the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of the NOVA University of Lisbon, to promote activities related to Africa and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

The Núcleo integrates students from several courses of the NOVA FCSH universe, promoting synergies and a wide cooperation with other groups of a similar nature and several associations of students of the CPLP.