(Posted November 12, 2007)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Buba Misawa, associate professor of political science at Washington and Jefferson College, will give a talk at Juniata College on the use of child solders in Africa as part of a follow-up to the college\'s summer reading program at 3 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 14 in Neff Lecture Hall in the von Liebig Center for Science. A film and discussion will precede the lecture on Monday, Nov. 12. The film \"Blood Diamond,\" starring Leonardo DiCaprio, will be shown at 7 p.m. in Neff Lecture Hall. After the movie, Kathy Jones, assistant professor of education and a former Peace Corps volunteer in Africa, will lead a discussion. Both events are free and open to the public. The lecture is sponsored by the politics department. Misawa\'s lecture follows up on Juniata\'s 2007 summer reading project. The college\'s 2007 incoming freshman class was assigned \"A Long Way Gone,\" by Ishmael Beah. The book is a memoir of Beah\'s experience as a child soldier in Sierra Leone. Juniata faculty and members of the community were also encouraged to read the book. Misawa, born in Nigeria, has worked at Washington and Jefferson College since 1995. His research centers on Nigerian politics and foreign policy, as well as U.S. foreign policy towards Africa. He has published numerous articles on those subjects and is currently editing a book, \"Democracy, Development and Security in West Africa.\" He earned a bachelor\'s degree in political science from Bayero University in Kano, Nigeria in 1981. He went on to earn a master\'s degree and a doctorate in political science from the University of Pittsburgh. Misawa worked as a visiting assistant professor at Pitt from 1992 to 1994. He also has taught at St. Mary\'s University in Banjul, Gambia and the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.