AMUCHMA-NEWSLETTER-22 (continued)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued)
6. Have you read? (#278-#285)
8. Addresses of scholars and institutions mentioned in this newsletter
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5.1 On the History of Mathematics in Africa
#278 Høyrup, Jens : Hero, Ps.-Hero, and Near Eastern
practical geometry. An investigation of Metrica, Geometrica, and
other treatises, Antike Naturwissenschaft und ihre Rezeption,
Trier (Germany), Vol. 7, 1997, 67-93 [a pre-print was published
by Roskilde University Centre - Section for Philosophy and Science
Studies, Roskilde (Denmark) in 1996]
The author intends to "firstly, that Hero's geometry depends
to a greater extent than usually assumed on Near Eastern practical
geometry or its descendant traditions in the classical world,
and that the conventional image [of Hero] as the transformer of
theoretical into applied mathematics is only a half-truth; secondly,
that much of what is shared by Hero's Metrica and the pseudo-Heronian
collections assembled by Heiberg as Geometrica are shared
borrowings from the same tradition... " (p. 67).
5.2 Publications on the History of Mathematics, Ethnomathematics and Mathematics Education
#279 Gerdes, Paulus: Geometry from Africa : Mathematical
and educational explorations, The Mathematical Association
of America [Classroom Resource Materials Series], Washington DC,
1999, xii + 210 pp. [Foreword by Arthur B. Powell] (ISBN 0-88385-715-4)
Presents geometrical ideas from Africa south of the Sahara, with
suggestions how they can be explored both mathematically and in
mathematics education (secondary school, teacher education, university).
The book is organised in the following parts:
Preface (Geometrical and educational explorations inspired by
African cultural activities); Part 1: On geometrical ideas in
Africa south of the Sahara [overview, pp.2-53]; Part 2: From African
designs to discovering the Pythagorean Theorem [pp.54-87]; Part
3: Geometrical ideas in crafts and possibilities for their educational
exploration [Explores ideas from house building, wall decoration,
mat and basket weaving, pp.88-155]; Part 4: The 'sona' sand drawing
tradition and possibilities for its educational use [pp.156-204].
#280 Gerdes, Paulus: On some Geometrical and Architectural
Ideas from African Art and Craft, in: Kim Williams (Ed.),
Nexus II: Architecture and Mathematics, Editora Dell'Erba,
Fucecchio (Italy), 1998, 75-86 (cf. # 272)
Presents some examples of geometrical ideas in traditional African
building, as well as some further suggestions for architectural
shapes inspired by African art and craft.
#281 Houndonougbo, Victor: Processus stochastique du Fâ:
une approche mathématique de la géomancie des côtes
du Bénin, in: Hountondji, Paulin (Ed.), Les savoirs
endogènes: pistes pour une recherche, CODESRIA, Dakar (Senegal),
1994, 139-157
Analyses Fâ divination practices in the coastal zones of
Benin from a mathematical point of view (theory of probability).
#282 Olivier, Alwyn & Karen Newstead (Eds.), Proceedings
of the 22nd Conference of the International Group for the Psychology
of Mathematics Education, Cape Town (South Africa), 1998,
4 volumes.
The proceedings contain the following contributions and abstracts
which may interest the readers of the AMUCHMA-Newsletter :
* Draisma, Jan (Mozambique): On verbal addition and subtraction
in Mozambican Bantu languages, Vol. 2, 272-279;
* Mosimege, Mogege David (South Africa): Culture, games and mathematics
education : An exploration based on string figures, Vol. 3, 279-286;
* Mogari, David (South Africa) : Some geometrical constructs and
pupil's construction of miniature wire toy cars, Vol. 4, 284;
* Soares, Daniel (Mozambique) : On the geometry involved in the
building of traditional houses with rectangular base in Mozambique,
Vol. 4, 307;
* Mucavele, João (Mozambique): The mathakuzana game
as a didactical resource for the development of number sense and
oral arithmetic.
#283 Zaslavsky, Claudia, Africa Counts : Number and Pattern
in African Cultures, Third edition, Lawrence Hill, 1999, 368
pp. [ISBN 1-55652-350-5]
Reprint of Claudia Zaslavsky's classical study, updated with an
additional chapter on ethnomathematics in Africa (cf. #20, 199).
5.3 Other publications on the History of Mathematics by African mathematicians
#284 Djebbar, Ahmed : La jolle histoire de l'algèbre,
in: Science et Vie Junior Special Math, Paris, December
1998 - February 1999, 34-47
#285 Boudine, Jean-Pierre et Djebbar, Ahmed : Omar Khayyam,
le poète des maths, in: Science et Vie Junior Special
Math, Paris, December 1998 - February 1999, 42-43
Special issue of the popular journal "Science and Life -
Junior" on the history of algebra.
5.4 Publications on the History of Mathematics and the African Diaspora
None were reported.
* 5th Pan African Congress of Mathematicians (PACOM'2000)
The 5th Pan African Congress of Mathematicians
(PACOM'2000) will take place at the University of the Western
Cape (UWC), Cape Town, South Africa, from 24 to 31 January 2000.
The general theme of the congress is "Africa in the World
Mathematical Year 2000 : Assessment and promotion of mathematical
education and research at the dawn of the 3rd millennium".
A special effort will be made by the AMU for supporting some deserving
young African mathematicians. Interested mathematicians are requested
to send their CV with the title and abstract of their communication
to the President of the AMU, Prof. A. Kerkour, and a copy to the
secretary-general of AMU, Prof. D. Sangaré.
The General Assembly of the African Mathematical Union (AMU) will
be held at the same place on January 23.
For more information on the programme of PACOM'2000, contact the
Chairman of the Local Organising Committee :
Prof. Jan Persens, Director of International Relations, University
of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535 South Africa
(Tel: +27-21-959-2884/3340; Fax: +27-21-9592655; E-mail: jpersens@uwc.ac.za)
Mogege Mosimege and Paulus Gerdes will coordinate the session
on mathematics and culture / ethnomathematics / history of mathematics
in Africa. If you like to presen a paper in this session, please
contact with the coordinators.
* 10th Pan African Mathematics Olympiad (PAMO)
The 10th Pan African Mathematics Olympiad will
take place at the University of Cape Town (UCT), Cape Town, South
Africa from January 17 to 24, 2000, that is in the week preceding
PACOM'2000. For more information, contact the Chairperson of the
AMU Commission on Mathematical Olympiads :
Prof. Nouzha El Yacoubi, Department of Mathematics and Informatics,
Faculty of Science, P. O. Box 1014, Rabat, Morocco [Fax : +212
7 77 30 44; E-mail : elyac-sb@fsr.ac.ma]
or the convener, Local Organising Committee :
Prof. John Webb., Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics,
University of Cape Town, 7701 Rondebosch, South Africa [Fax :
+27 21 686 0476; E-mail : jhwebb@maths.uct.ac.za]
* Proceedings of the 3rd and 5th Maghrebian Colloquia on the History of Arabic Mathematics
The Proceedings of the 3rd and 5th Maghrebian
Colloquia on the History of Arabic Mathematics have been published.
Detailed information on the contents will be given in issue 23
of the AMUCHMA-Newsletter :
* Actes du 3e Colloque maghrebin sur l'histoire des mathématiques
arabes, Alger, 1-3 Decembre 1990, Office des Publications
Universitaires, Alger, 1998, 280 pp.;
* Actes du 5e Colloque maghrebin sur l'histoire des mathématiques
arabes, Hammamet, 1-3 Decembre 1994, A.T.S.M. / Impression
IMPAK, Tunis, 1998, 357 pp.
* XXIst International Congress of History of Science (ICHS)
The XXIst International Congress of History
of Science will take place in Mexico City from the 8th to the
14th of July, 2001. The general topic for this congress is "Science
and Cultural Diversity". "A limited number of grants
will be available for participants from selected regions in order
to assure the more possible participation of researchers from
all parts of the world". For further information, please
contact:
Prof. Juan José Saldaña, Chairman of the Organizing
Committee of the XXIst ICHS, Apartado Postal 21-873, C.P. 04000
México, D.F., Mexico (e-mail : xxiichs@servidor.unam.mx),
or visit the web-site of the International Union of History and
Philosophy of Science / Division of History of Science (IUHPS/DHS):
www.cilea.it/history/DHS
* New international journal "Board Games Studies"
"Board Games Studies is an academic journal
for historical and systematic research on board games, Its object
is to provide a forum for board games research from all academic
disciplines in order to further the understanding of the development
and distribution of board games within an interdisciplinary academic
context. Articles are accepted in English, French, and German".
The journal is published by the Research School CNWS, Leiden University,
Netherlands. For more information, contact the managing editor
Alex de Voogt.
The first issue (1998) contains a review (pp. 112-113) by Philip
Townshend of the book by Elisio Silva on mancala type games from
Angola (cf. AMUCHMA 18: #217). On p. 67, appear the following
references to papers by Philip Townshend on board games in Africa:
* Autour du jeu de Mankala, Zaire-Afrique, 105: 287-297,
1976;
* Les jeux de Makala du Zaire, du Rwanda et du Burundi, Cahiers
du CEDAF, Brussels, 3: 1-76, 1977;
* Mankala Games, Bulletin of the International Committee on
Urgent Anthropological and Ethnological Research, 19: 47-54,
1977;
* The South West African game of Illhus in the wider context of
African Mankala, Journal of the South West African Scientific
Society, 31: 85-98, 1977;
* Mankala in Eastern and Southern Africa: a Distributional Analysis,
Azania, 14: 108-138, 1979;
* Bao (Mankala): The Swahili Ethic in African Idiom, Paideuma,
28: 175-191, 1982;
* Games in Culture: A Contextual Analysis of the Swahili Board
Game and its relevance to Variation in African Mankala, Ph.D.
thesis, University of Cambridge, 1986.
The following references to publications by Richard Pankhurst
are presented on page 67:
* Gabata and related Board-games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa,
Ethiopia Observer, 14(3): 154-206, 1971;
* Gabata and other Board-Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa,
Azania, 17: 27-41, 1982.
The managing editor, Alex de Voogt, published two books on mancala
board games :
* Limits of the mind : towards a characterisation of Bao mastership,
Research School CNWS, Leiden (Netherlands), 1995, 169 p.
Ph. D. thesis in which the Bao game as played on the island Zanzibar
(Tanzania) is analysed (cf. # 276);
* Mancala board games, British Museum Press, London, 1997,
80 p.
The book looks briefly at the social and cultural context of the
game, but focuses mainly on the boards themselves. It also contains
a catalogue of the 105 boards (many from Africa) in the British
Museum's collection.
7. ADDRESSES OF SCHOLARS, INSTITUTIONS AND PUBLISHERS MENTIONED IN THIS NEWSLETTER
* Blyden, Eluemuno R. : President, Genetic
Designs, Maine, USA [E-mail: eblyden@khepera.com]
* CODESRIA (Council for the Development of Social Science Research
in Africa) : B.P. 3304, Dakar, Senegal (Fax : +221-241289; E-mail
: codesria@sonatel.senet.net)
* Draisma, Jan : Departamento de Matemática, Universidade
Pedagógica, C.P.2025, Beira, Mozambique (E-mail : draisma@upb.uem.mz,
draisma@zebra.uem.mz)
* Editora Dell'Erba : piazza Garibaldi 3, 50054 Fucecchio FI,
Italy (Fax : +571-242093, E-mail : EdErba@leonet.it)
* Folkerts, Menso : Institut für Geschichte der Naturwissenschaften
der Univertsität München, Postfach, D-80306 München,
Germany
* Gnanvo, Cyprien : Département de Mathématiques,
Faculté des Sciences et techniques, Université Nationale
du Bénin, 04 BP 0440, Cotonou, Benin
* Houndonougbo, Victor: Directeur de l'Ecole normale intégrée
de Parakou, Parakou, Benin
* Hountondji, Paulin : Directeur, Centre Africain des Hautes Etudes,
BP 1268, Cotonou, Benin (E-mail : hountond@syfed.bj.refer.org)
* Høyrup, Jens : Institute of Communication Research, Educational
Research and Theory of Science, Roskilde University, P.O.Box 260,
DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark (E-mail : jensh@frode.ruc.dk)
* Kerkour, Ahmed : President of the AMU, Zankat Ait Rkha, Dar
Yamina - Bir Kacem - Rabat, Morocco (E-mail : akerkour@mis.net.ma)
* Mathematical Association of America, P.O.Box 91112, Washington,
D.C. 20090-1112, USA (Tel: 1-800-331-1622, +301-617-7800; Fax:
+301-206-9789; Webpage: www.maa.org/books)
* Mogari, David : Department of Mathematics and Science Education,
University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, 0950 Thohoyandou, South
Africa (E-mail : dmogari@caddy.univen.ac.za)
* Mosimege, David Mogege: Manager Indigenous Technologies CSIR,
Building 41, P.O.Box 395, Pretoria 0001, South Africa (E-mail:
mmosimeg@csir.co.za)
* Mucavele, João : Departamento de Matemática, Universidade
Pedagógica, C.P.2025, Beira, Mozambique (E-mail : ....)
* Persens, Jan: Director of International Relations, University
of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535 South Africa
(Tel: +27-21-959-2884/3340; Fax: +27-21-9592655; E-mail: jpersens@uwc.ac.za)
* Powell, Arthur: Academic Foundations Department, Rutgers University,
175 University Avenue, Newark, New Jersey 07102, USA (Fax: 201-
648 5700; E-mail: abpowell@andromeda.rutgers.edu)
* Samso, Julio : Dep. Arabe, Facultad Filologia, Universidad Barcelona,
Gran Via 585, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
* Sangare, Daouda : Secretary-General AMU, 1409 Quartier de la
Grande delle, F-14200 Hérouville Saint Clair, France (Tel/Fax
: +33 2 31 53 71 88; E-mail : daouda@math.unicaen.fr)
* Seepe, Sipho : Department of Mathematics and Science Education,
University of Venda, Private bag X5050, Thohoyandou 0950, South
Africa
* Soares, Daniel : Departamento de Matemática, Universidade
Pedagógica, C.P.2025, Beira, Mozambique (E-mail : upbeira@lemep.uem.mz)
* Souissi, Mohamed : 7 Rue de Teheran, 2000 Le Bardo, Tunis, Tunisia
* Tchitchi, Toussaint-Yaovi : Centre national de linguistique
appliquée (CENALA), Université Nationale du Bénin,
Cotonou, Benin
* Voogt, Alex de: Board Games Studies, Onderzoekinstituut CNWS,
Rijksuniversiteit leiden, Postbus 9515, NL-2300 RA Leiden (Fax:
+31 3554 30697; E-mail: boardgames@iname.com)
* Webb., John : Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics,
University of Cape Town, 7701 Rondebosch, South Africa [Fax :
+27 21 686 0476; E-mail : jhwebb@maths.uct.ac.za]
* Yacoubi, Nouzha El : Department of Mathematics and Informatics,
Faculty of Science, P. O. Box 1014, Rabat, Morocco [Fax : +212
7 77 30 44; E-mail : elyac-sb@fsr.ac.ma]
* Zaslavsky, Claudia : 45 Fairview Av. #13-1, New York, NY 10040,
USA
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