# African Studies Center
**Wikidata**: [Q55263609](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q55263609)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Studies_Center,_Boston_University)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/african-studies-center

## Summary
The African Studies Center at Boston University is a research institute dedicated to the study of Africa. Its primary purpose is to conduct systematic investigation and generate new knowledge in the field of African studies. It is a distinct organizational entity focused purely on research, separate from teaching-focused university departments.

## Key Facts
- Classified as a `research institute`, which is an organization whose primary purpose is research.
- Has a sitelink count of 1 on Wikidata.
- The Wikipedia article title is "African Studies Center, Boston University".
- Has a Wikipedia presence in the English language (`wikipedia_languages: en`).
- Identified by the WorldCat Registry ID `89232`.
- Identified in the Google Knowledge Graph by the ID `/g/11g07f7r_t`.
- Has a Library of Congress Authority ID `no92020272`.
- Has a National Library of Israel J9U ID `987007580919105171`.
- Has a Bibliothèque nationale de France ID `12212138f`.
- Has an ISNI identifier `000000012174551X`.
- Associated with the country `United States`.
- Has a VIAF ID `143700835`.
- Has an IdRef ID `03077263X`.

## FAQs
### Q: What type of organization is the African Studies Center?
A: It is formally classified as a research institute, meaning its core mission is dedicated to conducting research rather than teaching or other functions. This distinguishes it from a university department, which typically combines education with research activities.

### Q: How is the African Studies Center identified in library and knowledge systems?
A: The center is cataloged with unique identifiers across major international systems, including the Library of Congress, WorldCat, and the French National Library. These identifiers allow it to be uniquely tracked and referenced in academic and library databases worldwide.

## Why It Matters
The African Studies Center serves as a dedicated engine for scholarly inquiry into African affairs, unburdened by the teaching obligations of a traditional academic department. By concentrating resources and expertise purely on investigation, it enables deeper, more sustained research into the complex social, political, economic, and cultural dynamics of the African continent. Such specialized institutes are critical for advancing knowledge in a field that is often underrepresented in broader academic contexts, providing a focused environment for high-quality, long-term research that can inform policy, education, and global understanding of Africa.

## Notable For
- Being a specialized research institute focused exclusively on African studies within a major university.
- Its formal recognition and cataloging by major global library systems, including the Library of Congress and the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
- Its distinct identity as a research-dedicated entity, separate from the teaching mission of Boston University.

## Body
### Classification and Identity
The African Studies Center is an entity whose primary classification is a `research institute`. This classification indicates that its fundamental purpose is the systematic generation of new knowledge, differentiating it from organizations with combined missions, such as universities.

### Institutional Identification
The center is formally recognized by a comprehensive set of identifiers used by the world's major library and knowledge organizations.
- The **Library of Congress** assigns it the authority ID `no92020272`.
- The **WorldCat Registry**, a global network of library content, identifies it with the ID `89232`.
- The **Google Knowledge Graph** uses the identifier `/g/11g07f7r_t` to represent the entity in its knowledge base.
- The **National Library of Israel** catalog entry is `987007580919105171`.
- The **Bibliothèque nationale de France** (French National Library) ID is `12212138f`.

### Standardized Name Identifiers
The center is also associated with international standard identifiers that facilitate unambiguous linking across bibliographic datasets.
- Its **ISNI** (International Standard Name Identifier) is `000000012174551X`.
- Its **VIAF** (Virtual International Authority File) ID is `143700835`.
- Its **IdRef** (identifier used by the French higher education and research system) is `03077263X`.

### Geographic and Institutional Context
The entity is associated with the `United States`. It is specifically linked to Boston University, as indicated by its full Wikipedia title, "African Studies Center, Boston University". Its presence is documented in the English-language edition of Wikipedia.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File