# African Studies Centre Leiden

> institute for social-science research on Sub-Saharan Africa

**Wikidata**: [Q2174585](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2174585)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Studies_Centre_Leiden)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/african-studies-centre-leiden

## Summary
The African Studies Centre Leiden (ASCL) is a research institute and publishing house dedicated to social-science research on Sub-Saharan Africa. Founded in 1947 and affiliated with Leiden University since 2016, it operates from Leiden, Netherlands, and maintains a specialized library collection. The centre has served as a dedicated hub for African studies scholarship for over 75 years.

## Key Facts
- **Founded**: 1947
- **Location**: Leiden, Netherlands (Coordinates: 52.156666666666666, 4.4816666666666665)
- **Affiliation**: Part of Leiden University since January 1, 2016
- **Type**: Research institute and publishing house
- **Field of Work**: Africa, with focus on Sub-Saharan Africa
- **Website**: https://www.ascleiden.nl (available in Dutch and English)
- **Alternative Names**: ASC Leiden, ASCL
- **Component**: African Studies Centre Library
- **Current Director**: Marleen Dekker (since April 1, 2021)
- **ISNI**: 0000000406257640
- **GRID ID**: grid.450046.3
- **ROR ID**: 00ma2r948

## FAQs
### What is the African Studies Centre Leiden's relationship to Leiden University?
The ASCL became part of Leiden University on January 1, 2016. Prior to this affiliation, it operated as an independent research institute.

### Who are the past directors of the African Studies Centre Leiden?
The centre has been led by Gerti Hesseling (1996-2004), Leo de Haan (2004-2010), Ton Dietz (2010-2017), Jan-Bart Gewald (2017-March 2021), and Marleen Dekker (April 2021-present).

### What resources does the African Studies Centre Leiden provide?
The centre houses the African Studies Centre Library, operates a bilingual website (Dutch and English) with open access content, and functions as a publishing house producing research on African studies.

## Why It Matters
The African Studies Centre Leiden serves as a specialized knowledge institution focused exclusively on Sub-Saharan Africa through social-science research. Its integration with Leiden University since 2016 has strengthened academic collaboration while maintaining its dedicated regional focus. The centre's dual function as both research institute and publishing house enables it to generate and disseminate scholarly knowledge about Africa. Through its library and open-access initiatives, the ASCL provides accessible resources for researchers, students, and the general public interested in African studies. The organization represents a significant European node in the global network of African studies scholarship.

## Notable For
- Exclusive focus on social-science research concerning Sub-Saharan Africa
- Dual function as both a research institute and a publishing house
- Continuous operation since 1947, representing over 75 years of African studies scholarship
- Inclusion in the Wikidata WikiProject Academic Publisher focus list
- Participation in the Open GLAM Survey initiative
- Maintaining a specialized African Studies Centre Library

## Body

### History and Affiliation
The African Studies Centre Leiden was established in 1947. The institute has maintained a continuous focus on African studies throughout its existence. On January 1, 2016, the ASCL became part of Leiden University, transitioning from an independent organization to a university-affiliated research centre while preserving its specialized mission.

### Location and Facilities
The ASCL is located in Leiden, Netherlands, at coordinates 52.156666666666666 latitude and 4.4816666666666665 longitude. The organization includes the African Studies Centre Library as a component part. An image of the building, identified as "HertaMohrLeiden2024.jpg," is available through Wikimedia Commons.

### Research Focus and Activities
The institute focuses on social-science research related to Sub-Saharan Africa. The organization's field of work is defined as Africa, with its Wikidata description specifying "institute for social-science research on Sub-Saharan Africa." Beyond research activities, the ASCL also operates as a publishing house, producing scholarly publications related to its area of expertise.

### Leadership
The ASCL has been led by a succession of directors:
- **Gerti Hesseling** (1996-2004)
- **Leo de Haan** (2004-2010)
- **Ton Dietz** (2010-2017)
- **Jan-Bart Gewald** (2017-March 31, 2021)
- **Marleen Dekker** (April 1, 2021-present)

### Digital Presence and Identifiers
The ASCL maintains a website at https://www.ascleiden.nl with content available in both Dutch and English. The organization is indexed in numerous international databases and cataloging systems:

**Academic and Research Identifiers:**
- ISNI: 0000000406257640
- VIAF ID: 140319352
- GRID ID: grid.450046.3
- ROR ID: 00ma2r948
- CiNii Research ID: 1140000791794688256
- DOAB Publisher ID: 1597
- Ringgold ID: 59945
- Microsoft Academic ID (discontinued): 201713289

**National Library and Authority Identifiers:**
- Library of Congress Authority ID: n79032089
- National Library of Israel J9U ID: 987007266992405171
- KISTI ID: K000213857
- NACSIS CAT Author ID: DA06086122
- Dutch CR Author ID: ko2010614914 (registered as "Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden. Afrika-Studiecentrum")
- University of Barcelona Authority ID: 981058538799506706
- UIA Open Yearbook Organization Website ID: 1122279485
- Yale LUX ID: group/d7d5852c-98be-4fe8-b364-071b96064bfc

**Other Identifiers:**
- Freebase ID: /m/05c1wh5
- Baglama GID: 154

### Wikimedia and Open Access Engagement
The ASCL engages with Wikimedia projects, with a Commons category titled "African Studies Centre (Leiden)" and a content partnership category named "Images from the African Studies Centre (Leiden)." The organization has been described by the Open GLAM Survey across multiple points in time (August 2021, March 2022, June-July 2023, May 2024). The centre is also included on the "Wikidata:WikiProject Academic Publisher" focus list. Wikipedia articles about the ASCL exist in multiple languages, including English, French, and Dutch.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.ascleiden.nl/content/contact)
2. [Source](https://ascleiden.nl/content/research)
3. [Source](https://ascleiden.nl/content/publications)
4. [Source](https://www.ascleiden.nl/content/about-ascl#Doelstelling)
5. GRID Release 2017-01-10
6. CiNii Research
7. [Source](https://www.ascleiden.nl/sites/default/files/1._ascl_review_self-evaluation_march_6.pdf)
8. [Source](https://ascleiden.nl/content/history)
9. ROR release v1.19
10. Virtual International Authority File
11. [Source](https://www.ascleiden.nl/content/open-access)
12. [Source](https://www.ascleiden.nl/organization/people/gerti-hesseling)
13. [Source](https://www.ascleiden.nl/organization/people/ton-dietz)
14. [Source](https://www.ascleiden.nl/organization/people/jan-bart-gewald)
15. [Source](https://www.ascleiden.nl/organization/people/leo-de-haan)
16. [Source](https://www.ascleiden.nl/news/prof-marleen-dekker-appointed-new-director-african-studies-centre-leiden)
17. [Source](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1WPS-KJptUJ-o8SXtg00llcxq0IKJu8eO6Ege_GrLaNc/htmlview)
18. [Open GLAM Survey, version of 3 August 2021](https://archive.org/details/OpenGLAM_Survey_20210803)
19. [Open GLAM Survey, version of 17 February 2022](https://archive.org/details/OpenGLAM_Survey_20220217)
20. [Source](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WPS-KJptUJ-o8SXtg00llcxq0IKJu8eO6Ege_GrLaNc)
21. [Open GLAM Survey, version of 27 June 2023](https://archive.org/details/open-glam-survey-backup-20230627)
22. [Open GLAM Survey, version of 16 May 2024](https://archive.org/details/open-glam-survey-backup-20240516)
23. [Source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Institution:African_Studies_Centre_(Leiden))
24. [Source](https://figshare.com/articles/GRID_release_2015_12_14/2010108)
25. GRID Release 2016-12-06
26. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
27. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
28. [Open GLAM Survey](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WPS-KJptUJ-o8SXtg00llcxq0IKJu8eO6Ege_GrLaNc)
29. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File