The Centre of West African Studies was established at Birmingham in 1963 as an interdisciplinary department of area studies primarily engaged in research and postgraduate teaching. Academic appointments have been made ito the Centre in the social sciences and the humanities. A few members of other departments who are closely concerned with African studies have become Associates of the Centre.

To date nearly 80 research theses have been completed in the Centre (a list is obtainable from Mrs. E. de Veer, CWAS, University of Birmingham, P.O. Box 363, Birmingham B15 2TT). Those submitted and approved in the last year (1984-85) were on the history of the cocoa industry in the Amansie district of Asante (G.M. Austin), the political transformation and ethnic unification of the Tarok (Yergam) from the 19th Century toe. 1954 (Stephen Banfa), Nigerian clerical workers (a sociological study by Victor Omogbehin), Nigeria, the West and Southern Africa, 1960-83 (Adaye Orugbani), and the economy and society of St. Louis du Senegal, 1659-1809, with special reference to the influence of Eurafricans (S.O.M. Zilombo).