Confdetail274

ESF-LiU Conference

THE CHANGING USE AND MISUSE OF CATHA EDULIS (KHAT) IN A CHANGING WORLD: TRADITION, TRADE AND TRAGEDY

Chaired by

CHAIR:

MichaelOdenwaldE-Mail
University of KonstanzFaculty of PsychologyDepartment of Clinical PsychologyKonstanzGermany

CO-CHAIRS:

AxelKleinE-Mail
Centre for Health Science StudiesUniversity of KentLecturer in the Study of Addictive BehaviourCentre for Health Service StudiesSchool of Social Policy, Sociology and Social ResearchCanterburyUnited Kingdom
NasirWarfaE-Mail
Queen Mary, University of LondonWolfson Institute of Preventive MedicineCentre for PsychiatrySchool of Medicine and DentistryLondonUnited Kingdom

Dates

05-09 October 2009

Location

The conference will be held at Scandic Linköping Väst, Sweden – 7km from Linköping airport and 4km from the train station. Most notably, the Swedish chain Scandic Hotel´s commitment to sustainability won the Green Meetings Award in 2008. It is located in Linköping which is the capital of Östergötland county, situated in the center of a vast open farmland. It is Sweden's fifth largest city with more than 136,000 inhabitants and has a long history as a city of learning.

Final Programme & List of Accepted Participants

There has been a growing international interest in the fast spreading popularity of khat, a naturally occurring stimulant plant, which contains the amphetamine-like cathinone. The chewing of khat leaves is a traditional habit in some African and Arab countries and the plant is grown traditionally in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Yemen, Somalia, South Africa and Madagascar. It has also become a popular drug among immigrants from these countries living in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand (even though it is illegal in most of these countries).
Since 1970, the former niche crop khat has had an explosion-like boom - now being one of the most important pillars and cash crops of several national economies in the khat belt. Today, millions of farmers and small traders depend on khat; at the same time, the dramatic ecological, social and health consequences of this boom are more and more visible. In spite of the widespread use of khat around the globe, the needs of khat producers, traders and users are hardly recognised or met within mainstream developmental and economic programmes as well as health and social services. The complexity of khat is a challenge to European legislation and international developmental aid.
The first major international conference on khat, which was organised by the International Council against Alcohol and Addiction (ICAA) and held in Madagascar in 1983, focused on the religious, social, botanical, chemical and pharmaceutical aspects of khat.

The ESF-LiU Research Conference will now bring together selected young and established researchers from different academic fields in order to present and discuss the current state of knowledge on the multi-faceted and swiftly changing issues related to khat at the Horn of Africa, in Europe and elsewhere. This conference will foster the interdisciplinary exchange and discussion among economists, social and political scientists, natural scientists, social and medical scientists, healthcare and social care professionals, health service providers, as well as policy makers, international organisations and community groups.

The programme will include scientific contributions of eminent scholars in their field in the following topics:

1. Economic, ecological and political issues of khat use

2. The changing culture of khat use

3. Pharmacological, medical and psychological issues related to khat use

4. Legislation, regulation and international schedulling  

We encourage all interested participants, especially young scientists, to submit abstracts of their work for paper presentations or posters.

Final Programme PDF (431 KB) Last Updated 28-September-2009


List of Invited Speakers and Accepted Participants

Abstracts, Posters & Short Oral Contributions

Participants whose abstracts have been accepted as short talks have been informed.

Poster size should be no more than 100 cm high x 100 cm wide. Use letters and drawings that can be read from approximately 100 cm distance.

List of Accepted Posters PDF (377 KB) Last Updated 23-September-2009
Presentations, Posters and Papers can be downloaded HERE

Registration Form

For accepted participants and invited speakers only

All participants - including speakers & session chairs - are kindly expected to confirm their attendance (and, when applicable, to pay the conference fee) by filling in a Registration Form.

Closing date for Early Bird Registration & fee payment: 21 August 2009

FINAL closing date for ALL registration & fee payment: 04 September 2009 <//a></><//></><//></><//></><//></><//></><//></><//>

Travel

For advice on the easiest way to get to the venue please contact:

Ms. Judith Stöckel: Email

Please also consult the Practical Information Guide

 

GROUP TRANSPORTATION - FROM LINKOPING:

Two buses will be arranged on arrival day, Monday 05 October. The journey takes about 20 minutes.

Bus number 1 from Linköping airport, via Linköping train station:
Departure Linköping airport: 16.30 hrs
Departure Linköping train station: 17.00 hrs

Bus number 2 from Linköping airport, via Linköping train station:
Departure Linköping airport: 18.00 hrs
Departure Linköping train station: 18.30 hrs

Airport departure point: the meeting point is located just outside the small airport building. The coaches will have a sign in the window indicating “ESF Research Conferences” for easy recognition.

Train station departure point: the meeting point is located in the long distance bus terminal of the station. From the exit of the main building of the railway station, it is approximately 300 metres to the right.

GROUP TRANSPORTATION - FROM STOCKHOLM ARLANDA AIRPORT:

Arrival Day: Monday 05 October

A small bus will leave from the front of the SKY CITY HOTEL, located between Terminals 4 & 5 (see map) at:
13.00 and again at 17.00, going to the conference venue in Linkoping (the journey takes approximately 3 hours).

No other transfers will be arranged apart from these times – for more information, please refer to the practical information guide.

IT IS NECESSARY that you inform Jean Kelly if you intend to take one of these transfers as seating numbers are limited.

Group Transfers back to Stockholm Arlanda Airport on Departure day: Friday 09 October will be arranged during the conference.

Buses departure time on Friday 09 October: 8.00 am

ACCOMMODATION
Please note that SINGLE accommodation can only be guaranteed to invited speakers. All other participants will share a TWIN room. In case single rooms would become available at the time of the conference, rooms will be attributed on a “first come, first served” basis. Only the TWIN conference fee should be paid to the ESF when registering. The supplement for single should be paid to the venue directly. Should you wish to be put on the waiting list for single accommodation, please contact Ms. Jean Kelly.

What conference fee covers

Basic expenses comprise:

  • registration and meeting costs;
  • accommodation in twin room sharing with another participant;
  • all meals, coffee breaks and drinks included;
  • participation at the excursion and the conference dinner;
  • group transportation from/to the nearest airport.
Name
Description
To Pay
Grantee
Conference fee will be covered by ESF and its partners0 €
AssistedConference Fee will be partially covered by ESF and its partners375 €
Early Bird
Registration and payment NO LATER THAN 14 days before the registration deadline700 €
Normal
Registration and payment LATER THAN 14 days before the registration deadline800 €
Non-Residential
Conference participation without accommodation550 €

Extra costs:

Name
Description
To Pay
Industry Supplement
For participants working in industry, 100 € will automatically be added to the fee
Plus 100 €
Single Room SupplementSome single rooms may be available upon request. An additional cost of 150 € will be charged for an upgrade to a single room. The supplement is payable directly to the hotel.Plus 150 €
Late Registration SupplementAn additional 150 € will be charged if participants register after the official registration deadline.Plus 150 €

Cancellation:

Should you need to cancel your participation, please contact the Conference Officer immediately. If notice of cancellation is received more than two weeks before the conference, all but EUR 100 will be reimbursed. No refund is possible if notice of cancellation is received less than two weeks before the conference.

ESF Contact

JeanKellyE-Mail
Conference Officer

Phone: +32 (0)2 533 2025
Fax: +32 (0)2 538 8486
Please quote 09-274 in any correspondence.

Partnership

This conference is organised by the European Science Foundation (ESF) in partnership with Linköping University.

With Support from