RES.POL.AF – Researching Politics in Africa: Changes, Conflicts and Connections

I EDITION | ON SITE | APPLICATION

Deadline for Registration 
26th April, 2027

Period
21st - 25th June, 2027

Learning objectives 

Africa is key to many of today’s global challenges with political implications at large. Researching the continent therefore offers a unique prism for understanding, and addressing, issues of international relevance such as inequality and insecurity, climate change and sustainability, governance challenges and digital transformation, the political economy of extractivism, and the generalised backsliding of the liberal international order. The adoption of 'Africa Strategies' by numerous international actors (including the recent adoption of the so-called Mattei Plan by the Italian government) testifies to the growing salience of Africa in international fora. Yet one often notices the prevalence of simplistic and stereotypical narratives of Africa, which do not adequately capture the rapid evolution of the scholarly reflections on these issues. This Seasonal School therefore intends to provide students of social sciences with advanced tools enabling a multidisciplinary and critical exploration of contemporary Africa’s politics, and attuned to emerging research challenges. Drawing on insights from international relations, political economy, political ecology, political ethnography and postcolonial studies, RES.POL.AF will enable participants to: apprehend the ongoing transformations of Africa’s politics of contention; gain familiarity with advanced research tools and related challenges in dealing with Africa’s political dynamics and predicaments; learn and apply a variety of theoretical perspectives and methodological tools of social science, which might help build one’s career in international institutions, regional organisations and NGOs, but also in think tanks, research centres and academia.

Teaching methodologies

Students will find an interactive and cross-disciplinary learning environment, proposing a combination of research-led, research-oriented and research-tutored formats. Teaching methods will particularly exploit the synergies between lectures delivered by renowned international and SSSA lecturers; research roundtables; as well as simulations and role-plays, to enable the appropriation, critical revision and professional declination of the topics addressed in class.

Additional cultural activities will also be offered in the evening hours, such as audio and video screening sessions, to encourage knowledge of the self-representations of contemporary Africa in connection with the theoretical content presented in class. The combination of these types of teaching aims to encourage the active and critical participation of students in class discussions.

Target participants

Students from different backgrounds who have already obtained at least 60 ECTS from these subject areas: political science, sociology, economics, history, philosophy, law, foreign languages, geography, area studies. Given RES.POL.AF’s emphasis on research methods and challenges, postgraduate students at master or PhD level are particularly welcome to apply.

Coordinator and key teaching staff

Coordinators: Dr. Luca Raineri; Prof. Francesco Strazzari

Key teaching staff: Prof. Luigi Achilli; Dr. Laura Berlingozzi; Dr. Martha Populin; Dr Lorenzo Gasbarri; Prof. Matteo Dell’Acqua; Dr Leonardo Caproni; Prof. Andrea Roventini; Prof. Francesco Lamperti

SDGs (https://sdgs.un.org/goals)

(1) No poverty

(2) Zero hunger

(5) Gender Equality