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Generously funded by the British Academy, the BA Writing Workshop on International Politics in Africa aims at fostering scholarly exchange and supporting the development of high-quality academic publications on International Politics in Africa as part of the IPIA network.
The workshop brings together a select group of academics to work intensively on draft papers, receive feedback from peers and journal editors, and engage in sessions designed to strengthen academic writing skills and research methodology. Participants present and refine a paper intended for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. Participants’ research focuses on international politics in Africa broadly conceived, i.e., the empirical study and understanding of how African societies, citizens, governments, supranational institutions, and non-governmental organisations experience international politics. The workshop has the following three objectives:
To evaluate how Africa's political, social and economic history can contribute to the development of an African International Relations school.
To review the appropriateness of different methodologies that can be applied when empirically evaluating international politics in Africa.
To consider effective strategies of publishing research on Africa’s international relations in internationally reputable outlets, and to respond to methodological training needs to close publishing gaps.
August 18, 2025: 1st virtual introductory meeting of organisers and participants
September 29, 2025: 2nd virtual meeting, discussion of methodological needs and state of draft papers
November 2025: 3rd virtual meeting, mentor assignment, status of papers
January 2026: Meet ups with mentors
February 2026: Submission of paper drafts
March 1, 2026: Paper drafts to be circulated among participants
April 2026: In-person workshop at the British Institute of Eastern Africa (BIEA), Nairobi
Dr Mwita Chacha (PI)
Dr Mwita Chacha is Associate Professor in International Relations at the Department of Political Science and International Studies, University of Birmingham. His research focuses on regionalism/regional integration and its intersection with domestic political and security outcomes.
Dr Florian G. Kern (Co-PI)
Dr Florian G. Kern is Associate Professor in the Department of Government, University of Essex. His research focuses on governance in Africa. His work related to IPIA focuses particularly on how foreign policy reflects constituent views.
Eniy Dubakeme
Eniye C. Dubakeme is an Assistant Lecturer in the department of International Relations and Diplomacy, at Baze University. Her research focuses on Foreign affairs and governance for security in Africa.
Dr Consolata Sulley
Dr Consolata Raphael Sulley is Lecturer in political science at the University of Dar es Salaam Tanzania. She holds a PhD in Political Science from Leipzig University, Germany. She has researched, consulted and published on democracy and the democratisation process in Africa (Kenya and Tanzania in particular), elections, party politics, gender and women’s political empowerment, public policy, local governance, project evaluation, human rights and humanitarianism.
Dr Israel Nyaburi Nyadera
Israel Nyaburi Nyadera is a lecturer at the National Defense College, National Defense University, Nairobi, Kenya. He is a Swiss Government Excellence Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding, Geneva Graduate Institute, Switzerland. Dr Nyadera has a PhD in Political Science from the University of Macau, a Masters in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University, Washington DC, a Masters in International Relations from the Middle East Technical University, Ankara and a degree in Political Science from the University of Nairobi. He is a fellow under the Irregular Warfare Initiative, a joint production of Princeton University and Westpoint and previously a fellow under the India-Africa Security Programme at the MP-IDSA, New Delhi.
Dr Alecia Ndlovu
Dr. Alecia Ndlovu is a Political Scientist and Lecturer at the University of Cape Town, specialising in Comparative and International Political Economy as well as Quantitative Research Methods. Her research focuses on political institutions and development in Africa's resource-rich economies. She is currently co-editing the Encyclopedia of African Politics(Edward Elgar Publishing) and leads a Worldwide Universities Network-funded project on Mining Accountability and Development in Africa.
Andre Ben-Moses Akuche
Andre Ben-Moses Akuche is an early scholar of international relations with research interests in diplomacy, energy politics, foreign policy, international organizations, and conflict resolution. He is a PhD Candidate (International Relations) at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Research topic: The Global Energy Transition and Nigeria’s Natural Gas Diplomacy
Caroline Shisubili Maingi
Caroline Shisubili Maingi is a Lecturer in International Studies and Philosophy at Strathmore University and a Doctoral Candidate in International Relations at the United States International University–Africa. Her research focuses on the intersection of regional integration, foreign policy, and political philosophy, with particular attention to the role of ideologies in shaping society. She brings to her work a background in applied philosophy and ethics, alongside practical experience in policy engagement at national and international levels.
Research topic: Enhancing Popular Participation for Effective Integration: The Imperative of Involving the Populace in the Processes of the East African Community (EAC)
Dr Kingsley Ogunne
Kingsley Ogunne is a Post-Doctoral Researcher whose work spans political economy of health, politics of global health, and climate justice. He earned a PhD in Political Science from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, and have received reputable awards and research grants. His current research explores how African states exercise agency, assert strategic interests, and influence global health norms, frameworks, and policies.
Research topic: Balancing Burden and Agency: African States’ Diplomatic Strategies in Global Health Governance
Fatou Bintou Niang
Fatou Bintou Niang is a PhD candidate in Political Science at Gaston Berger University of Saint-Louis, specializing in public policy and affiliated with the Laboratory for the Analysis of Societies and Powers Africa/Diasporas (LASPAD). Her research focuses primarily on Universal Health Coverage (UHC), gender studies, feminism, international relations, and cultural heritage promotion. She also works as a project manager, tutor, and adjunct lecturer, with strong involvement in academic supervision and the coordination of scientific activities
Research topic: Policy and Peace: How ECOWAS shapes regional diplomacy through multilateral action
Dr Mary Baremirwe Bekoreire
Dr. Mary Baremirwe Bekoreire has over two decades of experience in research, teaching, and strategic leadership, specializing in community development and policy. Currently a Lecturer in Governance Department and Coordinator Higher Degrees at Kabale University, she has led numerous research projects. Her research interests focus on governance, public policy, gender and political science with a goal to inform policy.
Research topic: Impact of Sino-Western Geopolitical Influence on Conflict Dynamics and Resolution in East African Community Member Countries
Dr Caroline Kathure Gatobu
Dr. Caroline Kathure Gatobu is a Lecturer and Research Fellow at the National Defence University–Kenya. Her research examines the intersection of security, peace and conflict, and development in the Horn of Africa, with a focus on how sovereignty, regional security dynamics, and human security challenges shape state and community resilience.
She holds a PhD in Development Studies from Moi University, an MA in Development Studies from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, and a BSc from the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton. Her previous work has explored topics ranging from violent extremism, climate security, gender, food security and development.
Dr. Gatobu brings an interdisciplinary perspective that bridges development policy contributing to debates on Kenya’s evolving role in regional stability and development in the Horn of Africa.
Research topic: Kenya's role in regional stability and development in the Horn of Africa: Navigating security and sovereignty
Alfred Makotsi
Alfred Makotsi is an Adjunct Lecturer at Kenya Methodist University and a PhD Candidate in Diplomacy and International Relations. He is a Mandela Washington Fellow (2025) and a Political Governance and Leadership Fellow (2017), with a strong background in political analysis and governance. His research and professional interests focus on diplomacy, democracy, election observation, and African politics.
Research topic: The Politics and Diplomacy of International Election Observation in Africa: Democratic Consolidation in Kenya through the Lens of IEOMs (1992–2022)
Dr Muhidin Shangwe
Muhidin Shangwe, PhD, is a Lecturer of International Relations in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of Dar es Salaam. His research focuses on African international relations, particularly in the Africa-China space, as well as the geopolitical and geoeconomic competition among major powers in Africa
Research topic: South African response to wars in Ukraine and Gaza: a case of African agency?
Dr Chikodiri Nwangwu
Dr Chikodiri Nwangwu is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Centre for Africa-China Studies, University of Johannesburg. He is also a Senior Lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. His research and teaching interests straddle African political economy, peace and conflict, election, and social movement studies. He has published well-researched articles in many reputable journals, including Security Journal, Society, African Affairs, Review of African Political Economy, and International Feminist Journal of Politics.
Research topic: Democratic recession and ECOWAS responses to military coups in West Africa: The retreat of liberal internationalism?
Dr Dikeledi Mokoena
Dr. Dikeledi Mokoena holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Pretoria and an MA, Hons, and BA from Wits University. Her doctoral thesis titled “An Afrodecolonial Analysis of Resistance by the widowed women of Marikana” offers a decolonial reading of resistance by women who were situated in the ‘extended social reproductive sphere’ of South Africa’s extractive sector. Mokoena’s research interests are in feminist political economy, decoloniality, African feminism, and politics of development in Africa. Dr. Mokoena has experience in researching and coordinating multi-country research projects such as IFFs in the mining sector of Southern Africa, Regional integration and Migration in ECOWAS and SADC, as well as the AfCFTA and its interface with the EAC. She also has experience in designing international fellowship programs for change agents. Dr. Mokoena has trained youth leaders across the African continent on themes related to governance in Africa, leadership, and gender equality. Thus far she has trained over 3000 youth leaders in East, South, West, Central, and Northern Africa.
Research topic: Towards a Decolonial Resistance: Analysis of African State Responses to U.S. Economic Statecraft in the 21st Century
Tendai Ganduri
Tendai is a doctoral candidate in Media Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. She holds an MSc in Media and Society Studies from Midlands State University, Zimbabwe and was a Digital Humanism Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM). She is particularly interested in digital humanities and the human dynamics of climate change, especially its domestic and global politics.
Research topic: The Zimbabwean and South African Twitterspheres and Agonistics of Climate Diplomacy at COP26
Dr Oluwatosin Ruth Ifaloye
Dr. Oluwatosin Ruth Ifaloye is a lecturer in International Relations at Covenant University in Nigeria. She specializes in transitional justice, stakeholder engagement, and African international politics.
Research topic: Localising Transitional Justice in The Gambia through Stakeholder Engagement and the Influence of International Norms