The Routledge Handbook of African Borderlands is out! Edited by SRG Olivier Walther, Inocent Moyo and Isabella Soi, the 450-page book features 30 chapters from 46 global authors. It explores how African borders function as complex, dynamic spaces shaped by precolonial histories, regional integration, and security challenges.
We are excited to share a new contribution to the study of African politics from Leonardo Villalón. In the recently released volume, Democracy in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2000-2025: A Political Historical Reassessment, Dr. Villalón offers a deep, reflective analysis of Niger’s democratic journey over the last thirty years. Edited by Corrado Tornimbeni and Timothy Scarnecchia, this […]
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Two new blog posts from colleagues Dr. Steven Radil and Dr. Olivier Walther reveal that local violence is not a random series of events, but a “path-dependent” system with a memory that shapes its future. By analyzing thousands of conflict zones across Africa, they demonstrate that while most outbreaks are brief, others become entrenched in […]
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On February 20, the Sahel Research Group joined a high-level exchange at the “Political Movements in North Africa and the Sahel” workshop. Hosted by the UF Center for Global Islamic Studies and Project on Middle East Political Science (POMEPS), the event brought together experts to dissect the shifting political currents across the region. Baba Adou […]
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Our colleagues from the Sahel Research Group project on the impact of climate change in the Sahel are meeting in Dakar in February with their collaborators in the region from Senegal, Mauritania, Niger, and Chad. This project seeks to better understand how the hazards, risks—and at times the opportunities—of climate change are perceived and understood […]
Intersectionality matters. An analysis of women’s empowerment among livestock holders in Nepal, Senegal and Uganda This new paper focuses on the intersection between gender and caste in Nepal, and gender and ethnicity in Senegal and Uganda. Through the use of focus group discussions, the authors found important differences in the gender distribution of livestock-related roles […]
SRG-ICG Symposium: Taking Stock of the Sahelian Jihads: Motivations, Impacts, Responses 4-5 April 2025 Gainesville, FL Long a peaceful—if poor and underdeveloped—region, the Sahel has tragically become the epicenter of militant Islamist activity in Africa since the collapse of Mali in 2012. In the crucible of a facilitating international environment and domestic state weakness, violent […]
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The Sahel Research Group at the University of Florida joins colleagues around the world in “Standing up for Science” in the face of the current political challenges. On 28 February 2025, with no advance notice, we were informed that our research grant from the U.S. Department of Defense Minerva Initiative on the impact of climate […]
Transport infrastructure is critical in armed conflicts. A dense infrastructure network allows states to provide services to the civilian population and defeat insurgents in a timely manner. Yet, transport infrastructure itself can also become a major target for rebels and violent extremists. This new OECD report examines how the competition for the control of transport infrastructure between […]
Annual meeting 2024, Chicago, IL University of Florida Sahel Research Group talks Thursday December 12 10:15-12:00, Purdue. Author Meets Critic: Faith-based Student Activism in Togo and Benin: Muslims and Christians on University Campuses. With K.D. Thompson, Frédérick Madore, Ebenezer Obadare, Leonardo Villalón and Marius Kothor 1:30-3:15, Denver. Regime Protectors, Counter-Terrorism Forces, or Coup Plotters? Understanding […]