The spatial structure of West African livestock trade networks

How do markets, roads, and borders shape the structure of the West African livestock trade network? In this new paper published in Applied Geography, SRG Lacey Harris-Coble and colleagues show that traders rely on a few relatively stable markets and a handful of transnational corridors. Livestock trade is also highly vulnerable to border closures. Using trade […]

Routledge Handbook of African Borderlands

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.

Reassessing Democracy in Niger (2000–2025) by Leonardo Villalón

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 […]

Local Trajectories and the Strategic Power of Borderlands

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 […]

Symposium: Taking Stock of the Sahelian Jihads: Motivations, Impacts, Responses

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 […]

Standing up for a science that matters

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 […]

Sahel Research Group at ASA 2024

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 […]

2nd Annual SRG/International Crisis Group Symposium on the Sahel

2nd Annual SRG/International Crisis Group Symposium on the Sahel 17 April 2023 Gainesville, FL More than a decade after the March 2012 coup and government collapse in Mali, the Sahelian political landscape has been radically transformed, characterized by a new governance context that has been largely shaped by rising insecurity, military coups, and the failure […]

Dr. Bruce Whitehouse – Marriage and Women’s Rights in Mali

Coming up on 25 October Dr. Bruce Whitehouse from Lehigh University will be talking about Marriage and Women’s Rights in Mali. His presentation will draw from his latest book titled: Enduring Polygamy. Plural Marriage and Social Change in African Metropolis. The seminar will take place in the SRG office, 109 Rolfs Hall from 11:45 to […]

Sahel Research Group

News