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Institute for African Renaissance Studies

Thematic Study Areas

Indicative Areas of Study 

The Institute is a unique, multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary (MIT) research, teaching and publication graduate academic institution at UNISA dedicated to African Renaissance Studies. Its mandate includes a focus on developing outward reach to the whole of Africa and Diaspora Africa. The following provides an indication of key thematic focus fields for masters and doctoral students as well as research nichѐs for academic staff:  

  • African Renaissance
  • State, business, civil society and NEPAD
  • African regional and sub-regional Institutions - legal frameworks, operational systems, capacity and impact
  • Africa’s productive resources: ownership, control, exploitation and usage
  • Africa in the global system: past, present and the required reconstruction of the future
  • State capacity, legal systems, constitutionalism, sovereignty, rule of law, governance, democracy and sustainable development in Africa
  • African indigenous knowledge systems, including arts, mathematics,  science, technology, language and culture
  • African leadership and intellectual capital, including Diaspora Africa
  • Human rights, conflict management, global justice,  peace and human security
  • African perspectives on environment and climate change
  • Media, communication and the imaging and re-imaging of Africa and African peoples
  • Diplomacy, international relations and strategic interests
  • Endemic/pandemic diseases such as HIV-AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis
  • Poverty eradication and food security
  • Women, gender and power
  • Children, youth and development
  • Community leadership and rural development
  • South – South cooperation
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