Institute for African Renaissance Studies (IARS)

Thematic Research Areas

Indicative Areas of Study

The Institute is a unique, multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary[C1]  (MIT) graduate academic institution at Unisa, dedicated to African Renaissance Studies through teaching, research and publication. Its mandate includes a focus on developing outward reach to the whole of Africa and Diaspora Africa. The[C2]  key thematic focus fields for masters and doctoral students, as well as research niches for academic staff, are as follows:  

  • 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

Last modified: Thu May 25 05:01:35 SAST 2023