Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa

Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa
Name	Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa
Formation	1973
Headquarters	Dakar, Senegal
Region served	Africa
Languages	English, French, Portuguese

Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa

The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa was established as a continental institution focused on strengthening research institute capacity across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and other African states. It engages with regional bodies such as the African Union, international partners like the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and multilateral funders including the World Bank Group to support comparative studies that inform policy in contexts including postcolonial transitions, urbanization, and public health crises.

History

The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa emerged from dialogues among scholars linked to institutions such as the University of Ibadan, the University of Dar es Salaam, the University of Cape Town, the University of Lagos and the University of Ghana following conferences convened by actors from the Organization of African Unity and researchers connected to the International Development Research Centre. Early patrons included figures associated with the Pan-African Congress, the Third World Studies Association, and foundations like the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. Over decades it navigated relationships with national ministries in Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Morocco and worked alongside networks of scholars from the Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noire, the Centre for Social Research at various universities, and policy actors connected to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and the Economic Community of West African States.

Mandate and Objectives

The Council's mandate emphasizes capacity building for scholars affiliated with the University of Nairobi, the Makerere University, the University of Ibadan, the Cheikh Anta Diop University, and other centers of learning. Objectives include promoting collaborative projects with hubs like the African Studies Association, strengthening doctoral programs at institutions comparable to the School of Oriental and African Studies, fostering comparative work related to the International Labour Organization standards, and informing continental policy debates involving the African Development Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

Organizational Structure and Governance

Governance structures mirror those in intergovernmental and scholarly bodies such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the International Monetary Fund with a Board drawn from representatives of national academies like the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, research councils in South Africa and the Nigeria Academy of Science, and university departments of institutions like the University of Pretoria and the University of Dar es Salaam. Management has included directors who have collaborated with scholars previously associated with the Africa Media Centre, the Centre for Migration Studies, and editorial boards of journals linked to the Royal African Society and the African Studies Review.

Programs and Activities

Programs have encompassed fellowships for early-career researchers from universities such as the University of Botswana, the University of Zambia, the Université Cheikh Anta Diop, and the Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, targeted workshops with partners like the British Council and the German Academic Exchange Service, and grants for comparative projects that intersect with institutions such as the African Economic Research Consortium and the Nehru Memorial Museum & Library. Activities have included convenings modeled after the World Conference on Higher Education, capacity-building initiatives similar to those run by the Open Society Foundations, and curriculum development collaborations with faculties linked to the Institut National d'Études Démographiques.

Publications and Research Support

Publication channels supported have involved edited volumes and journals with editorial links to the Journal of African History, the Africa Development, the Development and Change, the Journal of Modern African Studies, and monographic series comparable to those from the Indiana University Press and the Heinemann Educational Books. The Council has awarded research grants enabling work on topics addressed by scholars who have published with presses like the Cambridge University Press, the Oxford University Press, and the Routledge imprint, and it has collaborated with data archives similar to the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research and repositories used by the Demographic and Health Surveys program.

Partnerships and Funding

Funding partners historically include multilateral lenders and foundations such as the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, the Danish International Development Agency, the Ford Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation. Strategic partnerships have linked the Council to regional bodies including the African Union Commission, the Economic Commission for Africa, academic networks like the African Studies Association and the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (regional partners), and research institutes comparable to the Institute of Development Studies and the Overseas Development Institute.

Category:Research institutes in Africa