African Studies and Geopolitics
African Studies and Geopolitics is a research topic within Anthropology. Science Explorer counts 8.4k research works in it since 1951. 14.4% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.
This cluster of papers explores the complex dynamics of Saharan migrations, transnational connections, and cultural exchanges, encompassing topics such as Islamic influences, archaeological evidence, trade networks, refugee movements, and historical perspectives on slavery. It delves into the interplay of various factors shaping the Saharan region and its interactions with North Africa and beyond.
- Sahara
- Migrations
- Islam
- Trade
- Archaeology
- Refugees
- Slavery
- North Africa
- Trans-Saharan
- Cultural Exchange
- Research works
- 8.4k fractional, since 1951
- In the world top 10%
- 1.2k per year above
- Top-10% rate
- 14.4% share of its works in the world top 10%
- Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
- +28% the tick is no change
Which countries lead African Studies and Geopolitics research?
By volume, France and the United States publish the most (567 and 171 works in 2022–2025).
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 France 567 works
- 2 United States 171 works
- 3 Spain 83 works
- 4 Morocco 78 works
- 5 United Kingdom 63 works
- 6 Algeria 60 works
- 7 Germany 57 works
- 8 Canada 49 works
- 9 Italy 35 works
- 10 Cameroon 31 works
How concentrated that is
The same countries as shares of everything the list above accounts for. A node where two countries do two thirds of the work and one spread evenly across twelve read alike as a ranking and not at all alike here.
Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.
Which institutions lead African Studies and Geopolitics research?
By volume in 2022–2025, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique publishes the most African Studies and Geopolitics research, followed by École des hautes études en sciences sociales and Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy.
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueFrance 31 works
- 2 École des hautes études en sciences socialesFrance 17 works
- 3 Institute for Peace Research and Security PolicyGermany 15 works
- 4 Cheikh Anta Diop UniversitySenegal 13 works
- 5 Aix-Marseille UniversitéFrance 12 works
- 6 Université Paris 1 Panthéon-SorbonneFrance 12 works
- 7 Institut d'Etudes Politiques de ParisFrance 11 works
- 8 Université Paris NanterreFrance 11 works
- 9 Les Afriques dans le MondeFrance 10 works
- 10 Mohammed V UniversityMorocco 10 works
Who are the leading researchers in African Studies and Geopolitics?
The most-cited researchers publishing on African Studies and Geopolitics include Luis Martı́nez, William Jones and Robert F. Murphy.
- 1 Luis Martı́nez Spain 1.6k citations
- 2 William Jones United Kingdom 1.1k citations
- 3 Robert F. Murphy United States 1k citations
Ranked by citations received across their whole record, among researchers with at least three works on this topic.
Where is African Studies and Geopolitics research done?
The largest centres of African Studies and Geopolitics research in 2022–2025 are Paris (France), Lyon (France), Marseille (France) and Madrid (Spain). Among places with at least 20 works in it, it is an unusually large share of all research in Nanterre.
Largest cities, 2022–2025
Where it is the local speciality
- NanterreFR · 20.4 works41×
Location quotient: how much more of its research is in African Studies and Geopolitics than the world average.
Where is the best place to study African Studies and Geopolitics?
Among universities, judged by research, Université Ibn Zohr, Universidad de Granada and University of Hassan II Casablanca score highest, combining excellence, specialisation, size, growth and international reach. Research strength is one signal when choosing where to study; it does not measure teaching.
One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.
| # | University | Score | Top 10% | Specialisation | Works | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Université Ibn ZohrMorocco | 67.2 | 18.8% | 40.0× | 9 | — |
| 2 | Universidad de GranadaSpain | 65.3 | 15.4% | 9.6× | 8 | +178.2% |
| 3 | University of Hassan II CasablancaMorocco | 62.4 | 15.8% | 21.9× | 9 | +82.1% |
| 4 | Cheikh Anta Diop UniversitySenegal | 58.2 | 3.8% | 71.6× | 13 | +238.5% |
| 5 | Aix-Marseille UniversitéFrance | 56.0 | 9.6% | 25.0× | 12 | +26.0% |
| 6 | Mohammed V UniversityMorocco | 53.9 | 11.0% | 15.1× | 10 | +51.4% |
| 7 | Université Paris 1 Panthéon-SorbonneFrance | 53.3 | 9.3% | 44.0× | 12 | +34.9% |
| 8 | University of KinshasaDemocratic Republic of the Congo | 44.5 | 3.9% | 70.1× | 8 | — |
| 9 | Université Paris NanterreFrance | 39.2 | 2.6% | 31.3× | 11 | +31.4% |
| 10 | Université Paris 8France | 39.2 | 2.0% | 41.8× | 8 | +78.0% |
Universities only. Score blends excellence (30%), specialisation (25%), size (20%), growth (15%) and international reach (10%), 2015–2022; growth compares 2010–14 with 2015–19.
Is African Studies and Geopolitics research growing?
Output in 2018–2022 was 28% higher than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2021. The fastest-growing topics are African Studies and Geopolitics.
The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.
Which topics inside it are moving
Growth and decline on one axis around a shared zero. Two lists side by side hide the thing that matters: whether the growth dwarfs the decline, or the other way round.