The Director of the African Centre for the Study of the United States, University of Pretoria (ACSUS-UP), Prof. Christoper Isike, actively participated in the 2024 Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSIs), hosted by the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) and led by the University of Montana. The programme lasted from 13 June through to 23 July.

Cross-section of the 18 scholars selected from 18 countries to participate in the 2024 SUSI at UMASS

SUSIs is a funded programme by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, whose mission is to promote understanding between the people of the United States and the rest of the world. SUSIs, therefore, convene scholars, professors, teachers, and administrators from different countries for intensive academic residency on a U.S. university or college campus, with educational tours to other parts of the U.S. The programme enables participants to meet with experts and scholars, interact with diverse American communities, visit civic institutions, and explore U.S. society, culture, values, diversity, and institutions.

This year, Prof. Isike and his cohorts were immersed in the study of American Politics and Political Thought, with a general focus on the political development of the American nation. The UMassAmherst Donahue Institute adopts political development as an approach to studying American government and politics that is historical, institutional, and qualitative in character. This approach allows the institute to bring together a wide variety of topics and consider it a “common ground” for engagement by academics from a broad array of backgrounds and interests.  

Following an intensive 4 weeks of classes, the 2024 cohorts were treated to 2 weeks of inciteful study tours to New York City, Charlottesville, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., where they visited important sites of the American polity, including a visit to Congress and the Library of Congress.

Class 2024 visit to the Government of Massachusetts State House in Boston which has the Governor’s Office, State House of Assembly and State Senate. 

The study of American Politics and Political Thought fits perfectly into the research profile of Prof. Christopher Isike, who is a full Professor of African Politics and International Relations and the Director of an African Centre whose mandate is to promote disciplinary, interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary knowledge and theory production, research cooperation, policy engagement, cultural contact and business interactions in South Africa, between Africa and the US in areas of mutual interest that benefit the University of Pretoria in its academic project.

Class 2024 visit to the Government of Massachusetts State House in Boston which has the Governor’s Office, State House of Assembly and State Senate. 

With Northampton County Mayor Sciarra

He aims to draw from this invaluable experience to continue to drive ACSUS-UP’s vision of becoming a top think-tank and premier African knowledge-creation hub on studies of the United States and South African/African – US cooperation in the pursuit of regional integration, scientific enquiry, and global socio-economic and geopolitical change.

Prof. Isike describes his experience:

“This has been an incredible experience learning about American politics and political thought from scratch, and in a systematic way too. I thought I knew enough of American politics, but the SUSI taught me much more than I ever imagined, and I am ready to pass on this nuanced knowledge to our various African publics who want to understand US behaviour abroad given the nexus between domestic politics and foreign policy. The program staff, faculty and the reading materials were excellent, and I am particularly impressed by how objective they tried to be by giving the knowledge as it was without any attempt to extol or whitewash”.