Born into colonialism, Mudimbe tried to refashion Africa

Posted on May 21, 2025

A chain-smoking polyglot, Valentin-Yves Mudimbe was best known for his ‘The Invention of Africa’

UP EXPERT OPINION: G20 is too elite. There’s a way to fix that though – economists

Posted on May 12, 2025

The G20 claims to be “the premier forum for international economic cooperation”. But is it? Professor Daniel Bradlow and Professor Robert Wade reflect on reform opportunities for the G20 under South Africa's presidency in the Conversation Africa article.

UP EXPERT OPINION: ECOWAS at a Crossroads

Posted on May 09, 2025

The hard-won achievements of the 50-year-old Economic Community of West African States are at risk of unravelling amid growing political and economic turmoil. Following the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, the 12-member group’s survival depends on the political leadership of its...

UP EXPERT OPINION: The poor people’s Pope

Posted on May 06, 2025

In his Business Day article, Professor Adekeye Adebajo reflects on the legacy of the late Pope Francis, who provided hope and succour to the destitute, downtrodden and desperate.

Trump's Threat to Democracy and the Future of the Global Order – Event Report, 15 April 2025

Posted on April 22, 2025

On Tuesday, 15 April 2025, the Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship (CAS) hosted a public lecture titled “Trump's Threat to Democracy and the Future of the Global Order,” delivered by Dr. Gregory F. Treverton, Professor of the Practice of International Relations and Spatial...

UP EXPERT OPINION: Pretoria vs Washington — Trump’s white mischief

Posted on April 07, 2025

Harnessing the collective strength of the Global South — where SA is widely respected — is the only viable option

UP EXPERT OPINION: Why was South Africa’s ambassador to the US expelled? A view of the Ebrahim Rasool affair

Posted on April 07, 2025

In a rare move, the Trump administration expelled Ebrahim Rasool, South Africa’s ambassador to Washington, in mid-March 2025. In a post on X, US secretary of state Marco Rubio accused Rasool of hating the US and President Donald Trump, and said the ambassador was “no longer welcome in...

CAS OPINION: DRC peace is elusive amid regional tensions and a scramble for resources

Posted on April 04, 2025

Violence since 2022 has displaced around seven million people in the eastern DRC – one of the highest numbers globally. Three decades of conflict have also produced more than 100 armed groups, threatening regional stability.