Stellenbosch University | Political Science
WELCOME TO POLITICAL SCIENCE
The Department of Political Science is a dynamic, research-driven unit with a focus on the political challenges which South Africa and the broader African continent must face in a globalising world. Through comprehensive research programmes, the department has developed expertise in a wide spectrum of international, African and domestic politics. Pressing issues such as poverty, development, globalisation and inequality are addressed at the under- and postgraduate levels. The department provides high-level theoretical and analytical training in a variety of subfields of Political Science, with particular focus on political risk analysis, public policy analysis, political behaviour and survey research, foreign policy analysis, global governance, and conflict and peace studies in Africa. Experts from practice and international universities are frequently involved in the presentation of modules.
Recent books
Recent departmental seminars
Departmental news
In recognition of his work on arms control and disarmament in Africa, Dr Guy Lamb has been invited to serve as a Non-Resident Fellow of the Geneva-based United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR).
Short course (ONLINE ONLY) on Political Economic Risk Analysis being offered from 22 January – 2 February 2024 by the Department. Register here (deadline 13 December 2023). Contact Dr Adams (uadams@sun.ac.za) for more information.
Prof. Pieter Fourie presented on a panel on South Africa’s foreign policy at the 2023 Woordfees in Stellenbosch.
Congratulations to Prof. Amanda Gouws for being awarded the prestigious SU Conversation Africa award for the SU Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences in 2023. Three staff members from the Political Science Department were in the top 5 in relation to this award in the Faculty.
Department Chair, Prof. Nicola de Jager was part of a panel at the University of Pretoria on current trends in African politics.
Stellenbosch University Japan Centre (SUJC) (directed by Prof Scarlet Cornelissen), in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), hosted a public lecture by Dr KITAOKA Shinichi, Former JICA President, on Japan’s modernisation and global development cooperation at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study on 11 October.