The project addresses three gaps in our knowledge and understanding of contemporary African history:
Lack of empirical and theoretically informed research into South Sudan’s history since 1955.
Insufficient attention given to comparative and regional studies of the history of conflict and peace-building in the Horn of Africa and Eastern Africa.
Few attempts at using the example of case study research to critically assess general theories related to the study of civil war.
The project is a collaborative effort among a team of researchers applying a multi-disciplinary and comparative approach using a wide range of sources and methodologies. The African Studies Centre at University of Oxford is an institutional partner. The main outcome of the project is:
- A set of book chapters and academic articles on political violence in the Horn of Africa and Eastern Africa in the period 1950-1970.
- A monograph on civil wars and peace processes in South Sudan since 1955.
- A PhD dissertation on South Sudan’s recent history.