We are excited to announce that the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) is officially launching the African Peacebuilding and Developmental Dynamics (APDD) Program—the newly rebranded initiative that brings together the strengths and legacies of the African Peacebuilding Network (APN) and Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa (Next Gen) programs. This rebrand marks an exciting new chapter in our collective work. APDD builds on over a decade of advancing African-led research on peacebuilding, governance, and development, while expanding the program’s reach and visibility.

The African University Seminar Series, South Africa (AUSS-SA), was hosted from September 18 to 19, 2025, at the University of the Witwatersrand, in partnership with the University of Johannesburg. Under the theme “South Africa at the Crossroads: Reflections on Inequality, Peacebuilding, Security, and Development,” conveners invited current and former APN and Next Gen fellows based in South Africa to showcase their research and collaborate.

This is a tribute to Prof. Maxi Schoeman, a founding member of the APN and Next Gen Advisory Board, who recently passed away on September 14, 2025. The tribute is written by Ruth Murambadoro (APN IRF 2022, Next Gen 2015 - 2018). The full tribute is linked below on Kujenga Amani.

The Council is excited to announce that a new grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York will support our African Peacebuilding Network and Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa (APN and Next Gen) program. Over 840 fellowships have been awarded since the program’s inception to support independent African research on peacebuilding, doctoral education, and knowledge dissemination on the continent, including 563 Next Gen fellowships and 277 APN fellowships.

The Social Science Research Council’s (SSRC) African Peacebuilding Network (APN) and Next Generation (Next Gen) Social Sciences in Africa Program, in collaboration with the University of Mauritius, held a Regional …

The Social Science Research Council’s (SSRC) African Peacebuilding Network (APN) and Next Generation (Next Gen) Social Sciences in Africa Program, in collaboration with the University of Mauritius, held the 2025 …

The SSRC is excited to announce the 2025 cohort of fellows for the African Peacebuilding Network (APN) and Next Gen Social Sciences in Africa (Next Gen) program. This year’s cohort will conduct expert research on diverse topics including policy for localizing digital technology, the impacts of the lithium rush in Zimbabwe, and depictions of women in African cinemas of conflict. In this year’s competitive selection process, APN awarded 20 Individual Research Fellowships and 1 Research Policy Fellowship, and Next Gen awarded 37 fellowships across three categories, including 9 Dissertation Proposal Fellowships, 17 Dissertation Research Fellowships, and 11 Dissertation Completion Fellowships.

The Social Science Research Council’s (SSRC) African Peacebuilding Network and Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa (APN and Next Gen) program, in collaboration with the Institute for Peace and Security …

Held as part of the 2025 Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS) Annual Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya (June 23-25), the SSRC’s APN and Next Gen Program brought together …

The Social Science Research Council’s African Peacebuilding Network (APN) and the Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa (Next Gen) program sponsored a panel of current and former fellows, on the …