About the Centre
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The Exeter Centre for Research on Africa (ECRA) is an interdisciplinary community of researchers working on Africa, and on its relationships with the rest of the world. We undertake innovative, cross-disciplinary research throughout the continent, across the humanities, arts and social sciences, and in collaboration with colleagues in health, environment and life sciences. Our researchers pursue critical and cutting-edge theoretical and empirical approaches that place African experiences at the centre of our study and are guided by principles of interdisciplinarity, collaboration, sustainable research and the co-production of knowledge.
ECRA is committed to supporting transformative models of global North-Africa research collaboration that work to redress the unequal power structures embedded in academic knowledge production. We acknowledge the privileges we benefit from due to our position within a Global North university. We have a strong commitment to supporting the development of the next generations of African researchers, and researchers working on Africa, particularly through our postgraduate research community.
Aims
ECRA will:
- Provide a supportive and inclusive cross-disciplinary research environment for scholars working on Africa and its relationship with global and diasporic communities
- Work together to develop innovative, ethical and sustainable approaches to research on, with, and for Africa
- Support the development of postgraduate and early-career African researchers and those working on Africa
- Develop collaborative research and training partnerships with African institutions
- Collaborate on the development of cross-departmental Master modules and both PGT and PGR programme offerings.
Our research themes
ERCA members conduct research across multiple research fields and countries in Africa, but we have particular research strengths and interests in the following thematic areas:
- Creative African Economies
- Heritage, Environment & Conservation
- Peace, Justice & Equality
- Development and Good Governance
- Research Methods, Ethics and Indigenous Knowledge Economies
ECRA members also contribute to Exeter’s Strategy 2030 research themes of:
- Health and Wellbeing
- Climate Emergency and Ecological Crisis and creating
- Fair, Socially Justice and Inclusive Societies
Contact us
Contact us at ecra-africa@exeter.ac.uk
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