The John and Elnora Ferguson Centre for African Studies

About JEFCAS

The John and Elnora Ferguson Centre for African Studies (JEFCAS) has been based in the Division of Peace Studies and International Development (PSID) at the University of Bradford since 2002 and funded by the Allan & Nesta Ferguson Trust since 2005. Its current mission is to support academic and applied research, teaching and knowledge transfer concerning Africa within the University academic theme of Sustainable Societies.

African people dancing and others looking on

JEFCAS Mission

The John & Elnora Ferguson Centre for African Studies (JEFCAS) has been based in the Division of Peace Studies and International Development (PSID) at the University of Bradford since 2002 and funded by the Allan & Nesta Ferguson Trust since 2005. The centre is widely-known for its focus on academic and applied research, teaching and knowledge transfer concerning conflict and peace in Africa. In line with its historic focus and the original intent of the Trust grant but expanding on these themes, the centre now focuses on Africa in three broad core areas – peace, security and conflict; sustainable development and the environment; and culture and heritage. This focus marks it out as distinct from other Africa Study Centres in the UK, which can struggle to continue with their wider-ranging remits.

These core areas are also broad and inclusive of multi-disciplinary areas across the university, and present important elements within the University’s theme of Sustainable Societies and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The theme of Sustainable Societies supports growth in economic, political and relational well-being for current and future generations through innovative research and teaching and knowledge transfer programmes.

JEFCAS invites colleagues from across the university who are participating in teaching, research or knowledge transfer on issues and processes directly related to Africa and encourages engagement from students particularly at postgraduate level. The centre focuses on rigorous academic work and plays a key role in fostering the research, teaching and knowledge transfer environment in the university through seminars, conferences and student-staff engagement. It stimulates and facilitates publications, knowledge transfer and grant applications. Finally, JEFCAS functions as a national, regional and international centre of excellence and seeks to build on its existing position in networks such as the Yorkshire Africa Study Network and relations with many institutions in Africa such as the African Union and the International Peace-keeping Support Training Centre; sub-regional organisations in Africa, for instance ECOWAS; national and sub-regional police organisations such as the Sierra Leone Police; and numerous universities and research institutes in Africa. It also seeks to encourage researchers and practitioners outside the university to take a role as Associates.

In order to facilitate transparent management and to make informed decisions, the JEFCAS Director is supported by a Management Committee and an Advisory Board.

JEFCAS Themes

JEFCAS is a multidisciplinary centre located within the university’s academic theme of Sustainable Societies which supports growth in economic, political and relational well-being for current and future generations through innovative research and teaching and knowledge transfer programmes.

The centre focuses exclusively on Africa and on work in three broad core areas:

Peace, security and conflict;
Sustainable development and the environment; and
Culture and heritage.

Many university disciplines and inter-disciplinary work can be situated within these themes, such as in the following examples:

International relations – aid, trade, trafficking, relations with old and new world powers, and regional blocs
Politics – government, democracy, civil society, state reform, security sector reform, and conflict
Development – aid, trade, governance, health, education, infrastructure, and the environment
Economics - work, economic growth, poverty reduction, and war economies
Psychology - war trauma, health and well-being
Management – Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, and counterfeit goods
Law – Responsibility to Protect, International Humanitarian Law, the International Criminal Court and other tribunals, and International Development Law
Life Sciences - digital humanitarianism, and forensic post-conflict investigations
Engineering – water, sanitation, and agriculture
Archaeology – understanding and protecting architectural and cultural heritage
Health – good health and well-being
Gender – cross-cutting all of the above