Africa Studies

About the Program

Africa is home to the world’s youngest population, with more than 60 percent under the age of 25. Yet across the continent, these young Africans face barriers that limit their ability to shape their future. In many countries, military coups and authoritarian crackdowns have reversed democratic progress. Armed conflicts in places like Niger, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have displaced millions, while extremist groups such as Boko Haram, al-Shabaab, and ISIS affiliates continue to recruit and terrorize communities. Economic growth has not translated into enough jobs, leaving educated young Africans unemployed. At the same time, climate change and violent conflicts have worsened hunger, with entire regions facing food crises that threaten stability. Education systems struggle to keep pace with population growth, leaving classrooms overcrowded, higher education underfunded, and millions of youth without the skills they need to compete in a changing global economy.

Africa Studies examines these challenges directly, providing evidence-based research and policy recommendations to African governments, regional bodies such as the African Union and ECOWAS, international development partners, and youth-led organizations. Our work focuses on strengthening electoral integrity, countering violent extremism, reducing youth unemployment through entrepreneurship and skills training, improving agricultural productivity to fight hunger, and expanding access to quality primary, secondary, and higher education.

Key Research Areas

  • Africa’s schools and training programs often fail to connect young people to jobs. We study how funding gaps, weak vocational pipelines, and skills mismatches leave graduates underemployed, and test policies that directly link education to labor demand.

  • In many African countries, flawed elections and limited representation push youth away from politics. We track how electoral systems, civic restrictions, and corruption shape youth trust, and evaluate reforms that give young people real influence in governance.

  • Conflict, climate shocks, and weak economies drive mass youth displacement within and beyond Africa. We examine how asylum systems, refugee camps, and border policies affect security, schooling, and work for displaced youth.

  • Millions of young Africans abroad send remittances, build networks, and push for change at home. We study how diaspora engagement in education, business, and advocacy shapes opportunities on the continent, and where policy can amplify these contributions.

Our Contribution

Babel Institute’s Africa Studies program develops solutions to the most pressing challenges facing Africa’s youth. We analyze how governance, economic, food, and education policies impact young people and highlight where they fall short. Drawing on African scholars, youth-led organizations, and regional expertise, we craft alternative approaches that are practical, measurable, and grounded in lived experience. Our findings are published in policy briefs and shared through youth-driven forums, ensuring that decision-makers across Africa and the international community have clear, actionable recommendations shaped by the continent’s rising generation.

Publications

Get Involved

The United States Studies program advances its work through collaboration.

Students and Young Professionals: Contribute to research and publications as fellows, interns, or youth contributors.

Supporters and Donors: Provide resources that allow us to expand our research and amplify the voices of young Americans in policymaking.

Educators and Community Leaders: Partner with us to bring local insights into national debates and help test policy ideas on the ground.

For more information about how to participate or support the program, contact us at info@babelinstitute.us