African Demography
Research in Africa has flourished in recent years, so that today, the PSTC’s involvement in research in Africa is distinctive among population centers. Forty percent of PSTC associates are involved in research projects in Africa. PSTC involvement in Africa spans the disciplines and is characterized by substantial involvement in primary data collection, policy-relevance, training and mentoring, and capacity-building activities.
The PSTC collaborates with 12 African research institutions and universities in six countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, South Africa).
The PSTC is an active participant in the Wits-Brown-Colorado-APHRC consortium, which includes two US population centers (Brown and the University of Colorado, Boulder) and two African institutions (University of Witwatersrand in South Africa and the African Population and Health Research Center in Kenya). The goal is to promote African demography and the enhancement of population infrastructure in Africa, through exchange among scholars and staff at participating institutions. Annually, associated scholars participate in a lively two-day colloquium held at a member institution that includes paper presentations, panel discussions on organizational and ethical issues, and collaborative research meetings. Five colloquia have been held thus far; a sixth will be held in South Africa in July 2008.
In addition to its research activities, the PSTC has had a strong training and mentoring presence in sub-Saharan Africa. Many current and recent graduate students have conducted original research in Africa. Additionally, 7 current PSTC trainees are African students. The PSTC's African institutional partners and alumni networks help to identify promising young African scholars. The PSTC has a strong record of placing African alumni in key research and policy positions.
The map below provides a visual depiction of PSTC research engagement in Africa, and highlights countries where PSTC faculty and graduate students have a research presence.
PSTC Research in Africa
