As part of an ambitious and multi-year research program led by the Center for Strategic Studies, the journal Dounia is preparing a double issue dedicated to the study of war, to be published by L’Harmattan. This project aims to open a broad and collective intellectual space for critically examining war in all its dimensions: its causes, forms, memories, actors, consequences, and contemporary transformations—particularly in the African context.
We hereby invite scholars from all disciplines—political science, history, law, sociology, anthropology, economics, literature, mathematics, engineering, medicine, mental health, and more—to contribute to this reflection. The goal is to think war from Africa, by Africa, and for Africa, drawing especially on the Congolese experience, in order to develop a strategic knowledge that is original, relevant, and bold.
All the themes proposed in the attached document may serve as the basis for full articles or research proposals. This initiative seeks to establish a lasting African research network focused on conflict and security, one that can inform current challenges and contribute meaningfully to global debates.
This project is rooted in the conviction that building a deep, multidisciplinary, and sustained African reflection on war is both urgent and necessary. The forthcoming double issue of Dounia, a strategic journal published by L’Harmattan, will serve as a foundation for this effort. We extend an urgent invitation to African researchers—particularly Congolese scholars, whether civilian, military, or police—to engage with this critical theme. For if we, as Africans and Congolese, do not study war in all its forms and transformations, what else can we claim to study with greater urgency and legitimacy?
Please circulate this call widely and engage your networks. An African-led and Africa-centered research initiative on war is not only possible—it is essential.
Please refer to the attached document:
Rethinking War from Africa: A Strategic Imperative, an Intellectual Duty