Africa-Middle East Studies (AMES)

Africa and the Middle East share a long and deeply interconnected history, shaped by centuries of cultural, political, and economic exchanges.

Today, both regions are increasingly central to global discussions around sustainable development, innovation, and social transformation. As such, they are fast becoming key focal points for international research and academic collaborations, particularly in areas such as climate change and sustainability, resource management, tourism, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cultural studies, health and wellbeing, migration, democratisation, digital marketing and more.

Research focused on Africa and the Middle East presents an important opportunity for York St John to advance its commitment to social justice and global engagement. It also provides a dynamic platform for fostering cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural collaborations within and beyond the university, amplifying the global relevance of our research.

The Africa–Middle East Studies (AMES) research group is a multidisciplinary network of York St John academics, research students, and professional staff from across various schools and the two campuses. We are united by a shared interest in the histories, cultures, challenges, and opportunities of the African and Middle Eastern regions. By bringing together diverse expertise, the group aims to nurture collaborative research at multiple levels, for example, local, regional, and international. This inclusive initiative seeks not only to expand research in and about these regions but also to develop sustainable partnerships and networks that enhance York St John's global footprint. Through the work of this group, we aim to contribute meaningfully to international scholarship and social impact.

In addition, this group will support York St John’s commitment to ensuring genuine equality of experience for all Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic students and staff through the Race and Equality Charter. It will also work in collaboration with, and be connected to, the Institute of Social Justice.

The group will meet monthly, and a key objective is to facilitate institutional partnerships with universities and organisations in Africa and the Middle East. We will also be promoting the organisation of conferences, special issue publications, and edited volumes on the regions.

Our aims

One of our key aims is to build strong linkages with universities across Africa to foster meaningful North–South collaborations. We also seek to engage with sister networks at other institutions, such as the Africa Network at the University of York, to strengthen inter-university partnerships and shared research goals.

The group includes a diverse range of colleagues whose research spans multiple disciplines, including sustainability, computing, public health, business, tourism, social science, international politics and more. Within the group, there are ongoing collaborations and successful grant-funded initiatives that focus ‘specifically on Africa. For example, Adekola and Lo secured British Academy International Writing Workshop to train ECR’s in Southern and East Africa.

Get in touch

As a multidisciplinary, cross-school research group, we welcome and support research across all academic areas particularly those that align with priority issues and opportunities in Africa and the Middle East. Any research with a focus on, or relevance to, the African or Middle Eastern regions is within the scope of the group.

We welcome contributions on topics related to Africa and/or the Middle East across a broad range of disciplines, including the social sciences, natural sciences, humanities, business and management, politics, climate science, medical sciences, and computer science.