• Caitlin Blaser Mapitsa
• Lena Gutheil

The Politics of Translocality

Households in Southern Africa often migrate for work, education and services while maintaining economic, social and political ties to their rural homes. Drawing on a survey in seven countries, this policy brief analyses the effects of climate change on, and governance implications of, translocality.

doi:10.18449/2026MTA-PB47

• Zum Volltext (PDF) | 424 KB

Debating Trump 2.0 and Implications for Africa – The Multiple Pressures on Civil Society Organizations

The USAID cuts put strain on Africa’s underfunded civil society organizations and fuel debates about their legitimacy. While CSOs need to diversify their funding sources, European donors should invest in narratives that support an independent civil society and shift their funding to advocacy. 

• Lena Gutheil
• Dennis Mbugua Muthama

Localizing Development to the Grassroots: Potentials and Limits of Engaging with Community Groups

Amid rising restrictions on foreign funding, localization—directly funding local groups—is seen as a path to more effective, locally owned aid. This policy brief examines whether donors should shift support from large civil society organizations to grassroots community groups.

doi:10.18449/2025MTA-PB40

• Zum Volltext (PDF) | 307 KB

• Christine Hackenesch
• Lena Gutheil
• Tobias Heidland
• Emmanuel Nshakira-Rukundo
• Rainer Schweickert
• Denis M. Tull

Megatrends and the Future of Democracy in Africa. How Do the Youth Bulge, Urbanization and Digitalization Shape African Politics?

Africa’s future will be young, urban and digital, but will it be more democratic? This Working Paper explores how age, urbanization and access to social media shape African citizens’ political attitudes, their willingness to participate in democratic institutions, and forms of collective action.

doi:10.18449/2025MTA-WP16

• Zum Volltext (PDF) | 1,2 MB

• Lisa Tschörner
• Lena Gutheil

Megatrends Afrika: Schwierige Partner? Zusammenarbeit mit der Zivilgesellschaft in autoritären Staaten

Megatrends wie Globalisierung und Digitalisierung sind für den afrikanischen Kontinent Chancen, aber auch Herausforderungen. In dieser Folge der Podcast-Reihe »Megatrends Afrika« sprechen Lisa Tschörner und Lena Gutheil über die Kooperation mit zivilgesellschaftlichen Organisationen am Beispiel Niger.

• Lena Gutheil
• Lisa Tschörner

Working with Civil Society in Authoritarian Contexts? The Case of Niger

The recent wave of coups in the Sahel puts Western policy makers in a difficult situation: While they wish to maintain relations and vie for influence, they also want to avoid strengthening unconstitutional rule. Collaboration with civil society organizations (CSOs) who are supposedly closer to citizens, is currently discussed as a way out of the dilemma. However, this policy brief reveals that especially in authoritarian contexts, the lines between CSOs and the state are often blurred.

doi:10.18449/2024MTA-PB28v02

• Zum Volltext (PDF) | 299 KB