Call for Abstracts: 2027 CIDRA Conference Enablers and Impediments to Regional Integrations in Africa and Europe

The Centre for International Development and Regional Affairs (CIDRA), in collaboration with the Faculty of Humanities and the Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), South Africa, invites scholars, researchers and practitioners to submit abstracts for the 2027 CIDRA International Conference.

The conference will explore “Enablers and Impediments to Regional Integrations in Africa and Europe”, providing a comparative platform to examine the opportunities and challenges shaping regional integration across the two continents.

Conference Details

Venue: University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, South Africa
Conference Dates: 1–2 April 2027
Abstract Submission Deadline: 30 October 2026

Regional integration has long been pursued in Africa and Europe as a means of promoting peace, stability, economic growth and shared prosperity. While Europe has achieved significant levels of economic, political and social cooperation through the European Union, integration efforts in Africa continue through the African Union, Regional Economic Communities and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Yet both continents face important challenges. These include economic disparities, infrastructure gaps, overlapping regional institutions, security dynamics, migration pressures, nationalism, geopolitical uncertainty, differing national interests, and complex economic, diplomatic, policy and legal factors.

The conference seeks contributions that critically examine these dynamics and generate fresh insights and practical recommendations for advancing regional integration in Africa and Europe.

Key Themes

Contributions are invited across the following dimensions:

• Economic integration
• Security
• Policy
• Legal and regulatory frameworks
• Diplomacy
• Geopolitics
• Leadership
• Technology and innovation
• Socio-cultural and people-to-people relations

Submit Your Abstract

Abstracts should ideally present:

• An original and clearly defined research question
• The methods used
• Key findings
• The contribution to the literature

Abstracts should be no more than 500 words.

Abstract deadline: 30 October 2026

Full papers will be expected by 3 May 2027, one month after the conference. Selected high-quality papers will be considered for publication in a special issue of a peer-reviewed journal.

Submit your abstract:
https://forms.gle/Jssw5ZULHB8DiHis5

Queries: Prof Bhaso Ndzendze, Prof Siphamandla Zondi and Prof Elias Phaahla
Email: 4DPRU@uj.ac.za

Call of Papers 2027.pdf