Undergraduate Research & Scholarships

David Eick

Africa's Contemporary International Relations

This research examines how African states are responding to shifts in the global balance of power. Whereas the United States and former colonial powers dominated external relations in the decades following independence, the growing presence of China and emerging actors across the Middle East and Asia has expanded Africa’s options for trade, investment, and diplomatic engagement. Simultaneously, development on the African continent has rapidly increased the importance of intra-African ties. Rather than treating Africa as a passive arena, this project focuses on how African states are recalibrating partnerships to advance domestic interest in the face of regional and international power competitions.

Message To Sponsor

Conducting research is one of the rare moments where theoretical knowledge gained inside the classroom can be used to advance our practical understanding of the real world. Working on this project has allowed me to ask, test, and prove hypotheses that before were simply abstract concepts. Collecting trade, foreign investment, and maritime cooperation data has vastly expanded my pragmatic skillsets in data collection and analysis, while simultaneously increasing my grasp of international relations. I am immensely thankful to the donors that have made these opportunities possible -- they have truly been integral to my development as a student and researcher.