The Institute recently wrapped up its fifteenth year of annual field courses, which were held this year in May and June in Kenya. The one-week intensive courses covered an array of historical and contemporary issues in the Horn of Africa, Sudan and…
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The Rift Valley Institute is pleased to announce the seventh Juba Lecture Series under the theme of ‘Everyday Economies: Historical Perspectives and Present-day Realities in South Sudan’. The lectures will take place from 3:00pm – 5:30pm on 19 and 20 November…
In June and July, the Rift Valley Institute will hold the 2019 annual field courses in Ethiopia. Now in their sixteenth year, each course examines a different sub-region within eastern and central Africa: Sudan and South Sudan, the Great Lakes and the Horn of Africa. They…
In early 2019, RVI moved to new offices in Hai Kuwait, Juba. While we were sorry to leave behind our previous premises and generous hosts at the Catholic University of South Sudan, we are excited about the opportunities the…
This blog post was written by Alden Young and Naomi Pendle, the Co-Directors of Studies for the Rift Valley Institute’s Sudan and South Sudan Course, which will be taking place in Ethiopia from 24-28 June 2019. Alden and Naomi will be…
The Rift Valley Institute is pleased to announce that RVI Fellow, Aly Verjee, has been awarded the 2019 Oslo Forum Peacewriter Prize for his article, ‘Monitoring Ceasefires is Getting Harder: Greater Innovation is Required’. Aly Verjee is currently a Visiting Expert…
This blog post was written by Nicki Kindersley and Magdi el-Gizouli, the Co-Directors of Studies for the Rift Valley Institute’s Sudan and South Sudan Course, which will be taking place in Sagana, Kenya from 20-25 May 2018. The course…
Marol Academy is a community primary school in Southern Sudan, in Warab state. It opened in 2008 with 350 students and seven teachers. Founded by Dr Jok Madut Jok, an RVI Fellow born in Warab, the Academy is one…
RVI Fellow Conradin Perner (Kwacakworo), was awarded the Yellow Star medal by the President of the Republic of South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit shortly after South Sudan's independence day. A renowned ethnographer of the Anyuak and a founder of…
In an interview with Sudan Radio, RVI Fellow Alfred Sebit Lokuji of the University of Juba makes a suggestion for the resolution of the border disputes between Sudan and South Sudan: consult the people who live there."One way to…
Recent Publications
Effectiveness of Women in Politics and Improving Gender Equality in South Sudan
May 2, 2025
This report argues that, in order to improve women’s participation in politics and promote gender-responsive policies in the country, there is a need to enlarge government capacity for women’s leadership by introducing equal gender quotas for decision-making positions. Summary Women’s

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Post-2018 Ethiopia: Navigating church–state and inter-religious dynamics
April 4, 2025
This report examines the complex and shifting situation of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) in post-2018 Ethiopia, highlighting its struggle to maintain influence amid political, social and religious changes. In addition to examining both the current EOTC relationship with

Thinking about Borderlands: Observations and implications from XCEPT programme research
March 31, 2025
Do the ways in which policymakers and national governments view borderlands reflect how the communities living there experience them? Building on this, can a better understanding of the characteristics of borderlands help in promoting development, improving governance and making more