Historical and contemporary centres of power in Sudan

Lead researchers: Alden Young, Muez Ali

Partner: Yale University

Duration: January 2026 – December 2026

Countries: Sudan

Archival research and analysis of historical maps will be used to trace how understandings of the state have evolved across the greater Nile Valley over several centuries. The project will chart the shifting centres of power in Sudan since the eighteenth century, before assessing the extent to which present and future patterns of state fragmentation can be anticipated by examining the region’s eighteenth‑ and nineteenth‑century pre‑colonial state systems. Historical findings will be complemented by consultations and convenings with Sudanese academics and experts to situate the analysis within contemporary political realities.

For more information regarding this research, contact [email protected]