52. Geopolitical dynamics in Africa

Africa is in the geopolitical spotlight, the scene of active competition between major global players. In the context of this panel, geopolitics is understood as politics applied to geographical spaces from a power perspective (Nóbrega, 2021), but also as the discursive component of this spatialization of politics (Ó Tuathiail & Agnew, 1992). The aim is to reconcile two influential theoretical perspectives in a panel that aims to debate African geopolitical issues and reflect on the concept of geopolitics itself. Some of the continent’s most important geopolitical issues have been the focus of research. There are geopolitical reflections on themes such as the great colonial projects (Lorin & Gemeaux, 2013, anti-colonial thinking and subaltern geopolitics (Ferretti, 2021); the problem of borders (Ramutsindela, 1999), neutralism, the rivalries between the powers of the Cold War (Sangare, 1991), the third wave of democratization (Nóbrega, 2015), migration issues, food security and climate challenges. In addition, the geopolitics of conflicts, resources and issues related to large spaces such as the Sahel (TAJE, 2010), the Gulf of Guinea (Veríssimo, 2016) and the Great Lakes (Baregu, 2011; Miranda, 2018) stand out. The new race to Africa, which presents a greater number and diversity of actors involved in the strategic competition for the continent compared to the past, is undoubtedly a prominent area of research. Perhaps less explored, but no less interesting for geopolitical knowledge, is the analysis of the geopolitical agency of African leaders in the pursuit of their interests and objectives at local, regional and beyond the African continent. Countries such as Senegal, Nigeria, Angola, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Rwanda, Togo and Ivory Coast are examples of this agency capacity. They are by no means unique. The aim is to bring together papers of a geopolitical nature on current or historical African issues, shedding light on the actions and objectives of the players involved. A non-exclusive list of some of the topics that could be covered by the papers is given below: – Pre-colonial geopolitics; – Colonial geopolitical projects; – Anti-colonialism and subaltern geopolitical thinking; – Geopolitics of Africa’s great spaces (Sahel, Maghreb, Horn of Africa, Gulf of Guinea, etc.)) – Geopolitics of resources – Geopolitics of the great powers and middle powers in Africa – Geopolitics of regional and pan-African organizations – Geopolitics of African state and non-state actors – Geopolitics of major non-state actors in the African context (International Organizations / multinationals) – Geopolitics of conflicts – Given the Iberian Congress, the analysis of geopolitical relations between Iberian and African countries is of particular interest.