INAUGURAL ESSAY COMPETITION: 2026 CALL FOR ENTRIES
Housed in the School of Global Environmental Sustainability (SoGES), The Africa Center fosters social, economic, and environmental sustainability by uniting the sciences, arts, business, engineering and education to advance innovative resilient ecosystems, vibrant communities, and inclusive futures.
In February 2026, The Africa Center is excited to announce the introduction of an essay competition that reflects its mission themed with the phrase “Thinking the World from Africa,” launched into popular currency by Cameroonian philosopher Achille Mbembe, the 2024 recipient of the Holberg Prize. Known for books such as On the Postcolony (2001), Necropolitics (2011) and Brutalism (2020), Mbembe uses the phrase thinking the world from Africa as a deliberate epistemological and political inversion.
Instead of engaging with hegemonic approaches of thinking about Africa (usually as an object of study, a “problem,” a “dark continent,” or a place to be “developed” and explained from outside), Mbembe proposes to reverse the gaze: to use African historical experiences, ways of being, and forms of knowledge as the starting point for understanding the contemporary world as a whole.
This is not about creating an isolated “African perspective” or nativist withdrawal. Rather, it is a call to scrutinize historical dialogues which positioned the African continent as “periphery” to a hegemonic “center,” and to acknowledge a global society in which Africa is one of the key sites from which to rethink planetary conditions such as capitalism, race, technology, democracy, ecology, violence, and our shared human future.
Indeed, in thinking the world from Africa, Mbembe challenges us to ask: What can the history of racialized violence, extraction, and survival in Africa teach us about where our shared planet is heading?
With the above stated body of thought in mind, we invite CSU graduate students from Africa, the African diaspora, and individuals studying Africa-related topics to write an essay responding to the following prompt: In relation to a topic in your field of study, what would it mean to Think the World from Africa?
ELIGIBILITY
CSU graduate students from Africa, the African diaspora, and individuals studying Africa-related topics
SUBMISSION DEADLINE
Sunday, April 5 at 11:59 pm
HOW TO SUBMIT
Email completed essays to [email protected]
PRIZE
$300
EVALUATION RUBRIC / TOTAL: 100%
1. Conceptual Engagement with the Theme (25%)
Thinking the World from Africa as an Epistemological Lens
- Outstanding (21–25%)
Powerfully and consistently centers Africa as the primary lens for understanding global or planetary issues in the chosen field. Demonstrates a clear epistemological inversion that challenges hegemonic or Eurocentric frameworks. - Strong (16–20%)
Clearly engages the theme by centering African perspectives in meaningful ways, with evident understanding of Mbembe’s conceptual framing. - Developing (0–15%)
Engagement with the theme is limited or superficial; Africa appears mainly as context, case study, or example rather than as a starting point for analysis.
2. Originality, Critical Insight, and Vision (20%)
Innovation, Critique, and Transformative Thinking
- Outstanding (17–20%)
Presents bold, original, and visionary ideas with strong critique of dominant paradigms. Demonstrates independent thinking and offers transformative insights relevant to the field. - Strong (13–16%)
Shows meaningful originality and thoughtful critique, though ideas may build more closely on existing frameworks. - Developing (0–12%)
Limited originality or critical depth; ideas largely descriptive or derivative, with minimal challenge to prevailing assumptions.
3. Cross-Disciplinary Integration & Use of Evidence (15%)
Analytical Depth and Intellectual Breadth
- Outstanding (13–15%)
Seamlessly integrates perspectives across disciplines where appropriate. Analysis is deep, evidence-rich, and well-supported by relevant scholarship or empirical examples. - Strong (10–12%)
Effective use of evidence and some cross-disciplinary connections; analysis is coherent and persuasive. - Developing (0–9%)
Weak integration of evidence or disciplines; analysis lacks depth or rigor.
4. Relevance to Sustainability & Global Futures (15%)
Environmental, Economic, Social, Cultural, or Political Impact
- Outstanding (13–15%)
Clearly articulates how thinking the world from Africa reshapes understanding of sustainability or shared planetary futures, with strong potential impact. - Strong (10–12%)
Makes a plausible and relevant connection to sustainability or global challenges. - Developing (0–9%)
Sustainability relevance is vague, underdeveloped, or peripheral.
5. Ethical Engagement & Reflexivity (10%)
Positionality, Responsibility, and Respectful Knowledge Production
- Outstanding (9–10%)
Demonstrates exemplary reflexivity, ethical awareness, and respect for African histories, knowledges, and lived experiences. - Strong (7–8%)
Shows thoughtful ethical engagement and some reflexive awareness. - Developing (0–6%)
Minimal reflexivity or ethical consideration; potential issues in representation or positional awareness.
6. Writing Quality, Organization, and Clarity (15%)
Structure, Style, and Communication
- Outstanding (13–15%)
Writing is polished, engaging, and coherent. Essay is well-structured with a clear argument, strong flow, and excellent clarity. - Strong (10–12%)
Writing is clear and well-organized, with minor issues in flow or expression. - Developing (0–9%)
Noticeable problems with clarity, organization, structure, or academic writing conventions.
Performance Bands (Overall Score)
- Outstanding: 42–50
- Strong: 33–41
- Developing: 0–32