Call for concept notes - Future horn, future Sudans: Multiple and competing centres

This XRF call for proposals will support the development of three to five research projects that explore the rise of multiple and competing centres in the Horn of Africa and beyond, and the implications for the future of the states in the region, and the nature of the state itself.

Research under this call is expected to deepen the body of XCEPT-supported work on contested borderlands in Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia and the wider Horn, including Horn-Red Sea dynamics. Comparative case examples from the conflict-affected areas of the Middle East and Asia, which help deepen insight on broader dynamics outlined here also are welcome.

Applicants are invited to propose research that explores the following primary question and related sub-questions:

How does the emergence of multiple centres in the Horn of Africa and Red Sea region reshape conflict dynamics?

Sub-themes and questions include:

1. Emergence and evolution: What drives the emergence of these centres? What dynamics drive their growth and under what conditions do they decline or disappear?

2. Economic drivers: How do shifting commodity chains, digital finance systems, diaspora revenue flows and other economic forces contribute to the rise or fall of these centres?

3. Maritime and security dimensions: What roles do maritime trade, port-centric investment, and regional security deployments (especially in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden) play in shaping these dynamics?

4. Political and social implications: How do these centres affect political settlements, centre-periphery relations, and incentives for violence? What are the implications for state formation and governance?

Proposals need not address all the above sub-questions. Applicants are encouraged to focus on aspects most relevant to their expertise or interest. However, all submissions should engage with the core theme related to the emergence of hubs / centres and their implications for conflict dynamics in the region. Additionally, all submissions also should indicate how research will surface actionable considerations for policy and programme responses. The latter may include how an understanding of multiple and competing centres might support more inclusive future political settlements and more sustainable conflict mitigation efforts.

Funding support up to £120,000 is available per award, depending on the scope of the research and methods employed.

Applications are welcome from both individuals and organisations.

Interested applicants can read more about this opportunity here:

https://www.xcept-research.org/grants_post/call-for-concept-notes-future-horn-future-sudans-multiple-and-competing-centres/

The deadline for submission is Thursday 25 September 2025, 10:00 BST