Illiberal Religious Internationalism in Africa

Objective

This project investigates how global powers employ transnational interfaith networks as a key instrument of soft power in Africa. These networks—linking religious institutions, actors, and discourses across borders—play an increasingly strategic role in reshaping international alliances, particularly in postcolonial contexts where liberal norms are contested. Despite the growing prominence of such religious diplomacy, its role in international influence-building remains significantly underexplored. The project examines how Christian and Islamic institutions in East Africa participate in efforts to challenge dominant ideological paradigms. It identifies three domains where these challenges are most visible: secularism, cultural liberalism, and Western-centric knowledge systems. The analysis is grounded in local dynamics and investigates (1) the actors involved in interfaith soft power projects; (2) the discourses that legitimise or resist such initiatives; and (3) the strategies various stakeholders use to advance or counter influence via religious means. At its core, the project offers a novel theoretical framework centred on the concepts of cultural solidarity and recognition of conservative identities. This lens enables a deeper understanding of how moral and civilisational affinities are mobilised to forge new political imaginaries that cut across traditional geopolitical divides.