ABOUT THE CENTRE

Centre for Social and Political Research (CSPR) is a multidisciplinary research unit established in 2018 to provide a platform for members of the Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE) to effectively engage in research and community outreach services. CSPR intends to promote democratic values and good governance through multidisciplinary research and public dialogue. In particular, CSPR seeks to promote academic-society linkages through research-informed dialogue, policy engagement, and community outreach. CSPR takes a methodologically pluralistic and multidisciplinary approach, embracing any topic relevant to the study of social and political issues. CSPR’s commitment to multi-disciplinarity offers its members and affiliates excellent opportunities for networking and collective reflection. 

Researchers at CSPR contribute broadly to scholarship in a number of areas such as democracy, governance, gender, development evaluation, education policy and management, public administration, development ethics, history, anthropology, just to mention a few. In pursuit of its goals, the Centre is involved in the organization of both national and international conferences and workshops. Furthermore, it seeks to establish and enhance networks, links and collaborations in the areas of research and community outreach programmes such as training and capacity building to communities and institutions in areas that CSPR and DUCE have enough expertise.

CSPR LEADERSHIP

CSPR is led by the Steering committee which is responsible for overseeing the Centre’s activities. The day-to-day administration of CSPR is done by the Management team, which is led by the Coordinator.

Current members of the Steering Committee

                                                                                                                                                                                                       

1. Prof. Amani M. Lusekelo (Co-opted Member)                                                     2. Dr. Frank J. Mateng’e (Chairperson of the Steering Committee)                        

 

                                                                                          

3. Dr. Martin B. Mwaihuti (Member)                                                                        4,  Dr. Nives K. Ngullu (Member)

 

                                                                                          

5. Dr. John S. Kihamba (Member)                                                                           6. Dr. Samwel S. Mhajida (Member)

 

Current Members of the CSPR’s Management Team

                                                                                                      

1. Dr. Almas F. Mazigo (CSPR Coordinator)                                                            2. Dr. Stephano L. Ayo (CSPR Assistant Coordinator: Research and Public Service)

 

3. Dr. Peter S. Semiono (CSPR Assistant Coordinator: Education and Capacity Building)

 

VISION

To become a research centre of excellence for innovative and transformative education, training, research, and public service.

MISSION

To advance socio-economic development, human rights and democratic values through effective research, training, innovation and knowledge exchange.

 

CORE FUNCTIONS

The Core Functions of the CSPR include:

• Conducting research and disseminating research-based knowledge for national development.
• Providing mentorship to staff and fostering networks between staff and visiting scholars researchers, and professionals from local and foreign institutions.
• Providing supervision and training support for research students.
• Organizing and facilitating regular science-policy-practice dialogues.
• Developing and sustaining research links and collaboration with other research institutions.
• Responding to societal needs through public service and community engagement.

 

THEMATIC RESEARCH AREAS

• Social, political, economic and environmental history
• Democratization processes, public administration and management
• Development planning, monitoring and evaluation
• Public health and social services delivery
• Natural resource management, climate change and human security
• Gendering social, political and economic processes
• Culture, heritage and ethics

 

RESEARCH CLUSTERS

• Digital Governance and Innovation (DiGI)
• Governmentality and Political Economy (GOPE)
• Public Administration and Management Reforms (PAMARE)
• Cultures and Ethics of Sustainability (CESU)
• Peasantry and Rural Livelihood (PERULI)
• Urbanization, Social and Environmental History (USEHI)
• Decentralization, Governance and Public Health (DEGOPU)
• Intellectual History, Ethnic and Gender Studies (IHEGE)

 

PROJECTS

CSPR has been involved in different projects in the domain of social and political research.

Some recent projects include:

SN	Reg. No.	Title of the Project	Project Investigators	Start Date	End Date	Funder
	XXX	Tanzania General Election Observation Project (GEOP) 2020	Dr. Frank Mateng’e (PI) Dr. John Kihamba (Co-PI) Dr. Edwin Babeiya Dr. Almas Mazigo Dr. Victoria Makulilo Dr. Samwel Mhajida Dr. Peter Semiono	Jul 2020	Nov 2020	Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE)
	DUCE-20035	Examining Sustainable Business Practices of Profit-making Enterprises in Tanzania	Dr. Almas Mazigo (PI) Mr. Sheu Mtabazi	2020	2021	University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM)
	DUCE-20038	Decentralizing Procurement Process to Local Government Authorities in Tanzania: Exploring Accountability and Ethical Questions	Dr. John Kihamba (PI) Dr. Frank Mateng’e Dr. Almas Mazigo Dr. Nives Kinunda	2020	2021	University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM)
	DUCE-20040	Examining Cultural and Ethical Resources for Fostering Responsible Climate Change Management: Learning Wisdom of Coastline Communities of Tanzania	Dr. Emiliana Mwita (PI) Dr. Almas Mazigo Dr. Julius Mngumi Dr. Doroth Mosha	2020	2021	University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM)
	DUCE-20147	State and Local Responses to Health Pandemics in Tanzania, 1890s – 2020	Dr. Samwel Mhajida (PI) Dr. Iddy Magoti, Dr. Victoria Makulilo Ms.Yovita Vakolavene	2020	2021	University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM)
	DUCE-20144	Innovating Service Delivery Systems in Public Utilities: Examining the Role of E-Services in Tanzania during the outbreak of COVID 19	Dr. Frank Mateng'e (PI) Dr. John Kihamba Mr. Hussein Kapuya	2020	2021	University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM)
	DUCE-20127	The Implications of COVID-19 on Higher Education Financing: Accessibility and Recoveries of Students’ Loans in Tanzania	Dr. Victoria Makulilo (PI) Mr. Conrad Masabo Mr. Shafii Kanju Ms. Letitia Gabriel	2020	2021	University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM)
	DUCE-20142	Socio-economic Changes on Women Entrepreneurs Movements in Tanzania During the COVID 19 Pandemic: The Case of Makete District	Dr. Nives Ngullu (PI) Dr. Severine Kessy Ms. Hija Urassa	2020	2021	University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM)
	DUCE-21051	Small-Scale Fisheries, Governance and Transformative Social Innovations in the Indian Ocean Region	Dr. Almas Mazigo (DUCE, Tanzania) (PI) Prof. Johan Hattingh (SU, South Africa) Prof. Kyoko Kusakabe (AIT, Thailand) Prof. Mohammad Islam (SAU, Bangladesh) Ms. Sariaka Rakotondrazafy (Madagascar) Prof. Sunil Santha (TISS, India) Dr. Julius Mngumi (DUCE, Tanzania) Prof. Moenieba Isaacs (UWC, South Africa)	Sept 2021	Sep 2022	Social Science Research Council (SSRC) in the  USA
	DUCE-22125	Environmental Refugees: Climate, Health and Livelihood in the Indian Ocean World	Dr. Debojyoti Das, (University of Sussex, UK) (PI) Dr. Simi Mehta, (IMPRI, India) Prof Bina Sengar, (India) Dr. Upasona Ghosh, (India) Dr. Almas Mazigo (DUCE, Tanzania) (Co-PI) Shababa Haque, (ICCAD, Bangladesh) Dr. Victoria Makulilo (DUCE, Tanzania) Dr. Daniel Zacarias (Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique)	Sep 2021	Sep 2022	Social Science Research Council (SSRC) in the USA
	XXXX	Building Capacities for Development Evaluation (BUCADE)	Dr. Almas Mazigo (DUCE,) (Co-PI) Dr Frank Mateng’e (DUCE) Prof. Robin Lin Miller (MSU) (PI) Prof, Donna Rae Podems (MSU) Prof Ana Coghlan (MSU)	Nov 2021	Nov 2022	Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) in the USA
	DUCE-HPDS22155	Towards Cultural-Rooted Climate Change Interventions in the Coastal Communities of Tanzania.	Dr. Almas Mazigo (PI) Dr. Emiliana Mwita Dr. Maregesi Machumu Dr. Jovitha Mayega	April 2022	April 2023	UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

 

LINKS AND PARTNERSHIPS

CSPRS has established links with various universities, research centres and institutions including:

• University of Cyril Methodius, Slovakia
• Michigan State University, USA
• University of Wroclaw, Poland

 

ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS