Project description
Faith, soft power and global influence in Africa
As global powers use religious diplomacy to shape influence in postcolonial regions, the role of transnational interfaith networks in reshaping alliances and contesting liberal norms in Africa remains insufficiently understood. The ERC-funded IRInA project examines how Christian and Islamic institutions in East Africa participate in efforts to challenge dominant ideological paradigms. It identifies areas where these challenges are found: secularism, cultural liberalism and Western-centric knowledge systems. The analysis is grounded in local dynamics and investigates the actors involved in interfaith soft power projects, the discourses and the strategies stakeholders use to advance or counter influence via religious means. The findings will show how moral and civilisational affinities can create political imaginaries that cut across traditional geopolitical divides.
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.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1012WX Amsterdam
Netherlands
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.