Call for Feminist Research Southern Africa on the Roots of Hate , 2026

Critical Feminist Researchers are being sought for in Southern Africa. Apply for NOOR’s Roots of Hate 2026 research consultancy. Investigate the rise of the far-right, extractivism, and anti-gender movements in Southern Africa.

NOOR, a global feminist think and do tank, is urgently calling for researchers to contribute to the Southern Africa cycle of Roots of Hate. This initiative is dedicated to building the power of gender justice and progressive movements to obstruct far-right agendas and advance transformative visions. We seek researchers, or teams of 2-3, with deep expertise and connection to the region to undertake crucial Feminist Research Southern Africa.

Across the globe, the far right—encompassing fascisms, authoritarianism, and fundamentalisms—has significantly entrenched its power. Despite anti-globalist rhetoric, these forces coordinate and share strategies transnationally. In response, feminist movements have consistently been at the forefront of identifying and analyzing these warning signs, which are fundamentally rooted in patriarchy and heteronormativity, making gender and sexuality central to their ideologies. We aim to amplify this vital work.

The Role of Feminist Research Southern Africa

The purpose of Noor’s regional short reports is to better equip feminist movements to expose and effectively oppose fascist and fundamentalist movements active locally and transnationally. The project aims to:

Amplify Actionable Research: Disseminate and amplify actionable research that unpacks the connections between these ideologies and patriarchy, utilizing a power analysis and a holistic socio-political-economic lens.

Inform Future Campaigns: Highlight and disseminate crucial information to inform future campaigns, toolkits, and collective learning programs within the network.

Address Information Gaps: Address gaps in information and feminist analysis on fundamentalist and fascist actors, tactics, discourses, and funding flows.

Understanding the Crisis in Southern Africa

In Southern Africa, the challenges are multi-layered, with intensifying authoritarianism, fundamentalism, extractivism, and xenophobia. These forces are deeply interwoven with the enduring legacies of colonialism and apartheid, the logics of racial capitalism, and the capture of state power by elites and transnational corporations.

Movements for social justice—including feminist, queer, Indigenous, labor, and climate justice groups—face escalating repression. This repression ranges from the criminalization of migration and securitized borders to anti-gender campaigns backed by evangelical networks and the silencing of land defenders opposing extractivist projects. Yet, these same movements are simultaneously building some of the most creative and resilient counterforces against authoritarian resurgence.

Key Themes for Feminist Research Southern Africa Contributions

Noor invites contributions that focus on one or more of the following critical areas, which reflect the necessary scope of Feminist Research Southern Africa:

• Religious Fundamentalisms, Neonationalism and Anti-Gender Movements: Examining their influence on policy, law, and everyday life.
• Extractivism and Corporate Capture: Investigating mining, oil, and agribusiness industries as drivers of authoritarian consolidation in countries like South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
• Militarization, Borders, and Migration: Focusing on the securitization of migration and the rise of xenophobic politics in South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana.
• Climate Collapse and Land Struggles: Analyzing the authoritarian exploitation of environmental disasters (like drought and cyclones) and land dispossession in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Lesotho.
• Afterlives of Apartheid and Colonialism: Investigating persistent structures of racial capitalism and settler colonialism, particularly in South Africa and Namibia.
• Resistance and Alternatives: Highlighting feminist, queer, Indigenous, labor, and climate justice organizing that builds cross-border solidarities and systemic alternatives.

Applying for the Roots of Hate Southern Africa Consultancy

Timeline:

Application Deadline: January 15, 2026

Onboarding: February 2026

Submission Deadline: June 2026

To Apply:

To be considered for the Roots of Hate Feminist Research Southern Africa 2026 role, please submit the following documents by January 15, 2026:

• A One-Page Proposal: This must outline your proposed research question(s), scope, and methodology. The proposal should reflect your understanding of the report’s goals and suggest a clear direction or focus area within the region.
• Suggested Timeline and Work Plan for the research project.
• A CV detailing your relevant experience.
• A Letter of Interest (maximum two pages): Explain your motivation for this work, your connection to the region or themes, and how your background aligns with Noor’s political vision and goals for this report.

Submission:

Please send all documents to: mbabker@wearenoor.org

Ensure the subject line includes: Roots of Hate southern Africa consultancy and your name.

We look forward to receiving your applications and collaborating on this crucial Feminist Research Southern Africa initiative.

For more information on this, please click HERE