# Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa

> research institute

**Wikidata**: [Q2044761](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2044761)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_for_the_Development_of_Social_Science_Research_in_Africa)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/council-for-the-development-of-social-science-research-in-africa

## Summary
The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) is a research institute established in 1973 and headquartered in Dakar, Senegal. It serves as a pan-African organization dedicated to advancing social science research across the African continent. CODESRIA is a member of the International Science Council and receives significant funding from organizations including the Open Society Foundations.

## Key Facts
- Founded in 1973
- Headquarters located in Dakar, Senegal
- Geographic coordinates: 14.690277777777778, -17.45888888888889
- Short name: CODESRIA
- Classified as a research institute and organization
- Member of the International Science Council
- Website available in English (https://codesria.org/?lang=en) and French (https://codesria.org/?lang=fr)
- Open Funder Registry ID: 501100001902
- ROR ID: 02rs18x11
- GRID ID: grid.469327.d
- ISNI: 0000000114010777
- Library of Congress Authority ID: n82218433
- Wikipedia presence in 7 languages: Commons, English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese

## FAQs

### What is CODESRIA's primary mission?
CODESRIA exists to generate new knowledge through systematic investigation in the social sciences, focusing specifically on African contexts and challenges. As a dedicated research institute, it concentrates resources and talent on inquiry rather than teaching or commercial ends.

### Where is CODESRIA located?
CODESRIA is headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, at coordinates 14.690277777777778 latitude and -17.45888888888889 longitude. The organization has been based in Senegal since its inception in 1973.

### Who funds CODESRIA?
The Open Society Foundations has provided multiple grants to CODESRIA, totaling over $1.1 million between 2016 and 2023. Grants have supported general operations, research on democratization processes, justice and reparations initiatives, and special projects such as analyzing the trial of former Chadian President Hissène Habré.

### What international affiliations does CODESRIA hold?
CODESRIA is a member of the International Science Council, the global organization that brings together natural and social sciences. The organization is registered in multiple international identifier systems including VIAF, CiNii, JSTOR, and MUSE publisher databases.

## Why It Matters
CODESRIA represents a critical infrastructure for advancing social science knowledge production in and about Africa. As a pan-African research institute, it addresses the imbalance in global knowledge production by centering African perspectives, researchers, and methodologies. The organization's substantial funding from major foundations like Open Society Foundations demonstrates international recognition of its importance in supporting African-led scholarship.

The institute's focus on pressing continental issues—such as democratization processes, state capacity, justice, and reparations—positions it as a key contributor to policy-relevant research that can inform governance and development across African nations. Its support for research on the trial of former Chadian President Hissène Habré exemplifies its role in documenting and analyzing significant transitional justice moments in African history.

By operating as an independent research institute rather than a university department or think tank, CODESRIA can pursue long-term, in-depth research projects while maintaining a distinctly African scholarly voice in global academic discourse.

## Notable For
- Being one of Africa's preeminent pan-African social science research institutes
- Receiving over $1.1 million in grants from Open Society Foundations between 2016 and 2023
- Maintaining bilingual operations with English and French websites
- Membership in the International Science Council, linking African scholarship to global scientific networks
- Continuous operation since 1973, representing over 50 years of supporting African social science research
- Registration in over 20 international academic and library identifier systems
- Wikipedia presence across 7 languages, indicating international scholarly recognition

## Body

### Founding and Location
The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa was established in 1973. Its headquarters are located in Dakar, Senegal, at geographic coordinates 14.690277777777778 latitude and -17.45888888888889 longitude. The organization has maintained its Senegalese base throughout its operational history.

### Organizational Classification
CODESRIA is classified as both an organization and a research institute—an entity whose primary purpose is to conduct research. Unlike universities that combine teaching and research missions, CODESRIA exists specifically to generate new knowledge through systematic investigation in the social sciences. This classification is recognized by the International Labour Organization and cataloged in multiple library and knowledge organization systems.

### Governance and Leadership
The organization has received designated funding for its leadership, including a 2018 grant of $160,000 from Open Society Foundations to support a special fund for Executive Secretary Godwin Murunga, aimed at enhancing his ability to further the charitable and educational work of the Council.

### International Memberships
CODESRIA holds membership in the International Science Council, the global organization that unites natural and social scientists worldwide. This membership connects African social science research to broader international scientific networks and collaborative opportunities.

### Funding History
The Open Society Foundations has served as a significant funder, with documented grants including:
- **2023**: $500,000 to forge a strong and united front in the pursuit of justice and reparations for Africans through knowledge generation, comprehensive database creation, stakeholder convening, and dialogues
- **2020**: $215,000 to provide general support
- **2020**: $110,000 to examine manifestations and impact of how state capacity issues affect democratization processes in Africa
- **2018**: $160,000 for a special fund supporting Executive Secretary Godwin Murunga's work
- **2016**: $135,000 to host a research project analyzing the impact of the trial of former Chadian President Hissène Habré

### Digital Presence and Publications
CODESRIA maintains a bilingual web presence at codesria.org with English and French language options. The organization is registered as a publisher in multiple academic databases:
- JSTOR Publisher ID: codesria
- MUSE Publisher ID: 359
- Romeo Publisher ID: 322
- Hoopla Publisher IDs: 1818627615, 1607370111

### International Identifier Systems
CODESRIA maintains registrations across numerous international identifier and cataloging systems:
- **ISNI (International Standard Name Identifier)**: 0000000114010777
- **ROR (Research Organization Registry)**: 02rs18x11
- **GRID (Global Research Identifier Database)**: grid.469327.d
- **VIAF (Virtual International Authority File)**: 155603651
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: n82218433
- **Ringgold ID**: 107755
- **KISTI ID**: K000215325
- **CiNii Research ID**: 1140563741775184128
- **NACSIS CAT Author ID**: DA01291612
- **National Library of Israel J9U ID**: 987007259880605171
- **Czech National Library Authority ID**: kn20070511014
- **Open Funder Registry ID**: 501100001902
- **Encyclopedia of China (Third Edition) ID**: 530574
- **Yale LUX ID**: group/9ef087ff-7312-4473-b191-6fe4859e2c64
- **NLA Trove People ID**: 1278726
- **UIA Open Yearbook Organization Website ID**: 1100042409
- **Freebase ID**: /m/06znzqy (archived, dated 2013-10-28)
- **Microsoft Academic ID**: 118534171 (discontinued service)

### Wikipedia and Wikimedia Presence
The organization has a Wikipedia article titled "Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa" with versions in 7 languages: Wikimedia Commons, English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Norwegian, and Portuguese. The sitelink count across Wikipedia language editions is 7. The organization's logo is hosted on Wikimedia Commons, and it has an associated Commons category named "Codesria."

## References

1. [Source](https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@integration/documents/genericdocument/wcms_079493.pdf)
2. GRID Release 2017-01-10
3. CiNii Research
4. [Source](https://council.science/members/online-directory/)
5. ROR release v1.19
6. [Source](https://goo.gl/maps/yZTXMRgWMWm9KUmV7)
7. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
8. Czech National Authority Database
9. GRID Release 2016-12-06
10. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
11. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
12. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File
13. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2023-89962)
14. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2020-74152)
15. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2020-72409)
16. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2018-42318)
17. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2016-31104)