Global Governance

We need to talk about the elephant in the lecture hall: universities are struggling to respond to AI, and many are getting it wrong. Walk into any faculty meeting these days and you will hear the same anxious refrains. “Students are using ChatGPT to write their essays!” “How do we detect AI-generated work?” “We need stricter policies!” It is 2026, and higher education is responding to transformative technology the same way it often has: with panic, prohibition, and a scramble

While narrow AI systems have long operated in specialised domains, the rise of Generative AI represents a structural shift. Arguably the most consequential cognitive infrastructures of our time, large language models (LLMs) such as GPT-5 and Claude, were built, trained, and deployed without public consent or meaningful democratic oversight. This absence exposes a deeper paradox at the heart of modern governance.

Too often, scholars from the Global South are questioned on their "research scope" when they study their own countries. Should this matter? My reflection draws on thinkers such as Donna Haraway, Bent Flyvbjerg, Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Pierre Bourdieu and Loic Wacquant to argue that proximity is not bias, but rather insight, and that personal connection can deepen the quality and relevance of academic research when approached with honesty and reflexivity.

The EU-ACP Economic Partnership Agreements promise greater market access and development support for African countries, yet their implementation risks undermining state sovereignty, regional integration, and local industries, raising questions about who truly benefits from these trade deals.

At the upcoming AU–EU Summit in Luanda, the question is not just how Europe engages with Africa, but whether the African Union is ready to lead boldly and independently. From AfCFTA’s untapped potential to the continent’s control of critical minerals, Africa holds immense leverage in shaping global trade and the green transition. Yet, without narrative power, fiscal autonomy, and strategic unity, that leverage risks slipping away.

What does “partnership” really mean when power is so unevenly distributed? And when Africa is constantly referred to as “the future”, who gets to own, shape, and benefit from that future?

Male corporate leaders and billionaires may seem financially secure, but many face deep emotional stress linked to money, power, and identity. Research shows that financial distress among elites can manifest as overconfidence, aggression, or risky decisions, often driven by threatened masculinity. Financial therapy, though often overlooked for this group, could help prevent emotionally driven choices that destabilize companies and economies.