Martin Welz is interested in the history and politics of Africa. He studied Politics and Public Administration at the University of Konstanz and the University of Pretoria as well as International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science. In 2011, he received his PhD at the University of Konstanz with a dissertation that dealt with the African Union. Thereafter, he worked as post-doctoral researcher at the universities of Konstanz and Hamburg, served as interim professor at the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, and was visiting scholar at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. Field work brought him to Ethiopia, Mauritius, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe amongst others.

His research is concerned with African history and politics, the African Union, Africa’s role in the world as well as with international orders and peace operations. He is the author of “Africa since Decolonization: The History and Politics of a Diverse Continent” that was published in English and German with Cambridge University Press and Kohlhammer. He also authored several articles related to his research in renowned international journals.

Prof. Martin Welz also serves as regional coordinator for West and Central Africa for the Bertelsmann Transformation Index.

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