In addition, two MSU anthropology professors are leading research on public policy and socioeconomic change in Malawian fishing villages. Also, Community Health Science faculty members are involved in important research on the causes and prevention of malaria in tropical Africa. MSU political science professors are doing path breaking research on political transitions in Africa, including a major study on democratization in Zambia. Furthermore, important work includes evaluation of the political implications of structural adjustment policies and of spontaneous voluntary repatriation of refugees. Sociology research concentrates on the ecological crises of East African lakes and on the construction of race in the African Diaspora.
Geographical research focuses on dryland farming strategies to cope with food insecurity.
MSU linguistics are experimenting with pioneering methods to improve the instruction of African languages in the United States. History of Art research evaluates the influence of interactions between Sub-Saharan West Africa and the Islamic Middle East and the West. A number of faculty in social science, science, medical, and agricultural departments work on topics concerning environment and development in Africa. These include food security, drought coping, water basin management, community participation in environmental management, industrial pollution and waste issues, socioeconomic issues of African fisheries, and agriculture and environment. In Education, faculty work on issues of education in Africa including teacher education in Africa, higher education management, science education, educational efficiency, and training of education faculty.