LAMIN KEITA, Ph.D.

I am a Postdoctoral Research Associate with the Democracy Initiative at the Keough School of Global Affairs and the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at the University of Notre Dame, and a co–Principal Investigator and coordinator of the African Governance Innovation Lab (AGIL).. My research sits at the intersection of comparative political violence, security studies, religion, and democracy. I analyze the complex relationships between informal and formal institutions to understand community radicalization, regime change, political economy, human rights, ethnicity and race politics, democratic erosion, elections, and the dynamics of Westphalian and Weberian states—especially in settler-colonial and postcolonial contexts

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My forthcoming book, Resisting Violence: Religious Communities and States in West Africa (Cambridge University Press), examines how variations in state capacity and religious community embeddedness influence responses to jihadist violence. My work has appeared in journals such as the Canadian Journal of African Studies and Security Studies and has been supported by prestigious fellowships and awards, including the U.S. Department of State's Fulbright-Hays DDRA and the Social Science Research Council-International Dissertation Research Fellowship

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Across my teaching, research, and service, I am committed to mentoring students and preparing them to contribute meaningfully to society. I have mentored undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students—as well as faculty—supporting their intellectual growth and helping them build professional networks across the United States, Africa, and the broader Global South. Guided by the principle “Expand Minds & Change the World,” my work bridges scholarship, policy, and practice to develop globally engaged thinkers.

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Before joining the University of Notre Dame, I earned both my Ph.D. and Master’s degrees from Northwestern University. As a former journalist in Africa, I conduct research that goes beyond abstract theory by grounding analysis in empirical evidence drawn directly from conflict-affected regions.