Sebastian Elischer

Sebastian Elischer is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Florida, specializing in the interplay between identities and institutions in sub-Saharan Africa. His research focuses on political Islam, violent extremism, ethnicity, and democratization processes. He previously served as an Assistant Professor at Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany, and was honored as Professor of the Year by the University of Florida’s Political Science Department in 2020. Elischer holds a PhD in Integrated Social Sciences from Jacobs University Bremen, an MA in International Relations from Free University Berlin, and an MIS from George Washington University.

Elischer’s work examines military coups’ post-Cold War trajectories, particularly their effects on democracy and autocratic resilience. He authored Political Parties in Africa: Ethnicity and Party Formation (2013) and Salafism and Political Order in Africa (2021). He is an editorial board member of the African Studies Review and regularly advises German ministries and the OECD on African security and politics. His research also explores religious regulation in weak states and Salafist movements.

• Education:
  • PhD in Integrated Social Sciences, Jacobs University Bremen
  • MA in International Relations, Free University Berlin
  • MIS, George Washington University

His research interests span civil society activism, military governance, and the dynamics of post-coup political orders. Elischer has held fellowships at the Kellogg Institute, including as a 2021-2022 Visiting Fellow, where he explored military junta behaviors and electoral authoritarianism.

Awards and Honors:

• Professor of the Year, University of Florida Political Science Department (2020)

Professional Contributions:

• Editorial Board Member, African Studies Review
• Consultant for German Ministries and OECD on African security