Barbara Bompani

Professor Barbara Bompani is an Associate Professor of African History and Institutions at the University of Parma, Italy, and a Research Associate at the African Centre for Migration and Society (ACMS) at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. She also holds the title of CAS Honorary Fellow. Her research focuses on the intersection of religion, politics, and development in Africa, particularly examining how religious organizations and values shape public policy and action, with a recent emphasis on Christianity, morality, and sexuality in East Africa.

Professor Bompani’s work bridges academic and applied contexts, exploring how religious actors influence social and political dynamics. She is affiliated with the Centre of African Studies and contributes to interdisciplinary dialogues on African studies. Her contact details include barbara.bompani@unipr.it and b.bompani@ed.ac.uk.

Her research themes include religion’s role in public life, development interventions, and the evolving relationship between faith-based organizations and governance structures in Africa. She has collaborated across institutions, reflecting her commitment to transnational academic networks.