From tracking the shifting dynamics of South Africa’s coalition politics to exploring Africa’s place in a changing global order, MISTRA continues to research and share diverse perspectives on the issues shaping our collective future. This edition of the MISTRA newsletter highlights key engagements between July and September, from across the continent and beyond.

One of the big highlights was the launch of the 2026 Coalitions Barometer, which includes a comprehensive dataset, giving researchers, journalists and policymakers a data-driven view of coalition trends. Reflecting on what the world might look like in the future, MISTRA convened its third MISTRA Forum on Africa and Geopolitics, which brought together policymakers, academics and representatives from business, labour and civil society to chart possible geopolitical pathways over the next 15 years.

In August, to mark the 70th anniversary of the historic 1956 women’s march against the pass laws, MISTRA launched its latest book, Reflections on Women and Social Change in South Africa: MISTRA Collected Works.

In July, MISTRA and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) South Africa hosted a roundtable looking at the current state and future strategies of civil society.

Click here for a broader look at other things we’ve been up to.