On 2 April 2026, a lecture by Prof. Derica Lambrechts (Stellenbosch University, South Africa) titled “The Politics of Truth: Epistemic Security and Rising Political Risk in Southern African Democracies” was held in Room 237.
During her presentation, the speaker examined the interconnections between the politics of truth, epistemic security, and the growing political risks in Southern African democracies. The lecture focused on contemporary challenges facing democratic systems, with particular attention to phenomena such as the erosion of democratic ideals, the rise of “uncivil society,” organised crime, and new forms of political risk in the region.
The event attracted considerable interest from students and participants.
Prof. Derica Lambrechts is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Stellenbosch University (South Africa), editor of African Studies, and a Research Associate at the CREDO Centre for Research on Democracy. She holds a DPhil in Political Science, an MPhil in Political Management, and a BA in Law from Stellenbosch University. Her research interests include democracy, political risk, epistemic security, “uncivil society,” and organised crime in Southern Africa.
Her recent publications include the article “The decay of the democratic ideal and the rise of uncivil society: the case of organised crime in South Africa” (2025), published in the Canadian Journal of African Studies / Revue Canadienne des Études Africaines, and the chapter “Sink, swim or be the captain: emerging political risks and the impact on Southern Africa” (2025), published in The Routledge Handbook of Political Risk.
The lecture by Prof. Derica Lambrechts constituted an important element of the internationalisation of teaching and the development of cooperation with foreign academic institutions. Events of this kind enrich the educational offer of the Institute of International and Security Studies at the University of Wrocław and provide students with direct contact with scholars working on current issues in international politics.
The event was coordinated by Dr Marek Musioł and Prof. Andrzej Polus.
The lecture was funded under the Erasmus+ KA171 programme.
