Building on earlier literature regarding the role of scholars and academic freedom in shaping public
attitudes, this study examines their impact on ‘relational peace.’ Using the Institute for Economics
and Peace’s Global Peace Index and the Varieties of Democracy Index on Academic Freedom,
along with generalized least squares econometric techniques, we find that the level of academic
freedom preceding a given period is a significant determinant of peace and the absence of violence.
This result remains robust when tested on all African countries, as well as on African countries
with high levels of factionalism, defined by the Factionalized Elites indicator in the Fragile States
ranking of the Fund for Peace, and under various lag structures for academic freedom. A qualitative
analysis of Cameroon, Kenya, and Zimbabwe highlights how differences in the space available for
scholars influence their contributions to fostering peaceful relations within these societies.