Africanising Chinese Surveillance Technology
Featured analysis in East Asia Forum on how African nations are adapting Chinese surveillance technologies to local contexts.
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EXPERT.
SCHOLAR.
PROFESSOR.
Dr. Bulelani Jili is an Assistant Professor at Georgetown University, Faculty Associate at Harvard, and Yale Law School Visiting Fellow. His groundbreaking research examines Chinese surveillance technology, Africa-China relations, AI governance, digital colonialism, AI sovereignty, and Chinese cybersecurity threats in the Global South.
A leading expert in information and communication technology development, his work on Chinese surveillance technology and AI governance has appeared in African Affairs, Nature, Theory, Culture & Society, The Economist, and other prestigious academic and policy outlets.
Recent Recognition
Google Public Policy Fellow • Meta Research PhD Fellowship • International Strategy Forum Fellowship • Wenner-Gren Dissertation Fieldwork Fellowship • Patrick Kelly Scholarship
Recent Highlights
International Strategy Forum Fellowship
Awarded prestigious fellowship recognizing excellence in international affairs research and policy impact.
View Fellowship Details →Congressional Citation
Research on Chinese surveillance technology cited by US Congress Committee on Homeland Security and Congressional-Executive Commission on China.
View Publications →Research Focus
Interdisciplinary research at the intersection of technology, politics, and international relations
AI Governance
Global AI regulation and policy frameworks
Cybersecurity
Digital security and surveillance technologies
Africa-China
International relations and geopolitics
Digital Policy
Technology governance and regulation
Latest Publications
A Technological Fix: The Adoption of Chinese Public Security Systems
2023Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
Analysis of how governments adopt and implement Chinese surveillance technologies as solutions to public security challenges.
Africa: Regulate Surveillance Technologies and Personal Data
2022Nature
Policy recommendations for African governments on regulating surveillance technologies and protecting personal data.
Chinese ICT and Smart City Initiatives in Kenya
2022Asia Policy
Examination of Chinese information and communication technology investments in Kenya's smart city development.
Upcoming Events
APRIL 2025
Reframing Digital Trade in Africa
European University Institute, Fiesole, Italy
Examining agency, dependency, and the China question in African digital trade relationships.
APRIL 2025
African Agency Amid China's Digital Footprint
Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Exploring the balance between dependency and independence in Africa-China digital relations.