Professor Bischoff has headed the department from 2007 (he previously was
head of department from 1999-2003).

Professor Bischoff's research interests centre around South African foreign
policy, international and regional organization and issues of peacekeeping.
A sample of some of his recent publications include:

• "Foreign policy ambiguity on the part of an emergent middle power: South African foreign policy through other lenses" (with Olivier Serrao), Politikon, 1/2010

• "Reform in defence of sovereignty: South Africa in the United Nations Security Council, 2007-2008." Africa Spectrum 02/09, 2009

• "Pan-African Multilateralism: Transformative or Disconnected?" Politikon 35/2  August 2008, pp.177-196

• "Towards continental transformation: sustainable peace agreements and their implications." Conflict Trends 3/2007, pp.12-15

• "The road towards a foreign peacekeeping commitment: South African foreign policy approaches to conflict resolution in Africa" in: W. Carlsnaes and P. Nel (eds.), South African Foreign and Security Policy since 1994 (Johannesburg, IGD, 2006)