Christiane Rafidinarivo holds a PhD in political science and a “HDR” (accreditation to supervise research) from the University of La Réunion, as well as a PhD in Political Science from the University of Toulouse. She is a graduate of the Institut d’Administration des Entreprises (IAE) and the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (IEP) in Toulouse, where she specialized in Economics and Finance.

She chairs the Scientific Council of the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (IEP) in Madagascar, where she is an associate professor in Political Science, International Relations and Geopolitics. Her two main areas of research are the political science of conflicts and international cooperation. Her research focuses on Africa, Europe, the Indian Ocean and the French overseas departments and territories.

She is a member of the researchers network entitled “Study Political Science as a Discipline" at the International Political Science Association and a member of the African Scientific Interest Group (GIS) at the CNRS (France's National Centre for Research).

She is a guest lecturer at the CEVIPOF (Centre for Political Research) at Sciences Po in Paris