Fellows

Janet Mundando has been a Lecturer of civic education at the University of Zambia since June 2016. She is ardent about human rights, especially women’s rights, a passion that has evolved out of 6 years of experience, helping to hone her skills and expertise in research, teaching, and consultancy. Her most recent project was a consultancy she undertook for the Southern African Institute for Policy and Research (SAIPAR), “An Analysis of the Status of Women and Their Participation in Leadership in Zambia,” in November 2024. Janet is a British Institute for Eastern Africa fellow after being awarded the Annual Thematic …

Aphiwe Mhlangulana is a PhD candidate at the University of Cape Town, where she is pursuing a PhD in Psychological Research within the Psychology department. Aphiwe is also a member of the Hub for Decolonial Feminist Psychologies in Africa. She is also a research partner at the Feminist Internet Research Network with the University of Cape Town team. Her research interests include feminist digital activism, black women’s experiences of technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and student activism and advocacy against gender-based violence. Aphiwe has experience working as a researcher and as a research facilitator in projects studying experiences of violence and trauma.

Ms. Suzan Laker is an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Curriculum and Media Studies, Faculty of Education, Muni University. Ms. Laker holds a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Liverpool and a Bachelor’s in Arts Education degree from Gulu University. She is currently pursuing her doctoral studies in the Department of Linguistics, English Language Studies, and Communication Skills at Makerere University.  Ms. Laker’s professional career started in 2015 when she was retained at Gulu University as a Graduate Trainee. She later enrolled and completed her Master’s, which landed her a job at Muni University as an

Tsebaot Melaku Kelemework is a PhD candidate at the Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR), Uganda. Her research explores the intersection of politics and religion, focusing on the theological and epistemological foundations of Ethiopian secularism. Her dissertation, The Christological Debates of Mentawinet/Nufaque and the Foundations of Ethiopian Secularism: Mysteries from Miaphysite Christianity, critically examines the historical and conceptual tensions between Miaphysite Christianity and Zemenawinet (Ethiopian modernity). Grounded in a decolonial approach, her work challenges the uncritical application of Eurocentric secular frameworks to Ethiopian contexts. Tsebaot’s research foregrounds indigenous spiritual sources—particularly the theological/homiletical and epistemic traditions of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo

Martin Ayankaa Ihembe is currently a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, where he also works as an assistant lecturer. He holds a bachelor’s degree and a Master’s of Science in political science from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and a Master’s of Arts in political science from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Martin’s research interests straddle democracy and democratisation, governance and development, institutional reforms, comparative electoral systems, judicial politics, and party politics. He is a recipient of the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation (HFG) fellowship (2019-2020). Martin has academic publications in reputable journals and book chapters.

Brenda Birungi is a Doctoral Candidate at Makerere University, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, where she is enrolled for a PhD in Social Anthropology. Brenda holds a Master’s in Sociology and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences, both from Makerere University. She has a keen interest in refugees, humanitarian assistance, and cross-border mobility. Her previous studies include: informal cross-border transportation, impacts of COVID-19 and humanitarian aid among the urban refugees in Kampala, more specifically the South Sudanese, and witchcraft (in)securities among urban refugees. Currently, Brenda is researching settlement-based South Sudanese refugees through her doctoral study, Receiving Cash Amidst Competing

Joseph Kwadwo Asuming is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department for the Study of Religions at the University of Ghana, Legon. His doctoral research explores the role of religion in peacebuilding during Ghana’s Fourth Republic, with a focus on how Christianity, Islam, and African Indigenous Religions contribute to sustaining national peace. He holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in the Study of Religions from the University of Ghana and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi. Joseph is currently participating in a student research exchange at the Albert Ludwig University

Mary Adebayo is a Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Economics at the University of Zululand. She holds both a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. in Economics from Caleb University, where her undergraduate and Master’s research examined service-sector growth and the relationship between foreign direct investment and economic expansion in West Africa. Mary’s doctoral work focuses on how macroeconomic policies can mitigate the risks posed to the financial sector as a result of climate change. She investigates the design and efficacy of green-adjusted macroprudential tools that align environmental sustainability with financial resilience across African economies. Skilled in advanced econometric techniques, including

Baker Batte is a doctoral student based at the Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. Batte is pursuing an Interdisciplinary PhD in Social Studies, majoring in political studies and minoring in political economy. Batte holds a Master of Philosophy Degree in Social Studies from Makerere University, a Master of Arts Degree in Journalism and Communication from Makerere University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication also from Makerere University. Batte has been a journalist working in Uganda and South Sudan for the last 14 years and has vast experience in the political and security

Anele Siswana is a Clinical Psychologist and Igqirha (Xhosa Divine Healer) and a thought leader affiliated with the Faculty of Humanities at the University of the Witwatersrand. He holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Rhodes University, a BPsych (Counselling) from Nelson Mandela University, and a Higher Certificate in Theology from Theological Education by Extension College (TEEC). He is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Anele’s clinical experience spans public and private health sectors, including public institutions, and the private sector, such as Life Hospital and Akeso Crescent Psychiatric Clinic in Johannesburg. His work