African scholarship and leadership are critical for understanding the pros and cons of humanitarian and development aid on the continent, yet aid debates still too often take place as though they do not exist. We are committed to the kind of inclusive and egalitarian partnerships that we believe should characterize humanitarian, academic, and policy relationships of all kinds. With this in mind, the CIHA Blog editorial team is trans-continental, currently based at six research institutions: l’Université Gaston Berger (Senegal), University of Ghana-Legon (Ghana), University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), University of California – Irvine (USA), University of Rochester (USA), and Hekima Institute of Peace Studies and International Relations (HIPSIR) in Nairobi, Kenya.
Our team of Co-Editors (whose bios you can find here) work together with Luce Graduate Fellows to promote the work of the Blog. The CIHA Blog team would like to thank departing fellows, Awa Cheik Seck (Senegal), Angela Okune (USA), Gerald Obini (Kenya), Cyprian O. Omoding (Kenya), Huguette Kazeneza (Kenya), and Gerald Acho (Kenya) for their hard work and tireless dedication to the CIHA Blog. We would also like to welcome and introduce our newest Luce Graduate Fellows, who join Albert (South Africa), Khadija (Senegal), and Edwin and Abena (Ghana). Please find their full bios below. We appreciate the diversity of expertise and backgrounds of the incoming team members and look forward to sharing more from the team members in the coming weeks and months.
Introducing Newest CIHA Blog Luce Fellows (2018-2019)
Moïse Diedhiou, PhD candidate in Political Science
Université Gaston Berger
Moïse Diedhiou is a Senegalese PhD candidate in Political Science at Gaston Berger University and also a researcher at Laspad. His first training was in the field of linguistics in the English section where he got a Master’s degree before joining the Law department to study Political Science. Moïse works in many domains (international relations, political communication, African regionalism, political sociology and anthropology, African political history, and public services). Currently, he is interested in understanding issues involved in the conflict between the state of Senegal and the Casamance, also known as the Casamance rebellion. Accordingly, he is engaged in PhD research regarding women, political organization, religious dynamism, and peace in Casamance.
Moïse DIEDHIOU est doctorant à l’UFR des sciences juridiques et politiques de l’Université Gaston Berger de Saint-Louis et chercheur au LASPAD. Il est titulaire d’un master d’anglais (parcours linguistique) et d’un DEA de science politique. Moïse est présentement inscrit en thèse de doctorat et s’intéresse généralement aux questions casamançaises, d’où le sujet « Femme, organisation politique, dynamiques religieuses, et paix en Casamance », sur lequel il travaille actuellement sous la direction du Professeur Mame Penda BA.
Anna Kamanzi, PhD Student in Anthropology
University of California, Irvine
Anna is a PhD student in Anthropology at the University of California, Irvine. Anna’s research interests include NGOs and development, ethnicity, global indigenous movements, and history in Rwanda. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in anthropology and has longstanding interests in representation, African Studies, and humanitarianism.
Rebecca Kathambi Mugo
Hekima Institute of Peace Studies and International Relations (HIPSIR)
Rebecca is a Master’s student in Peace Studies and International Relations at Hekima Institute of Peace Studies and International Relations. Before joining Hekima, she was involved in humanitarian work in Northern Kenya where intercommunal conflicts are prevalent. It was from that first-hand experience with the socio-economic impacts of communal clashes that she developed a deep passion for peace building. Her interests include youth and women participation in peace building, social change and governance in Kenya.
Pamella Kamau
Hekima Institute of Peace Studies and International Relations (HIPSIR)
Pamella Kamau is a Kenyan MA student at Hekima Institute of Peace Studies and International Relations in Nairobi- Kenya. She is interested in understanding electoral violence in Africa because of its reoccurrence in her home country. She hopes to contribute to peace in her country and in the Horn of Africa. Pamella holds a BA in disaster management and international diplomacy from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology Kenya, where she developed a particular interest in peace building and international relations.
Derartu Mathewos Negash
Hekima Institute of Peace Studies and International Relations (HIPSIR)
Derartu is an Ethiopian Masters student at Hekima Institute of Peace Studies and International Relations in Nairobi, Kenya. She has a degree in Political Science and International Relations and she was also a civics and ethical education teacher in Tabor preparatory and secondary school Hawassa, Ethiopia. It was not only personal interest that drew her attention to studying at HIPSIR, but also the growing conflict situation all over the world which requires professionals who are trained in the field. Specific to the growing conflict in Africa, she intends to contribute to the path forward to create peace and stability. She is equipped with a great passion for spending her heart-driven dream of being a professional in the field of peace after completion of her study at HIPSIR.