Working Group 21: Perspectives from African-based Research: The Nordic Africa Institute’s Visiting Scholar’s Programme

Coordinators:

This working group provides an opportunity for early career researchers based at African universities who are visiting the Nordic Africa Institute (NAI) in 2026 to present their research and engage with Finnish-based scholars. The presentations will explore themes relevant to the societal dynamics of contemporary Africa. These include women’s agency, empowerment and gender gaps; democratic engagement and the role of internet and digital platforms, including for youth activism; indigenous knowledge and climate change; and, mineral resource management and public-private partnerships. While topics are broad ranging, the conference theme of ‘Development in Ruins, Hope in the Cracks’ provides inspiration for presenters to situate their research with regard to changes taking place in different contexts on the African continent and the implications these changes hold for people’s agency, knowledge and power.

The purpose of the NAI African Scholarship Programme

To provide opportunities for early career researchers based in Africa to work and develop their ongoing research at the Nordic Africa Institute. The scholarship offers access to the Institute’s library, hosting by the Institute’s researchers, networking opportunities and other resources that provide for a stimulating research environment. Through the programme, the Nordic Africa Institute aims to contribute to building capacity in the production of knowledge about Africa, and to promote and establish relations with and between African and Nordic research communities.

Format: The format will be hybrid, combing onsite and virtual presentations.

Accepted presentations

Session 1

  • Exploring the Use of Digital Platforms During Uganda’s 2021 General Elections (John Semakula)
  • Digital Literature: The Evolution of Internet Memes as the New Realist Literary Style in Ethiopia (Addisu Hailu, online)
  • Comparative perspectives on perceived and experienced democracy between generations in Mali and Senegal (Sidi Boubacar Diane, online)
  • Women of the Far West Rand; Agency, and Placemaking; 1920 to 1980 (Veronica Zivava)

Session 2

  • Exploring an Emergent Vision of Strategic Pivoting: Connecting the Dots in Botswana’s Diamond Resource Management (Patricia Theron)
  • Bridging the Gender Gap in Tax E-filing Adoption: Barriers, Drivers and Policy Implications in Benin (Henry Edeh)
  • Social Capital as a Gener Tool for Women’s Empowerment in Zaria Local Government Area (Blessing Duniya)
  • Leveraging Indigenous Knowledge for Just and Sustainable Futures in Ethiopia: The Gedeo Traditional Governance System as an Approach for Climate Change Mitigation (Tadie Degie Yigzaw, online)

Registration is now open from 12 January to 15 February 2026. 
The detailed timetable will be published later.