Scholarship

 
Photo by Virgyl Sowah on Unsplash

afropolitan projects

I am writing a book that explores how Ghanaians draw on the Afropolitan to articulate their identities and sense of belonging to the world and to the African continent. I call the cultural work they do to support these efforts “Afropolitan projects.” The primary method is ethnography, relying on participant observations and in-depth interviews with a Ghanaian immigrant community in the United States and artists and activist groups in Ghana. The research offers insights into our understanding of identities, citizenship and belonging, and cosmopolitan modernity. Some of my findings from this research are published in Ethnic and Racial Studies and Ethnography.

Photo by Brandi Ibrao on Unsplash

football, gender, and inclusive citizenship

I am beginning a project that builds on my interests in culture, nationalism, and black identities by examining how women’s sports are incorporated into nation-building projects in postcolonial African countries. Using Ghana as a case study, I examine how women’s football shapes local and global relations of gender and power, and inspires social movement and activism. Ethnographic observations and archival research helps me trace the development of women’s football in the Ghanaian nation-building project and popular imagination. This research examines how the interplay of gender, popular culture, and national identity are intertwined with forces of globalization and cultural interconnectedness. A chapter from this work appears in The Routledge Handbook of Queer African Studies.

Image by Paul Want from Pixabay

Image by Paul Want from Pixabay

rugby, whiteness, and heterosexuality

In previous research, I explored gender, race, and sexuality within the context of rugby. I found that U.S. American women rugby players asserted their whiteness and emphasized heterosexual femininity as a way to show their investment in a gendered and racialized social order. I have published findings from this research in The International Review for the Sociology of Sport and Sport in Society.

Consulting offerings

I bring my sociological acumen, subject-matter expertise, expansive social networks, and passion for creating a more just and inclusive world to offer a suite of services to activist and advocacy organizations, social impact startups, and grant makers. I especially love working with organizations that benefit immigrants of color, QPOC + LGBTQ groups, sport for social change, and African diaspora populations. Below is just a sampling of how I can help you. Don’t hesitate to contact me to learn more.

strategy

  • strategic planning

  • startup strategy

  • best practice research recommendations

fundraising

  • fundraising strategy development

  • grant writing

  • grant review

research and review

  • program evaluation

  • desk / literature review

  • report writing

  • field research

Above is the Adinkra symbol for knowledge and learning. It is always possible to learn new things.

Above is the Adinkra symbol for knowledge and learning. It is always possible to learn new things.

Teaching Philosophy

As a teacher, I am conscious of the powerful effects of learning. Learning demands empathy for others, calls us to action, and challenges us to examine our individual positions in the world. My teaching philosophy is undergirded by a desire to impart knowledge in such a way as to drive self-reflection while empowering learners to ask questions of themselves and the world around them.

I practice teaching in my public speaking and through the provision of trainings and workshops, meeting facilitation, and one-on-one coaching.

All of the material engaged me intellectually and the discussions held my interest and increased my knowledge on the subject. The course material and assignments were presented clearly and the professor was very open to questions and feedback.
— Student, Introduction to Sociology