Diverse Voices is one of PSA's initiatives that support historically marginalised scholars currently undertaking PhD study in politics and international relations.
The 2024/25 cohort of the Diverse Voices PhD Student Programme attracted a wide variety of applicants from universities across the United Kingdom.
The PSA looked to award up to six places on the Diverse Voices PhD Student Programme to students in their 2nd, 3rd or final year and who self-identified as Black, Asian, or minority ethnic based in UK and studying at a UK university.
We are now delighted to tell you of the recipients of the PhD Student Programme award- who will also benefit from a year’s complimentary PSA membership and support from PSA Diverse Voice leads.
Diverse Voices Scholars:
Eden Anin-Adjei: a PhD researcher at the University of Essex, explores how social cleavages and country-of-origin political experiences, shape British African political behaviour in the UK. Eden is a Race Equity Research Fellow, leading a Research England and Office for Students-funded project aimed at widening participation among ethnic minorities in postgraduate research.
Contact - e.aninadjei@essex.ac.uk
Fadhilah Fitri Primandari: a PhD researcher at the University of Essex, offers a conceptual critique of democratic consolidation from a feminist lens. Fadhilah’s research interests intersect democratic theory (empirical and normative), feminist political thought, and feminist institutionalism(s). This project is fully funded by the ESRC through the SeNSS DTP.
Contact - fadhilah.primandari@essex.ac.uk
Shodona Kettle: is undertaking a PhD at University College London (UCL) on reparation demands among Afro-descendants and Indigenous groups in the Americas. Shodona is a Fellow with 17 Asset Management's Reparation Finance Lab and was a Visiting Research Fellow at the Center for Reparation Research, and the PJ Patterson Institute for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy.
Contact - shodona.kettle.12@ucl.ac.uk
Margaret Ifeoma Abazie-Humphrey is undertaking a PhD at the University of Bristol on the exclusion impacts on former child soldiers' post-conflict lived experiences, employing Nigeria for empirical data. Margaret has a decade of experience working on Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) in Nigeria.
Contact - fs22344@bristol.ac.uk
Taif Alkhudary: a PhD researcher at the University of Cambridge, focuses on the political economy of oil and the environment in post-2003 Iraq. Taif was previously a Research Officer at the LSE Middle East Centre and held positions at several NGOs, conducting strategic litigation on human rights violations in the Middle East.
Contact - ta517@cam.ac.uk
Zeena Mistry: a PhD researcher at the University of Hull, explores British Indian voting patterns and is focused on Indians who live in England. Zeena has delivered presentations at the Churchill College, Cambridge, and the House of Lords, contributing to forthcoming publications.
Contact - Z.Mistry-2021@hull.ac.uk
Diverse Voices Associate Scholars:
Aruni Samarakoon from University of Hull is researching critical feminist intervention in Sri Lankan peacebuilding.
Contact - A.Samarakoon-2019@hull.ac.uk
Aurore Iradukunda from School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) investigates geographies of resistance, clandestinity, and everyday practices of anti-colonial conscientization within the liberation struggles of Lusophone Africa.
Contact - 713494@soas.ac.uk
Gladys ama Konadu from University of Strathclyde examines trends and causes of gender gaps in political participation and explores how higher education impacts women's political participation.
Contact - gladys.konadu@strath.ac.uk
Diverse Voices Leads:
Roula Nezi Diverse Voices Programme Lead
Contact - s.nezi@surrey.ac.uk
Aleida Mendes Borges PSA African Politics Specilaist Group Convenor & Diverse Voices Programme Lead
Contact - aleida.c.mendes_borges@kcl.ac.uk
Heather Alberro PSA Trustee, Co-convenor of the PSA Environmental Politics Specialist Group & Diverse Voices Programme Lead
Contact - heather.alberro@manchester.ac.uk
PSA Team Diverse Voices Point of Contact:
Joan McDappa PSA Diversity and Projects Officer
Contact -joan.mcdappa@psa.ac.uk
Leaders of this year's Diverse Voices programme remarked:
"The Diverse Voices PhD student programme offers historically marginalised early career scholars in politics and international relations a platform to network, share experiences, and receive tailored support and mentoring in navigating academia. For the 2024/25 cohort we initially planned to award six places on the programme; however, due to the high quality of applications received, we are delighted to say we extended our support to offer three impressive candidates a place on the programme as associate scholars. Additional support was also provided for a one-year complimentary membership to 32 impressive scholars who did not manage to get on the programme this year, so they could benefit from the mentorship and support available through the PSA networks and specialist groups. We are excited to welcome our Scholars and Associates into the wider PSA family and look forward to working with each of them as they further their careers and advance these novel areas of research."
We will keep you updated on their progress and wish them every success in taking their work forward in the 2024/25 academic year.