Shamsa Birik | Lund University (original) (raw)
My research focus has always been in Horn of Africa/sub Saharan African context. My interest lies in African security & Governance in particular relation to transnational terrorism and dimensions of groups like AQAP and Al-shabab. Democratic reforms, Nexus of Gender/sexuality and conflict, Power & discourse analysis, Philosophy of science and African philosophy
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Papers by Shamsa Birik
How are minorities inscribing their knowledge in already contested Western epistemologies? How ar... more How are minorities inscribing their knowledge in already contested Western epistemologies? How are Western-style modernity being negotiated, subverted and resisted by minorities globally? This paper endeavours to conceptualize such theoretical and the methodological challenges involved in knowledge production regarding the ‘Other’ or minorities. I particularly seek to locate minorities struggles and postcolonial scholarship using Discourse Analysis as a tool for conducting not only knowledge production but also guide its activism.
This paper provides a reflection analysis of three methods of discourse theory namely; Wetherell ... more This paper provides a reflection analysis of three methods of discourse theory namely; Wetherell and Potter’s Discursive Psychology, Mouffe and Laclau’s Discourse Analysis and Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA).
The already multi-dimensional and changing nature of return migration has been made more complex ... more The already multi-dimensional and changing nature of return migration has been made more complex by the accelerating pace of globalization. Informed by transnational theory this paper offers a contemporary comprehensive understanding of return migration. The paper identifies fragmentation in the approaches to return migration as well as the lack of functional coordinated policies as key factors hindering possible socio-economic benefits from return migration. We therefore propose a flexible and transposable institutionalized policy framework for better management of the return migration process. The proposed framework will enhance cooperation and collaboration among the varied actors, eventually guaranteeing mutual socio-economic benefits for all. The Africa-Europe and Canada-China cases used in this paper will demonstrate how different aspects of our proposed framework can be applied by different actors involved in the process of return migration.
Why is the fields of development and security; two traditionally separate fields increasingly ove... more Why is the fields of development and security; two traditionally separate fields increasingly overlapping? And what does this form of convergence mean to human security and aid provision among development actors?.
In the last five years there has been an upward rise in the global demand for food that has led t... more In the last five years there has been an upward rise in the global demand for food that has led to food insecurity characterized by price volatility, price hikes, food riots, as well as loss of bio diversity and farm land. Of the nine billion population of the world, it is estimated that one billion is currently food insecure with the majority living in developing countries. Changes in climatic conditions, hikes in fuel prices and the impending force of globalization, has exposed poor countries in Africa to a food crisis problem that has led to what many have termed as the ‘food bubble’. The United States, world hegemonic power that is meant to protect the world’s poor and hungry, is currently leading in the campaign of converting world grain that is corn to fuel (ethanol) cars and automobiles. This comes even after there is a massive shortage of world food grain and the problem thereof arises when the hungry have to compete with cars to secure food. The dynamics of world politics remains a feature that is rarely pointed out in addressing the food insecurity problem as many take it to be a benign factor. Focusing on Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, this study analyzes the implications of politics on food security conundrum in the African context. The primary motivation for conducting this research is to gain a deep understanding of the threats posed by political actions, motivations and policies of various actors and institutions and the implications it has had on food security. The means of collecting and analyzing data used in conducting this study was through secondary sources such as relevant research projects, international organization reports, published books and online journals.
How are minorities inscribing their knowledge in already contested Western epistemologies? How ar... more How are minorities inscribing their knowledge in already contested Western epistemologies? How are Western-style modernity being negotiated, subverted and resisted by minorities globally? This paper endeavours to conceptualize such theoretical and the methodological challenges involved in knowledge production regarding the ‘Other’ or minorities. I particularly seek to locate minorities struggles and postcolonial scholarship using Discourse Analysis as a tool for conducting not only knowledge production but also guide its activism.
This paper provides a reflection analysis of three methods of discourse theory namely; Wetherell ... more This paper provides a reflection analysis of three methods of discourse theory namely; Wetherell and Potter’s Discursive Psychology, Mouffe and Laclau’s Discourse Analysis and Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA).
The already multi-dimensional and changing nature of return migration has been made more complex ... more The already multi-dimensional and changing nature of return migration has been made more complex by the accelerating pace of globalization. Informed by transnational theory this paper offers a contemporary comprehensive understanding of return migration. The paper identifies fragmentation in the approaches to return migration as well as the lack of functional coordinated policies as key factors hindering possible socio-economic benefits from return migration. We therefore propose a flexible and transposable institutionalized policy framework for better management of the return migration process. The proposed framework will enhance cooperation and collaboration among the varied actors, eventually guaranteeing mutual socio-economic benefits for all. The Africa-Europe and Canada-China cases used in this paper will demonstrate how different aspects of our proposed framework can be applied by different actors involved in the process of return migration.
Why is the fields of development and security; two traditionally separate fields increasingly ove... more Why is the fields of development and security; two traditionally separate fields increasingly overlapping? And what does this form of convergence mean to human security and aid provision among development actors?.
In the last five years there has been an upward rise in the global demand for food that has led t... more In the last five years there has been an upward rise in the global demand for food that has led to food insecurity characterized by price volatility, price hikes, food riots, as well as loss of bio diversity and farm land. Of the nine billion population of the world, it is estimated that one billion is currently food insecure with the majority living in developing countries. Changes in climatic conditions, hikes in fuel prices and the impending force of globalization, has exposed poor countries in Africa to a food crisis problem that has led to what many have termed as the ‘food bubble’. The United States, world hegemonic power that is meant to protect the world’s poor and hungry, is currently leading in the campaign of converting world grain that is corn to fuel (ethanol) cars and automobiles. This comes even after there is a massive shortage of world food grain and the problem thereof arises when the hungry have to compete with cars to secure food. The dynamics of world politics remains a feature that is rarely pointed out in addressing the food insecurity problem as many take it to be a benign factor. Focusing on Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, this study analyzes the implications of politics on food security conundrum in the African context. The primary motivation for conducting this research is to gain a deep understanding of the threats posed by political actions, motivations and policies of various actors and institutions and the implications it has had on food security. The means of collecting and analyzing data used in conducting this study was through secondary sources such as relevant research projects, international organization reports, published books and online journals.