Political Scientist · Scholar · Policy Analyst
PhD Candidate in Political Science, University of Florida
Researching post-election legal disputes, electoral contestation, and democratization in Africa.
I am a PhD candidate in Political Science at the University of Florida, specializing in Comparative Politics with a focus on African Politics, Electoral Contestation, Democratization, and Judicial Politics.
My dissertation "From Ballots to Courtrooms: The Impact of Post-Election Legal Disputes on Democratization in Africa" examines the motivations behind post-election legal challenges and their overall implications for democratization in Africa. My research relies on a novel dataset of over presidential election petitions dataset across African countries since 1990, as well as extensive fieldwork in which I conducted interviews with politicians, lawyers, judges, and electoral officials in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi.
Beyond my dissertation, I serve as Managing Editor of African Studies Quarterly at UF's Center for African Studies, and Co-Lead of the Now Generation Network (NGN) at the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, where I oversee debate programming and "In-Conversation-With" initiatives on African governance and development.
I also contribute to the Afrobarometer Network as a researcher, producing policy-relevant working papers on governance, policing, and public attitudes across Africa. I hold advanced degrees from the University of Antwerp (MA, With Distinction), the University of Birmingham (MSc), and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (BA).
My research agenda examines post-election legal disputes, electoral contestation, judicial politics, and democratization in Africa. I combine mixed methods to understand how legal and electoral institutions mediate political contestation in emerging democracies.
This study examines a novel dataset of presidential election petitions across African countries since 1990, exploring why candidates litigate against incumbents despite historically low success rates, and what these challenges mean for democratic consolidation and public trust. Drawing on elite interviews in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi with politicians, lawyers, judges, and electoral officials, and integrating V-Dem, Afrobarometer, and ACLED data, the dissertation develops and tests theoretical frameworks around motivations for challenging elections and their overall implication on political processes in Africa.
Download the full curriculum vitae for a complete list of publications, service, and professional training.
Download Full CV (PDF)My teaching draws on empirical research and experience to engage students with African politics, comparative institutions, electoral systems, and research methods. I am committed to evidence-based, inclusive pedagogy that connects governance theory to real-world political dynamics across the Global South.
Recognition received for research contributions, academic excellence, and leadership in African governance and political science.
Interviewed on Deutsche Welle TV on the subject of brain drain in Africa, following my article on the topic, and in the context of Germany's new skilled worker immigration policy aimed at attracting professionals from Africa.
Watch / Read →I welcome inquiries from fellow researchers, journalists, policymakers, and students interested in African governance, electoral contestation, and judicial politics.