Junior Fellows

BIGSAS calls its doctoral candidates enrolled in the institution Junior Fellows. Those Junior Fellows are researching and writing their thesis projects on various interdisciplinary topics related to African Studies either with a topic on the continent or the diaspora. As Junior Fellows, these doctoral candidates are part of an international, vibrant academic community that emphasizes cross-disciplinary research. Give or take, there are normally around 80 - 90 Junior Fellows enrolled at BIGSAS. Those Junior Fellows come from diverse academic backgrounds and nationalities, contributing to the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of the research at BIGSAS. At the moment, Junior Fellows from over 30 countries and nearly all continents, except Australia, can be found at BIGSAS. Their research typically aligns with the broader goals of BIGSAS, which include fostering innovative and relevant knowledge on African societies and promoting collaboration between African and non-African scholars.

Their research topics cover a wide range of disciplines, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of BIGSAS. Each Junior Fellow benefits from a structured academic program, mentorship, and access to a network of international partners, primarily based in Africa. They are actively involved in academic activities such as workshops, seminars, and conferences and BIGSAS supports and encourages the individual engagement in global academic discourses on Africa-related topics.

All our current BIGSAS Junior Fellows do have their individual sub-website on the main BIGSAS website. Below you can find a list of our current JFs and by clicking on their names, you can take a look at their research interests and doctoral project. Feel free to email a Junior Fellow with the contact details listed, in case you are interested in pursuing a similar projects.

There are currently 78 enrolled doctoral candidates (29 male, 48 female, 1 diverse) from 34 countries (22 African) at BIGSAS (09/2024)

Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies - BIGSAS

Junior Fellows

List of Junior Fellows (alphabetically)