I am an Associate Professor at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) and the Director of the Centre for Social Policy Studies (CSPS), both at the University of Ghana.
Research interests
My research is broadly in the areas of social policy and social development, with a focus on the person-policy nexus: I investigate the ways people interact with the policy process; not only how they are impacted by policy, but also how they adapt, resist and make sense of policy as they pursue their own visions of development.
I am interested, in particular, in how young people and women, as marginalized social groups, attempt to construct better lives for themselves through various means (notably higher education, employment and activism), all against the backdrop of generally unfavourable policy processes and structures. Thus, my research frequently explores themes of agency, participation, inclusion and empowerment.
My publications have covered the following areas:
- Analysis of social policy discourses, processes and practices
- Higher education policy and graduate employment
- Young people’s work aspirations, transitions and futures
- Women’s formal and informal work
Background
Given the complexity of the person-policy nexus, I bring an interdisciplinary perspective to my research. I have a BA in Psychology (1997) from the University of Ghana and a PhD in Human Development and Social Policy (2005) from Northwestern University's School of Education and Social Policy. My background is primarily in developmental psychology and social policy, with additional training in statistics, economics and African Studies, and in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
I have published in journals in development studies, gender studies, and Ghana/African Studies, and am on the editorial boards of African Affairs, African Review of Economics and Finance, Ghana Studies, and Policy Studies.
I have carried out research with funding from the British Council, DFID, IDRC, Mastercard Foundation, Open Society Initiative of West Africa, and the World Bank, among others. I was also co-lead for UNECA's report, 'The Situational Analysis of Youth in Africa', which culminated in the development of a policy toolbox for African governments. Between 2016 and 2017, I was the lead consultant for the development of a Social Development Strategy for Ghana's National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), as part of a Long-Term National Development Plan for the Government of Ghana.
I serve on the Executive Committee of the Council for the Development of Social Research in Africa (CODESRIA), the Board of Directors of the African Studies Association (ASA), the Advisory Board of the SSRC's Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa program, and the Council of the University of Ghana. I am the immediate past President of the Ghana Studies Association (GSA).