Mr Soehail Ali
Job Title
Doctoral Candidate in International Development
Room number
3.13Building (Address)
27/8 George Square, 3th floor, Room 3.13, The University of EdinburghResearch interests
Research interests
My studies in International Development focus on how the decline and closure of coal mines in Mpumalanga, South Africa, are reshaping employment opportunities and livelihood strategies, particularly for women. I examine two coal-mining clusters in the southern Mpumalanga coalfields, one facing closure and the other undergoing restructuring, to explore how gender, labor, and socio-economic transitions intersect within South Africa’s Just Energy Transition framework.
This research seeks to address critical gaps in the existing literature and in South African government policy. By centering women’s lived experiences, it analyses how post-coal transitions are negotiated at household and community levels, and how governance instruments such as Social and Labour Plans (SLPs) and Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) respond to, or fail to address, the employment and livelihood needs of women. My research adopts a strong comparative ethnographic approach, combining participant observation, semi-structured and walk-and-talk interviews, key informant interviews, and participatory visual methods to capture both structural and affective dimensions of resilience and future imaginaries. Its the first extensive study of this kind.
My work draws on theoretical frameworks from international development, organizational management, and international relations, aiming to enrich academic discourse on corporate strategies and social outcomes.
My research is vital because it addresses a critical blind spot in South Africa’s Just Energy Transition (JET) by foregrounding the experiences of women: an often invisible demographic in both academic literature and policy design. The transition away from coal is not only an environmental or technological process but also a profound social transformation that determines who benefits and who is left behind. By focusing on Southern Mpumalanga, one of the most coal-dependent regions in the country, the study captures how structural inequalities, gendered labour dynamics, and governance failures intersect to shape post-coal livelihoods.
The findings are expected to inform more inclusive policy frameworks that recognise the differentiated impacts of energy transition on women and other marginalized groups. In doing so, the research contributes to debates on sustainable development, labour justice, and the role of extractive industries in shaping post-apartheid socio-economic futures. On a global scale, it holds broader significance for global development policy, offering comparative insights into how resource-dependent economies can transition equitably while safeguarding social stability and human dignity.
You can get in touch with me by emailing soehail.ali@ed.ac.uk or SoehailAli@ufs.ac.za
Background
I am a PhD candidate in International Development at the University of Edinburgh, conducting interdisciplinary research on how the decline and closure of coal mines in Mpumalanga, South Africa, reshape employment opportunities and livelihood strategies, especially for women aged 18 and older. I am doing this in host-collaboration with The University of the Free State (UFS) at the Centre of Development Support and the University of Johannesburg (DSTI-NRF Trilateral Chair in Transformative Innovation).
Prior to this, I completed my master's degree at the School of Political Science and International Studies (SPAIS) at the University of Bristol, specialising in international relations. My thesis focused on BRICS relationships, examining what binds these countries together in their shared development and security objectives.
In addition, I hold a second master's degree from the School of Political Science at Leiden University, The Hague, where I studied national security and intelligence. My final project explored the influence of mid-sized actors, such as some BRICS nations, on the security landscape of the Netherlands, and their objectives in contributing to insecurity. I earned my undergraduate degree from De Montfort University in Leicester, where my dissertation analysed the Lava Jato operation in Brazil, focusing on corruption, state capture, and their impact on the Brazilian economy under the PT party.
I currently fund my studies by working at a Dutch government executive agency in infrastructure, freelancing in development and security, and teaching part-time outside Edinburgh. Previously, I was a lecturer in national security at InHolland Rotterdam. I also manage two international foundations focused on development work, and my contributions have been recognized with several city council awards.
To maintain my mental well-being, I stay active through sports, travel the world to gain new perspectives, and split my time between the Netherlands, the UK, and South Africa.