School of Social and Political Science

Thabani Mutambasere

Job Title

Lecturer in African Studies and International Development

Photo
Photo of Thabani Mutambasere

Building (Address)

Chrystal Macmillan Building

Street (Address)

15a George Square

Post code (Address)

EH8 9LD

Research interests

Research interests

International development; African diasporas; migration and development; migration and mobility; displacement; migrant, diaspora, and refugee identity, belonging, humanitarianism, and transnationalism (including religious transnationalism); citizenship in Africa; diaspora political mobilisations; civil society; and social movements.

Background

I am a Lecturer in African Studies and International Development at the Centre of African Studies. My research interests include but are not limited to African diasporas, particularly how they contribute to their countries of origin via non-economic routes such as politics, development (charity), and humanitarianism. 

I have looked into ways to adopt an interdisciplinary perspective on food security to, firstly, further understand the role played by mobility and migration and, secondly, better account for the influence of food norms and practices, or food cultures. 

I have also done work on displacement and social protection focussing specifically on the humanitarian-development nexus and how we can expand the inclusion of displaced people in social protection programmes, or systems. Additionally, I have worked on projects investigating diaspora humanitarianism with a focus on the African diaspora.

I also spent a few years working as a practitioner in the international development sector specifically on governance and civic education.  

Qualifications

  • PhD International Development, University of Sussex
  • MSc Development Studies, SOAS, University of London
  • PG Diploma Development Studies, National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe
  • BSocSc Politics, Public Policy and Administration, University of Cape Town

Topics interested in supervising

African diasporas (identity, belonging), transnationalism (including religious and political transnationalism), diaspora political mobilisations, migration and development. 

If you are interested in being supervised by me, please see the links below for more information:

Current PhD students

Tosin Durodola: Post-Refugee Liberians: Durable Solutions, Nationness, and Contestation of Labelling and Territoriality in Host Communities.

Roles and Responsibilities

I am on research leave until the end of 2024. In Semester 2, I am convening the PG courses; Key Skills in Development Practice (OL) and Contemporary Inequality Issues in the Global South. 

I am Programme Co-Director of the MSc International Development (Online Learning). I am a member of the RACE.ED Steering Committee and network acting as Cross Discipline Lead representing CAS. I am also Co-Convenor of CAS's Decolonising Working Group and the University-wide Citizens and Migration Research Network.

Current journal editorial roles

Associate Editor: African and Black Diaspora: An International Journal

Editorial Board Member: Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies

Staff Hours and Guidance

For feedback and guidance appointments, please book via this link (Semester 2, 2024-25 only, I'm on research leave in Semester 1)

 

Publications by user content

Publication Research Explorer link
Datta K, Brown T, Mutambasere T. ‘Road runners’ and Fanta: Intersectional cultural food in/security among Zimbabwean migrants living in UK cities. Global Food Security. 2024 Dec;43:1-6. 100805. Epub 2024 Sept 18. doi: 10.1016/j.gfs.2024.100805
Datta K, Brown T, Mutambasere T. Migration, food (in)security and the Sustainable Development Goals: Insights from the Global South and North. In Piper N, Datta K, editors, The Elgar Companion to Migration and the Sustainable Development Goals. Edward Elgar Publishing. 2024. p. 164-177. (Elgar Companions to the Sustainable Development Goals series). doi: 10.4337/9781802204513.00020
Mutambasere T. Unruly diaspora action as decolonization: Abjection and activism among Zimbabweans in London. Global Networks: A Journal of Transnational Affairs. 2024 Mar 26;1-14. e12480. Epub 2024 Mar 26. doi: 10.1111/glob.12480
Mutambasere T, Pasura D. The nature and “lived” experiences of contemporary African diasporas. In Makina D, Pasura D, editors, Routledge Handbook of Contemporary African Migration. 1st ed. London: Routledge. 2023. p. 286-295 doi: 10.4324/9781003005551-21
Collyer M, te Lintelo D, Mutambasere T, Zaman T. Moving Targets: Social Protection as a Link Between Humanitarianism, Development and Displacement. Brighton: Institute of Development Studies. 2022 Jun 7, p. 1-26. doi: 10.19088/BASIC.2022.017
Mutambasere T. Connecting religious transnationalism and development: Charitable giving amongst Zimbabwean Catholics in London. Third World Quarterly. 2021 Nov 29. Epub 2021 Nov 29. doi: 10.1080/01436597.2021.2005463
Mutambasere T. [Review of] Development, (Dual) Citizenship and its Discontents in Africa: The Political Economy of Belonging to Liberia by Pailey, Robtel Neajai. International Migration Review. 2021 Nov 29. Epub 2021 Nov 29. doi: 10.1177/01979183211059824
Mutambasere TG. Diaspora citizenship in practice: Identity, belonging and transnational civic activism amongst Zimbabweans in the UK. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. 2021 May 10. Epub 2021 May 10. doi: 10.1080/1369183X.2021.1916450
Mutambasere T. Mapping Study on the Role and Faces of African Diaspora Humanitarianism during COVID-19: Findings and Recommendations. 1 ed. Ethiopia: African Union Commission, 2021. 34 p. Epub 2021 Mar 20.
Thabani Mutambasere's Research Explorer profile