The latest news, events, research findings, publications, and funding opportunities from the British Institute in Eastern Africa (BIEA). Featuring contributions from BIEA researchers and BIEA-funded research scholars and students.
The British Institute in Eastern Africa (BIEA) delivers a programme of regular events – including seminar series, workshops and book launches – at its research centre in Nairobi and in partner universities in Eastern Africa and the UK. We also collaborate with researchers and partner research institutes to host occasional joint events or to provide event space for external researchers.
This seminar series provides a platform for invited speakers to present original research on the peoples, places, histories and cultures of Eastern Africa. It reflects BIEA’s commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and interdisciplinary research community, and to promoting methodological and theoretical innovation. It also serves as a public forum for examining policy issues and exploring solutions evidence-based solutions. Seminars take place monthly at our Nairobi hub and online. Overall, the series supports critical inquiry and advances transformative knowledge for researchers working in and on the region.
The Graduate Forum is an active network of Humanities and Social Sciences postgraduates that fosters academic exchange and peer support. Participants share research knowledge, ideas, and experiences to ease the isolation of graduate study. The Forum connects emerging scholars with established researchers across universities, countries and disciplines, promoting innovative research in Africa. It includes hybrid seminar presentations, panel discussions, workshops, training, and work in progress sessions.
In this seminar BIEA postdoctoral Research Associates share their experience of applying critical and decolonial approaches to research across Eastern Africa. They provide insights drawn from their experiences of doing fieldwork; reflections on revising theoretical and methodological frameworks; and strategies for conducting ethical and contextually grounded research in the region.
Each year, the BIEA Council invites a distinguished UK-based scholar renowned for their research on Eastern Africa to deliver a public lecture. Hosted either at the British Academy or in collaboration with a leading African Studies centre, the event attracts audiences from within and beyond academia and includes opportunities for networking and refreshments. Previous speakers have included Professor David M. Anderson (University of Warwick); Professor Alexander Betts (University of Oxford) and Professor Ayona Datta (UCL).
Each year, the BIEA Kenya Board invites a distinguished scholar or prominent thought-leader based in Eastern Africa to speak at our research centre in Nairobi. Previous speakers have included Professor Kivutha Kibwana (Daystar University); Professor Mwenda Ntarangwi (USIU-Africa); John Githongo, academic and anticorruption campaigner; and Professor Mĩcere Gĩthae Mũgo (Syracuse University). The event attracts wide interest and includes opportunities for networking and refreshments.
This hybrid conference is a multidisciplinary event for established scholars and researchers in humanities and social sciences in Africa, with the annual call and panels shaped by BIEA’s research themes. It is held either at the BIEA research hub in Nairobi or at a partner university in the region.
This multidisciplinary conference brings together graduate students, early-career researchers and practitioners – both online and at the BIEA hub – and focuses on a distinctive thematic area each year.
This two-day programme explores the use of digital tools in research across Africa. It aims to inspire early-career researchers and equip them with insights and skills to inform new research projects and engage in informed discussions. Participants gain familiarity with advanced research technologies and facilities, including BIEA’s surveying drones, DGPS and fieldwork equipment. Held at BIEA’s Nairobi hub, the summer school combines expert-led sessions with practical activities, including a field visit.
This workshop is convened by Senior Research Associates at a partner university, with the aim of sharing research, engaging with BIEA’s research themes and agendas and forging new connections across Eastern Africa.
There are many reasons to become a member of the BIEA and join our research community. The BIEA membership is open to all researchers and early career researchers.
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