Vivian Nsiah

Profile

I had my early education in Ghana. My most recent studies, Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Philosophy in Integrated Community Development and Development Management respectively were undertaken in the University for Development Studies, Ghana. The above programmes exposed me to courses that heightened the essence of participation and bottom-up development as opposed to top-down development. 

After my undergraduate studies, I served as a Teaching Assistant in the University for Development Studies, where I assisted in teaching, marking and examining students in courses such as Research Methods, Project Proposal Writing, Development Theories, Conflict Management and Development, Workshop for Development Workers, and Monitoring and Evaluation. The teaching experience exposed me to students' perspectives, theories and praxis of development discourse.

During my Masters level, the modules and courses dived deeper into the politics of survival, conflicts, management, elite capture and other socio-ecological factors associated with natural resources; a basic means of survival in Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa.

The urge to know more about the politics of natural resources led my MPhil thesis which focused on 'the dynamics of natural resource use conflicts and multistakeholder collaboration in Ghana', using the case of Mole National Park, a UNESCO Heritage Site in northern Ghana. The results from this research showed that aside the masculinities in resource poaching and associated conflicts, there were gender underpinnings to resource use conflicts. Particularly, access to water in the Mole Park was a source of conflict between the Park management and the women from Larabanga and other fringed communities of the Park. 

The above academic information guides my research interest in gender and natural resources. 

Research interests

My research interest centres on Natural Resources, Migration, Gender and Development, and Feminisms.

My PhD research is an expansion of my research interest in Natural Resources. This time, it connects my personal interest and identity as a young African woman and feminist and my past research experience in northern Ghana to explore gender and feminism by looking at the role women in northern Ghana play in Water Governance. This is viewed from the perspectives of African feminism vis-a-vis the dominant feminism view.

I engage views on African feminisms, Decolonisation theories, Women and Water Governance in sub-Saharan as well as fieldwork to harness the agency of African women in decision making governing water resources. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts (Integrated Community Development)
• Masters of Philosophy (Development Management)