Under the Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx) Visiting Fellowship programme, fellows are affiliated with the University for a year. The fellowship comprises two components: a ten-month virtual engagement and a two-month in-person visit to Oxford during Trinity term (April to June).  

During his fellowship, Dr Bangura will work on his project ‘Women, Social Movements, Popular Arts, and the Quest for Democracy in Senegal’. This study explores how women contribute to social movements and democratic advocacy in Senegal, particularly through music and other popular arts. By highlighting the often-overlooked role of women in political resistance, his research aims to inform policy and strengthen the role of gender inclusivity in peacebuilding practices across Africa.

Dr Bangura’s research examines peacebuilding, gender, youth engagement, and post-war transitions in West Africa. With a PhD in Economics from HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, he has published extensively on disarmament, peacebuilding, and social movements in Africa. His recent work includes two edited volumes on youth-led movements and the reintegration of ex-combatants in Africa. Additionally, Dr Bangura has held roles in human rights and post-conflict transition initiatives in Sierra Leone, and as a Result Oriented Monitoring (ROM) expert, he has assessed over 100 EU-funded projects and programmes in approximately 30 countries in Africa, In 2020, he developed the Women, Peace and Security Guidelines for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and he is currently finalising the Gender Framework for Peace Support Operations of ECOWAS, adding practical experience to his academic expertise.