Centre for Public Authority and International Development Transition
Lead Research Organisation:
London School of Economics and Political Science
Department Name: Centre for Africa
Abstract
1) Produce and disseminate high-quality, evidence-based research that informs local, national, and international policies responses to contemporary challenges: Expanding on our work using innovative methodologies to produce impactful research on ongoing humanitarian and governance crises, including conflict, mass displacement, Ebola and COVID-19, and outputs that have often shaped states and international organisations' responses to co-produce peer reviewed research, policy briefs and blogs with partners from the Global South. The focus will be on ensuring research outputs reach relevant audiences and cement the utility of a public authority lens for designing appropriate policy responses to contemporary crises and governance challenges, including strategic priorities identified by the ESRC and UKRI. Here, CPAID will draw on its existing relationships with academic institutions, and development and humanitarian organisations, to amplify the reach and impact of its research.
2) CPAID will produce comparative work to explore the extent to which 'public authority' can help us understand difficult dynamics in the Global South and north: The aim will be to further explore the utility of a public authority lens, developed in African contexts, for exploring contemporary governance dynamics and policy responses in UK, Europe and elsewhere, as well as Africa. Ongoing and new comparative research will fill gaps in knowledge of how populations and authorities are responding to emerging challenges and crises. This is important in an era defined by global crises, populist and polarised politics, and the retreat of state and international governance institutions.
3) CPAID will use innovative approaches and outputs to ensure a public authority lens remains a feature of knowledge production, analyses and policy responses: During the transition phase CPAID will work to ensure that its lessons and public authority lens is taken up and applied by new generations of researchers and practitioners confronting and debating complex collective action problems and waning trust in mainstream governance institutions. This will be achieved through accredited courses that centre a public authority lens in their understanding of development and humanitarian problems and practice, and through knowledge products such as blogs, policy briefs, journal papers, edited volumes, and textbooks that demonstrate the utility of the concept for knowledge generation, analysis, and policymaking. Alongside this, CPAID will continue to work with, mentor and co-produce research with academics, development practitioners and organisations living and working in challenging contexts and to disseminate it through a range of innovative mediums - from cartoons to podcasts and videos.
4) CPAID will enhance existing partnerships and build new ones to ensure reciprocal knowledge exchange and capacity building: The centre will use its long-standing collaborations with local partners to hold a series of round tables, workshops and knowledge dissemination activities that enable reciprocal capacity building and knowledge exchange, both between those from the Global North and south, and among them. This will not only enable CPAID researchers to further understand and rethink research relationships and inequalities, but also ensure new partnership with academics and organisations in the Global South and north advance our core mission of supporting a broad spectrum of voices to challenge mainstream ways of working, analysing governance and collective action problems, and policymaking. This will include collaborations with development and humanitarian organisations working on the frontline of contemporary crises.
2) CPAID will produce comparative work to explore the extent to which 'public authority' can help us understand difficult dynamics in the Global South and north: The aim will be to further explore the utility of a public authority lens, developed in African contexts, for exploring contemporary governance dynamics and policy responses in UK, Europe and elsewhere, as well as Africa. Ongoing and new comparative research will fill gaps in knowledge of how populations and authorities are responding to emerging challenges and crises. This is important in an era defined by global crises, populist and polarised politics, and the retreat of state and international governance institutions.
3) CPAID will use innovative approaches and outputs to ensure a public authority lens remains a feature of knowledge production, analyses and policy responses: During the transition phase CPAID will work to ensure that its lessons and public authority lens is taken up and applied by new generations of researchers and practitioners confronting and debating complex collective action problems and waning trust in mainstream governance institutions. This will be achieved through accredited courses that centre a public authority lens in their understanding of development and humanitarian problems and practice, and through knowledge products such as blogs, policy briefs, journal papers, edited volumes, and textbooks that demonstrate the utility of the concept for knowledge generation, analysis, and policymaking. Alongside this, CPAID will continue to work with, mentor and co-produce research with academics, development practitioners and organisations living and working in challenging contexts and to disseminate it through a range of innovative mediums - from cartoons to podcasts and videos.
4) CPAID will enhance existing partnerships and build new ones to ensure reciprocal knowledge exchange and capacity building: The centre will use its long-standing collaborations with local partners to hold a series of round tables, workshops and knowledge dissemination activities that enable reciprocal capacity building and knowledge exchange, both between those from the Global North and south, and among them. This will not only enable CPAID researchers to further understand and rethink research relationships and inequalities, but also ensure new partnership with academics and organisations in the Global South and north advance our core mission of supporting a broad spectrum of voices to challenge mainstream ways of working, analysing governance and collective action problems, and policymaking. This will include collaborations with development and humanitarian organisations working on the frontline of contemporary crises.
Publications

Abonga F
(2024)
Collaborative Autoethnography and Reclaiming an African Episteme: Investigating "Customary" Ownership of Natural Resources
in African Studies Review

Allen T
(2023)
In the line of duty: Militarising African epidemics
in Global Policy

Hopwood J
(2022)
Conceptual Resilience in the Language and Lives of Resilient People: Cases from Northern Uganda
in Civil Wars

Janguan T
(2023)
Hiding in Plain Site: Protection after the closing of the Juba's Protection of Civilian sites
in Global Policy

Kirk T
(2023)
Humanitarian Protection Activities and the Safety of Strangers in the DRC, Syria and South Sudan and its Borderlands
in Global Policy

Kirk T
(2023)
Intermediaries, Isomorphic Activism and Programming for Social Accountability in Pakistan
in Global Policy

Kirk T
(2023)
Adaptive programming and going with the grain: IMAGINE 's new water governance model in Goma, DRC
in Development Policy Review

Kirk T
(2023)
Community Self-Protection, Public Authority and the Safety of Strangers in Bor and Ler, South Sudan
in Global Policy

Kirk T
(2023)
Introduction: Development Practice, Power, and Public Authorities Special Issue
in Global Policy

Laing N
(2024)
Does epidemiological evidence support the success story of Uganda's response to COVID-19?
in Journal of biosocial science
Description | Policy brief and pre-recorded Conversation on the Role of ICT in Higher Education in Africa during the Time of Covid 19. Commissioned by the Office of the UN Adviser for Africa (OSAA) Knowledge Network. T |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
Impact | Targetted with Ministers of Education in Africa to improve practice on Online Learning in Higher education |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDDoKWNhAhc |
Description | Radio programme |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
Description | Partnership: Gulu University |
Organisation | Gulu University |
Country | Uganda |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We will be hosting and funding visiting scholar Grace Akello from the Gulu University at the London School of Economics, Firoz Lalji Centre for Africa for three months. Researcher Julian Hopwood will be teaching in place of Grace Akello at Gulu University. |
Collaborator Contribution | Grace Akello intends on conducting research and partake in knowledge exchange through seminar and conference workshops upon arrival 12 March 2018. |
Impact | As Grace Akello has recently commenced her three month stay at the LSE, her contributions to the two grants are forthcoming. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | 'The proliferation of violence against youth: an ICC case' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | I was on the panel of a 'dialogue' session at the LSE Africa Summit, debating the role of the ICC in Uganda and more widely, and presenting original material from fieldwork findings. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.lse.ac.uk/africa/events/Africa-Summit |
Description | A conference paper • "Even If You Ask Someone Else That is My Truth': Uncomfortable Reflexivities on Research with Elderly Women in Kenya'. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | • "Even If You Ask Someone Else That is My Truth': Uncomfortable Reflexivities on Research with Elderly Women in Kenya'. A workshop Organized by CPAID researchers University of Bath, UK |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Africa Philanthropy and the Rights of African Child during Covid-19 Pandemic. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | Based on engagement around my Blog on "'The role of Grassroot actors in Prevention of violence against children in Kenya' published in 2020, I was invited by African Philanthropy Network, the only continent wide Network on Philanthropy in Africa to to moderate a seminar on "Africa Philanthropy and the Rights of African Child during Covid-19 Pandemic". This event was held to mark the day of the African child on June 16, 2021. The participants were drawn from regional chapters of the Network including East, Southern and West Africa and was attended by Researchers, NGO practioners, and grant giving organizations and individuals in Africa, as well as other researchers from around the globe. We discussed the role of community philanthropy in enhancing children's rights and the how to enhance preparedness to future pandemics in terms of philanthropy |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Applying a Public Authorities Lens to a Water Provision Programme in Goma |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Tom Kirk argues that INGOs should be objects of study as much as the outcomes of their programmes. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.globalpolicyjournal.com/blog/16/03/2023/applying-public-authorities-lens-water-provision... |
Description | CPAID course in Humanitarianism |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I was one of the trainers in the CPAID course on Public Authority and Humanitarianism Course |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Conference at University of Johannesburg |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A CPAID workshop was organised for researchers at the University of Johannesburg |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Conference paper: Vernaculars of Resilience by Widowed Caregivers in Siaya Kenya: Our Husbands Have Become Angels |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | I co-convened a panel on resilience and presented a paper in the The 19th World Anthropology Conference, New Delhi, India, 15- 20 October 2023 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.waunet.org/19th-iuaes-wau-world-anthropology-congress/#:~:text=New%20Delhi%2C%20India%2C... |
Description | Dissemination Workshop, Research on the Role of grassroots Actors in prevention of Violence Against Children |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | This was a policy engagement workshop that brought together government officers, NGO, and grassroots actors in Siaya to discuss the findings of the research on the role of grassroots Actors in the prevention of Violence against Children |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Engagement with Practioners, Government officials In Uganda |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | This was a research engagement workshop with practitioners, NGO staff, grassroots actors and government leaders in Uganda. We engaged on how to support Grassroots actors who are working on the protection of children and against Sexual and Gender Based Violence |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Engagement with Practioners, University lecturers and Government officials on Justice Law and Order Sector Uganda |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I had discussions with participants in a training of trainers course in the Justice, Law and Order Sector in Lira Uganda organized by the center for Sexual and reproductive health in Lira. I also shared the preliminary findings of my research on grassroots actors working on violence prevention in Uganda |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Invited panelist: Symposium at the Biennial Conference on Equity and Social Justice in Child, Youth and Family Welfare, UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | I was invited as a panelist at the panel 'Confronting the Impact of Colonialism on Child Interventions. Symposium at the Biennial Conference on Equity and Social Justice in Child, Youth and Family Welfare' The symposium was part of the conference 'European Scientific Association on Residential and Family Care for Children and Adolescents (EuSARF). The UniversityofSussex |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://eusarf.org |
Description | Keynote Lecture at Gulu University |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | An invitation to deliver a keynote lecture at Gulu University. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Practising Pop Philosophy by Inventing Concepts in Research: Engaging Practices of State and Other Support to Poor Children in Kenya'. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | This was a conference in Suffolk University. UK |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Presentation in a research symposium: Research in the World of 2058 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | This was a symposium organised by the Erasmianum Foundation to reflect on future of research and ethics. I presented a paper on my work |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Presentation: FLIA Lunch and Learn Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk entitled 'Using case studies of poverty and exclusion to expose the fallacies of developmental resilience (and social capital and climate change adaptability)' to workshop on Resilience in Post-conflict Settings. Delivered to hybrid workshop leading to active debate and refinement of ideas of resilience. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Public Authority and Humanitarianism Course |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The University of Johannesburg and the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa at the London School of Economics and Political Science are offering early- and mid- career humanitarian and development professionals a free eight week course on public authority and its application to key issues for the sector. The course will cover why you need to be aware of how public authority is created and maintained in the places you work. And the frameworks, techniques and research that can help your programmes to better understand and engage public authority to achieve sustainable outcomes. The course's first 2 days (24th and 25th April) will be held in-person on the University of Johannesburg campus (lunches provided). The course will then move to seven weekly online sessions focussing on different pressing issues. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.lse.ac.uk/africa/centre-for-public-authority-and-international-development/CPAID-course |
Description | Roundtable with Protection Practitioners, South Sudan |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | We held a roundtable discussion of our research on unitarian protection and communities self protection strategies with practitioners from Juba's protection cluster. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Speaking engagements in Melbourne and Delhi |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Tim Allen was invited to speak at the University of Melbourne and the World Anthropology Congress in Delhi |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | The role of Grassroots actors in Addressing Violence against Children' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | This was a seminar held at the International leadership University in Nairobi Kenya to discuss the findings of our research on Grassroots actors and the prevention of violence in Kenya. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.linkedin.com/posts/eliza-n-a9b39336_we-will-be-onsite-and-on-zoom-at-the-international-a... |
Description | Toolkits and Standards in Transitional Justice, Bogota, Colombia, 15-16 Feb 2023 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Public event held at the Universidad Los Andes, Bogota, on toolkits and standards in global and national transitional justice policy. Attendees included policy-makers, practitioners and academics. There was a combination of public events and closed workshop sessions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Transitional Justice Conference in Ethiopia |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Tim Allen was invited by the Ethiopian Human Rights Council to deliver a training on Transitional Justice. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Uganda's battle for the youth vote - how Museveni keeps Bobi Wine's reach in check |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A blog on The Conversation, sharing key insights from an article on Bobi Wine and Uganda's youth vote published in the Journal of Eastern African Studies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://theconversation.com/ugandas-battle-for-the-youth-vote-how-museveni-keeps-bobi-wines-reach-in... |
Description | Workshop at Gulu University |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Invited as a delegate for planned academic and research activities, including dissemination of findings from a joint research on Pandemic Preparedness and response during Covid-19 in the Months of April through to May 2023. During the visit to Gulu University, we offered technical assistance and mentorships in research to both undergraduate and Master of Medical Anthropology students at the Faculty of Medicine. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |