Research and Academia

My academic work focuses on East African history and literature. Here you’ll find my research projects, publications, and publications, research projects, and teaching experience.

Research

My PhD (University of York, 2022), researched the history of women’s writing after independence in Uganda and Kenya. I examined how women experienced and expressed their hopes and dreams for independence through their texts – combining literary analysis with historical research. I conducted fieldwork in Uganda, Kenya and the UK.

My broader research interests include histories of race and intersections with gender and class, social and cultural histories of East Africa, and histories of literary and cultural production in Africa, and African women’s histories.

Expertise

Women’s histories: The ways in which women experienced and understood independence and post-colonialism in East Africa

Gender & Race: Investigating the lived experiences and societal impacts of gender and racial identities.

East African Studies: Exploring cultural, historical, and social dynamics across East Africa.

Publications

I have published in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes. Below are some highlights:

Peer-reviewed journal articles

Adima, A. (2023) "Mixed-ish: race, class and gender in 1950s–60s Kampala through a life history of Barbara Kimenye." Journal of Eastern African Studies DOI: 10.1080/17531055.2022.2163469

Adima, A. (2022) "Exposed Inequalities: Emancipation and Constraint in the Experiences of Kenyan Women Students Abroad (1950s-1960s)." Diasporas 37.

Adima, A. (2020) "The Sound of Silence: The 1929-31 Gikuyu female circumcision controversy and the discursive suppression of African women’s voices." Gender and Research 21 (1): 18-37.

Book chapters

Adima, A. (2024) "Makerere's English Department: The Cradle of East African Literature". In Makerere's Century of Service to East Africa and Beyond: 1922-2022, edited by A.B.K. Kasozi, Josephine Ahikire, Dominic Dipio and Helen Byamugisha. Kampala: Makerere University Press.

Adima, A. (2024) "How to Search for, Find and Read Colonial Sources for Gender". In Interrogating Colonial Documents and Narratives. Marlborough: AM.

Adima, A. (2024) "Using Historical Sources to Analyse Black Bodies as Sites of Violence". In Interrogating Colonial Documents and Narratives. Marlborough: AM.

Teaching

I am passionate about engaging students with critical thinking, interdisciplinary research, and inclusive classroom practices. I teach courses on:

World History

African History and Culture

Historical Research Methdologies

My teaching philosophy emphasises curiosity and dialogue, encouraging students to explore complex social issues with confidence.

I have taught seminars and delivered lectures at institutions including the University of York, SOAS (University of London) and the University of San Diego. I have previously been shortlisted for the University of York History Department Teaching Excellence Award

Conferences & Talks

I regularly present at international conferences and seminars, contributing to scholarly conversations on global and African histories. For a selection of my presentations, please see here.