Ebunoluwa Iyamu

PhD candidate
Colonial and Postcolonial Penology history (torture, discipline, punishment, prison), History of Human Rights, State-building, and Security – In West Africa

My research examines the history of Nigeria's prisons in terms of its socio-political dimensions. In my research, I aim to analyze Nigeria's prisons and understand how they are institutionalized to control and safeguard the labor of past heroes in building the nation, as stated in the fifth line of Nigeria's national anthem. By examining the political voices of Nigeria's prisons, i focus on the power relations within prisons to uncover the hidden narratives of the Nigerian state through the voices and experiences of those who have been incarcerated.

Professional experience

As a historian, my specialization and research interests are with the West Africa Social, Legal and Political History; which evolves around the following themes: History of Pain, Colonial and Postcolonial Penology (torture, discipline, punishment), State-building, History of Human Rights.

Professionally, I also work on Country of Origin Information, Human rights/ Asylum seekers rights, Sexual violence, Victims of Torture, Early warning system, Foreign policy and National security in Nigeria. I have professional experiences with various IGOs (OHCHR Geneva, ICRC Geneva), Human Rights NGOs (Asylos, Movement to Inspire, Mission 89) and Nation-state Think tanks (The Nigerian Institute of International Affairs).

Awards

  • Scholarship by the Graduate Institute of International and development studies, Geneva Switzerland.
  • Scholarship by A.G Leventis Foundation, Switzerland

Supervision of PhD Thesis

Florence Bernault

"Punishment and Discipline as a Mode of Control: An Alternative History to State Building in Post/Colonial Nigeria, 1946-2007"

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