Hat trick for OU International Development research at Ely Graduation

Group of students in graduation robes, queuing up to collect their certificate

Three postgraduate research students from the OU’s International Development research area graduated at Ely Cathedral in May and are already excelling in their careers.

Dr Raktim Ray did his thesis on Spatial Adhocism as Practice for Conflict Politics: Theorising Urban Politics in Kolkata, which examined the relationship between state and society.

“I looked at the complexity of the relationship between state and society in a post-colonial context, “he said.

Commenting on doing a PhD at the OU, he said: “It’s a brilliant environment and research intensive and that’s very helpful for a PhD student. I also had a very generous scholarship which meant I didn’t have to think about money.”

After completion of his PhD, Dr Ray joined the Bartlett Development Planning Unit, University College London as a Lecturer (Teaching).

Hi. I'm Raktim and my PhD was looking at how the State political society and the Civil Society kind of uh engage in a politics and what are the special implications of that politics.

What I did was try to look at how in the postcolonial context State and the society operates in a very complex way and also what kind of heterogeneous relationship they form, so I actually critique the idea of resistance and the binary of dominance and resistance.

Rather, I said it's a multiple relationship that the state is having with the society.

It's a brilliant environment. It's very very research intensive environment so that's very helpful for PhD student, but I think the most advantageous position which I had at doing a PhD in OU.

I had a brilliant scholarship uh so I didn't want I didn't have to think about money and it's a very generous scholarship.

Dr Alice Gathoni did her thesis on: Social Media in the Lives of Youth with Disabilities in Higher Education in Kenya: Agency, Inclusion and Aspiration, in which she looked at the value of social media for young people with disabilities in Higher Education in Kenya.

“One of the biggest things for me was seeing them having the courage to do what other people were doing on social media. That was just WOW!”

After completing her PhD, Dr Gathoni took up a Research Fellowship with the British Institute in Eastern Africa (2020- 2022). She is currently a part-time lecturer at Tangaza University College as well as doing consultancy and running an upcoming NGO that works with children and youth with disabilities.

My name is Alice Gathoni.

I was doing a PhD on the looking at the lives of young people with disabilities within the context of higher education in Kenya trying to understand the value of social media in their lives, so looking at their the reason they use social media and what social media means to them.

And so seeing some of my participants being able to gain the confidence, knowing that they come from such a background of marginalization a background of being stereotyped of what they can and what they cannot do, so some of them were just first years and them having that courage to do what other people are doing on social media.

That was I mean one, of the biggest thing for me and I thought wow this is what we want.

Dr Frangton Chiyemura did his thesis on: The Winds of change in Africa-China relations? Contextualising African agency in Ethiopia-China Engagement in Wind energy Infrastructure Financing and Development, in which he tried to understand the role of Chinese companies in financing and developing a renewal energy strategy in Africa, particularly Ethiopia.

“I believe my research helped to unravel some of the underlying structures which are often not captured in day-to-day conversations about policymaking.”

Dr Chiyemura is now a Lecturer in International Development in the Open University's Development Policy and Practice Group.

My name is Frangton Chiyemura.

I'm currently a lecturer in International Development in Development Policy and Practice.

My PhD which I started in 2016 and then completed in 2019, was basically trying to understand the role of the Chinese companies or Enterprises in financing and developing a renewable energy infrastructure in Africa, particularly in Ethiopia, because it involves dealing with key police makers both in China and in Ethiopia.

But I think what I believe my research managed to do is kind of unravel some of the kind of underlying structures which in most cases are not captured in day-to-day conversation about police making.

So what basically does is provide information which policemakers can really work with in terms of developing policies that are beneficial to both Ethiopians and the Chinese are stakeholders in this case.

Commenting on these successes, Giles Mohan, OU Professor of International Development said:

“I was so proud to see Alice, Frangton and Raktim graduate. It is testament to their hardwork and determination as well as the foresight of The Open University to invest in doctoral studentships. All of them have gone on to work in universities so they are driving the next generation of research.”