Tessa Pijnaker

Dr. Tessa Pijnaker is a full-time Lecturer at the Department of Cultural Anthropology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University. Her work integrates postcolonial theory with ethnographic fieldwork in sub-Saharan Africa.

• PhD in Anthropology (University of Birmingham, AHRC-funded)

Research Focus: Digital development, racial (techno)capitalism, and class formation in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Ghana. Explores how digital entrepreneurs navigate technopolitics and social aspirations through video games and cultural media.

Publication Trends: Recent work examines digital entrepreneurship (2025), African superhero narratives (2018), and intersections of gaming/comics with socio-cultural identity (2017). Themes span technopolitics, Global South representation, and digital aesthetics.

Scientific Awards:

• Co-investigator for British Academy grant (2024-2026) promoting African perspectives in digital innovation research

As a thesis supervisor, she guides master's students in cultural anthropology. Affiliated with the Oosterbaan Chair of Sovereignty and Social Contestation, contributing to research on inequality, gender/diversity, and digital governance.