Wale Adebanwi

Wale Adebanwi is the Rhodes Professor of Race Relations and Director of the African Studies Centre at the University of Oxford. He is a Fellow of St Antony’s College and the Oxford Martin School, and an Associate Member of the Department of Politics and International Relations. His research focuses on African Studies, Nigerian press dynamics, and political anthropology. He holds two doctorates: a PhD in Political Science from the University of Ibadan, and a DPhil in Social Anthropology from the University of Cambridge.

**Education**:

• BSc in Mass Communication
• MSc in Political Science
• MPhil in Social Anthropology
• PhD in Political Science (University of Ibadan)
• DPhil in Social Anthropology (University of Cambridge)

**Research Interests**: Adebanwi examines media’s role in shaping socio-political narratives in Nigeria, with a focus on nationalism, ethnicity, and governance. His work bridges political science and anthropology, analyzing how media institutions influence identity and power dynamics in Africa.

**Awards & Grants**: He has received prestigious fellowships including the MacArthur Foundation Grant, Rockefeller Fellowship (Bellagio), and SSRC Global Youth Fellowship. His Oxford Martin School grant supports research on African political transitions.

**Teaching & Advising**: A seasoned educator, he has taught at universities across Africa, North America, and Europe. Previously, he was Visiting Professor at Rhodes University (South Africa), Professor at UC Davis (USA), and Lecturer at the University of Ibadan.

**Labs/Teams**: Leads the African Studies Centre, Oxford, which fosters interdisciplinary research on Africa’s socio-political landscapes.