Ayele Kebede Roba

Dr. Ayele Kebede Roba is a Lecturer in African Literatures at the University of York's Department of English and Related Literature, joining in 2024. Previously, he served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at SOAS, University of London. His research focuses on Ethiopian and African literatures, particularly the interplay between oral traditions (orature), gender dynamics, and world literature frameworks. He holds a PhD in Cultural, Literary and Postcolonial Studies from SOAS, an MA in TESOL from Addis Ababa University, and a BA in English from Ambo University.

His work examines literary multilingualism, marginalized women's verbal arts, and the socio-cultural contexts of African literature. Recent projects include exploring orature's role in conflict resolution through a British Academy-funded project. He teaches courses on African literatures and cultural studies, contributing to modules like 'African Imaginations' and 'World of Literature II.'

Ayele has organized academic conferences on Guji cultural studies and Gadaa studies, and his research appears in journals such as Critical African Studies and Journal of Oromo Studies. He previously held administrative roles including Director of the Institute of Gadaa and Culture Studies at Bule Hora University.