Lahra Smith

Lahra Smith is an Associate Professor in the Department of African Studies at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service. Her research focuses on citizenship, migration, and political development in Africa, with particular expertise in Ethiopia and Kenya. She holds a joint appointment in the Government Department and has held a Fulbright Visiting Research Chair at Queen’s University, Canada.

Her work examines issues such as ethnic conflict resolution, refugee integration in the Horn of Africa, and the role of political institutions in shaping national identity. Smith has conducted fieldwork in Ethiopia and Kenya, addressing topics like gendered migration patterns and healthcare policy. She has received grants from the National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Fulbright-Hays Fellowship Program.

Smith’s research demonstrates a strong focus on marginalized communities, including refugee populations and women migrants. Her 2014 book Making Citizens in Africa: Ethnicity, Gender and National Identity in Ethiopia remains a seminal text on state-building and citizenship in postcolonial contexts. Her recent work explores South-South migration dynamics and institutional DEI reforms in academia.

Professional experience includes roles with USAID and Oxfam America, teaching at Addis Ababa University, and election observation in Ethiopia/Kenya. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges political science, anthropology, and public health, addressing contemporary challenges in Africa's socio-political landscape.