Louisa Egbunike

Dr. Louisa Egbunike serves as Associate Professor in African/Caribbean Literature in the Department of English Studies at Durham University since 2020, following teaching roles at Goldsmiths, Manchester Metropolitan University, and City University of London. She maintains a Research Associate affiliation with SOAS Centre for African Studies.

She earned her PhD in African Literary Studies from SOAS, establishing her expertise in postcolonial literary traditions and African cultural history.

Dr. Egbunike's research centers on the cultural memory of the Nigeria-Biafra war, African speculative fiction, and Nigerian urban/campus representations. She investigates how literature and visual arts process historical trauma, identity formation, and nation-building through interdisciplinary collaborations including documentary filmmaking and art exhibitions.

Her publication trajectory evolves from analyses of Nigerian military rule toward contemporary explorations of science fiction and digital memory practices. Recurring themes include Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's narratives, Biafra war legacies, and virtual communities among Nigerian alumni, reflecting her commitment to connecting historical events with present cultural expressions.

Dr. Egbunike's scientific recognition includes:

• BBC and Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) New Generation Thinker (2016)

She contributes to academic mentorship through chairing the ASAUK’s Best Thesis Prize committee (2024) and serving on the Aidoo-Snyder Prize committee. Her collaborative projects like the "Legacies of Biafra" initiative involve cultural organizations though specific grant mechanisms remain unspecified in source materials.

As co-founder of the annual Igbo Conference with SOAS and collaborator with Nigeria Arts Society UK on the "Legacies of Biafra" exhibition, Dr. Egbunike demonstrates sustained engagement with cultural institutions. Her documentary "In the Shadow of Biafra" (2020) screened internationally at the National Theatre (London), Pa Gya! Festival (Accra), and ASAA conference (Nairobi), evidencing her public scholarship approach.