Contact Dr Alesia Ofori
Areas of expertise
- Water and Sanitation for Development
Background
I research how political, economic, and socio-cultural processes occurring within and across local, meso and global levels impact resource use, development and governance. I draw from post-colonial, critical feminist and political ecology scholarship to address how to work with political and power dynamics for sustainable resource governance. My work predominantly focuses on the Sub-Saharan African region, particularly West, Southern and East Africa and cuts across Water, Sanitation, Agriculture, Gender and the Extractive Industry. The foundation of my work is deeply rooted in my personal experiences in Ghana. Living in this context has afforded me firsthand exposure to the pervasive issues of inequality, political power struggles, and their subtle yet profound impact on the everyday lives, well-being, and capabilities of individuals. These experiences have shaped the core of my research and teaching philosophy, emphasizing the real-world implications of these dynamics on people's lives. My expertise extends to consultancy work, where I have collaborated with esteemed organizations such as WaterAid, Global Water Partnership, and ODI. In these roles, I have delved into diverse areas, including gender dynamics, climate-related issues, WASH governance, and resource politics, contributing valuable insights and solutions to complex challenges. Furthermore, I have actively participated in key projects sponsored by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Notably, I was a key contributor to the £20 million Water Security Hub project and the ESRC Scaling up Off-grid Sanitation initiative in Haiti, Kenya, South Africa, and Peru.
Research opportunities
Political Ecology
Political Economy of Development
Water and Sanitation Governance
Extractive Industry (Artisanal Small-Scale Mining and Critical Minerals)
Current activities
Module Lead for Water, Society and Development
Researcher on ESRC grant: Scaling Up Off-grid Sanitation, focussing on Contained Based Sanitation in Peru, Haiti, Kenya and South Africa
Setting the Agenda for Tackling Water Scarcity in Johannesburg
Clients
- WaterAid
- Global Challenges Research Fund
- Overseas Development Institute
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Mdee A, Ofori A, Lopez-Gonzalez G, Stringer L, Martin-Ortega J, .... (2022). The top 100 global water questions: Results of a scoping exercise. One Earth, 5(5)
- Ofori AD, Mdee A & Van Alstine J. (2021). Politics on display: The realities of artisanal mining formalisation in Ghana. The Extractive Industries and Society, 8(4)
- Mdee A, Ofori A, Chasukwa M & Manda S. (2021). Neither sustainable nor inclusive: a political economy of agricultural policy and livelihoods in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia. The Journal of Peasant Studies, 48(6)
Books
- Smith L, Van Alstine J & Ofori A. (2023). A research agenda for the extractive industries and the low carbon transition In A Research Agenda for Sustainability and Business. Edward Elgar Publishing.
- Ofori AD & Mdee A. (2021). Integrated Water Resource Management In Leal Filho W, Azul AM, Brandli L, Lange Salvia A & Wall T (eds), Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer International Publishing.