Dr Ibrahim Bangura

Dr Ibrahim Bangura is an Associate Professor in the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. Currently, he is a visiting fellow collaborating with Dr John Gledhill at the Department of International Development, University of Oxford under the Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx) Visiting Fellowship programme.

Dr Bangura’s research examines peacebuilding, gender, youth engagement, and post-war transitions in West Africa. With a PhD in Economics from HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, he has published extensively on disarmament, peacebuilding, and social movements in Africa. His recent work includes two edited volumes on youth-led movements and the reintegration of ex-combatants in Africa. Additionally, Dr Bangura has held roles in human rights and post-conflict transition initiatives in Sierra Leone, and as a Result Oriented Monitoring (ROM) expert, he has assessed over 100 European Union funded projects and programmes in approximately 30 countries in Africa, In 2020, he developed the Women, Peace and Security Guidelines for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and he is currently finalising the Gender Framework for Peace Support Operations of ECOWAS, adding practical experience to his academic expertise.

At Oxford, Dr Bangura is advancing his project titled “Women, Social Movements, Popular Arts, and the Quest for Democracy in Senegal.” This study explores how women, particularly through music and other popular arts, contribute to social movements and democratic advocacy in Senegal. By highlighting the often-overlooked role of women in political resistance, his research aims to inform policy and strengthen the role of gender inclusivity in peacebuilding practices across Africa.