Tosin Durodola, an MA graduate of our programme in Diaspora and Transnational Studies, is the runner-up in the fifth ‘Border Criminologies Masters Dissertation/Thesis Prize’, awarded by the Faculty of Law of the University of Oxford, with support from Routledge.
Durodola’s research work, titled ‘Narratives of the Journey to Exile and Transformative Agency of Residual Liberian Refugees in Oru, Southwestern Nigeria’, explored how Liberians resident in Nigeria after the termination of their refugee status have fared in the midst of their host community, particularly in being able to create a viable social existence responsive to their current situation of exile and in still in touch with their Liberian heritage in the diaspora they have been able to create. Durodola found that these exiles have transformed their status in being able to make contributions of significance in their host community and environs, indeed refurbishing the ‘former uninhabitable space into a cultural colony and economic hub’, utilizing ‘home-making practices, economic resourcefulness, and diaspora networks which strengthen their influence on the development of their host’.
The dissertation/thesis award, is given to ‘two recipient of the Border Criminologies Prize each year. The winner and the runner up will receive £200 and £100 worth of Routledge books. The authors will be expected to contribute to the Border Criminologies blog with a post on their research’. The first prize was won by Tiphaine Le Corre of the University of Oxford, who researched ‘The Politics of Deterring Unwanted Immigration to the United Kingdom’.
IAS Director and Durodola’s thesis supervisor, Dr Senayon Olaoluwa, commenting on the Border Criminologies prize, observed that ‘the 5th edition is also the first time the competition is open to graduate researchers from the Global South and we are extremely thrilled to bring home the prize’.
This achievement continues a tradition of success in our Diaspora and Transnational Studies, where students have in the past won similar awards for MA research and thesis-writing.
We congratulate Tosin Durodola for doing us proud.