Team > Dr. Grace Akese

Scientific career

• 2019: Ph.D. Geography, Memorial University, 
• 2014: MA Geography, Memorial University 
• 2010: BA Geography, University of Ghana.

Work experience

• Since 01/2020 PostDoc and research associate in Culture and Technology in Afrika (Prof. Dr. Uli Beisel), University of Bayreuth.
• 09/2018 - 12/2019 Research associate, School of Social Work & Department of Geography, Memorial University of Newfoundland (Dr. Delores Mullings, Dr. Paul Issahaku and Dr. Josh Lepawsky).
  

Publications

For a list of publications, please click here.

Research interests

I am a geographer and discard studies scholar interested in waste geographies and political economies.

I focus on the geographies of electronic waste (e-waste). Geographical scholarship interested in the spatialities of e-waste asks where e-waste travels, who works with it, and under what conditions. 

Empirical research across the "global south" shows that instead of trails of e-waste leading to dumpsites overflowing with debris, the paths of discarded electronics also leads to production sites where electronics are transformed and recirculated through reuse, repair, repurposing, and remanufacturing activities.

Joining the African Cluster of Excellence and working with Prof Uli Beisel, I build on my past geographical work on e-waste by exploring the relational entanglements of e-waste geographies as they manifest in ideas and practices of circular economies (ethical design, repair, reuse, care & maintenance, and marker space cultures).

Dr. Grace Akese
Postdoctoral Researcher, Research Section "Mobilities"

Zapf 2

E-mail: grace.akese@uni-bayreuth.de