Lecturer
Humanities and Social Sciences
kgraham@ashesi.edu.gh
- MA International Studies & Diplomacy, School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS), University of London
- LL.B Law, School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS), University of London
Teaching Statement
Through my work as a writer, blogger, DJ and editor, I find myself championing arts and culture. Both speak to social imagination, without which society is incapable of dreaming itself out of its problems, doomed to forever regurgitate the present.
My ultimate aim as a teacher is to move students from social apathy towards a particularly African social empathy. I attempt this in two ways: first, by helping students to see and question the hegemonies within which they exist; secondly, by introducing them to the idea that they are not merely receivers of culture but also creators of it, with all the responsibilities that this entails. If you can create culture then you can change it. In doing so, you can change society: something Ashesi encourages all its students to believe they can do.
I use a ‘by any means necessary’ approach towards teaching, utilizing personal experience, humor, and the broadest possible range of texts, including movies, documentaries, song lyrics, music videos, tweets, blogs, books, advertisements, and more. I also push students to make better use of social media and to contribute course material their peers may find relevant.
My classroom is a safe space within which students are encouraged to explore (and to tolerate) new perspectives. Active participation is essential: you must have an opinion. You must also however keep an open mind. I push students to ask questions and to challenge me. In doing so, they not only gather the courage to challenge the authorities that maintain the status quo, but they also learn how to change minds. Ultimately, I am a student too.
Courses Taught: Text and Meaning; Written & Oral Communication; Africa in the International Setting: Africa in International Affairs; African Philosophical Thought; Social Theory; Leadership 2
Research Statement
I am interested in the intersection of Ghanaian popular culture and politics, with a particular interest in how social classes in Ghana are being portrayed and shaped in popular culture (film, music, magazines, advertisements, etc) and in social media.
I am part of a team curating the Ghanaian edition of a new encyclopedia of African popular culture.