Political Science PhD Candidate Phil Faanu wins three prestigious doctoral awards!

Phil Faanu, a third-year PhD candidate in Political Science has received three prestigious fellowships in recognition of his doctoral research on “Gender, Governance, and the Practice of Stakeholder Engagement in Ghana’s Mining Communities”. His doctoral research has received generous support from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS-SSHRC), SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship, Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements (CGS-MSFSS), and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) International Doctoral Research Award for field research in the Global South.

Phil’s dissertation focuses on the critical intersection of gender, governance, and stakeholder engagement within the extractive industry. His work intends to explore how stakeholder engagement practices in mining communities contribute to gender equality or not in Ghana. In particular, he is interested in examining how gender dynamics shape engagement practices in the Ewoyaa Lithium Project in the Central Region and the ways governance structures can be made more inclusive of women and vulnerable’ voices. This research addresses a growing global demand for gender equality and women’s empowerment in all sectors of the political economy, particularly in resource-intensive industries.

Phil intends to carry out his fieldwork from May-August 2025 in Ghana, which is also supported by the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC) Ghana and the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS), Ghana.

Phil is deeply honored to be a recipient of these prestigious awards and appreciates the support provided by the SSHRC, IDRC of Canada and all the organizations to make his research possible.

Congratulations, Phil! We wish you all success in your fieldwork and doctoral dissertation!