Professor of Gender Studies at Makerere University and also an Honorary Professor at the Centre for Advancement of Non- Racialism and Democracy (CANRAD), Nelson Mandela University, South Africa. Scholarship has centred on feminist imperatives in politics, land, livelihoods and cultural studies. Current research networks include: ‘Countering the Backlash, Reclaiming Gender Justice’ at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Sussex, ‘Gender Justice and Security at London School of Economics (LSE) as and Co-Director on the UKRI GCRF Gender, Justice and Security Hub, ‘Effective States and Inclusive Development (ESID) at Manchester University and ‘Historicising the Humanities at Makerere University’, College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Recent publications include Co-edited books: Makerere’s Century of Service to East Africa & beyond (2024: Mak Press); Historicising the Humanities at Makerere: Trends, Patterns & Prospects (2022: Fountain Publishers; Controlling consent: Uganda’s 2016 Elections (2017: Africa World Press), Gender Poverty and Social Transformation: Reflections on Fractures and continuities in contemporary Uganda (2014: Fountain Publishers ): Earlier book is: Localised or Localising Democracy: Gender and the politics of Decentralisation in Contemporary Uganda by Fountain Publishers (2007). Also a member of Council for Development of Social Research in Africa (CODESRIA) and serving on the Editorial Advisory Board of CODESRIA’s Journal of Higher Education in Africa and a Board Member, Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE).
Courses:
- GAD 1104: Concepts and Theories of Gender and Development
- GAD 3106: Feminism, Activism & Civil Society
- GAD 2208: The Women’s Movement
- MGS 7205: Gender and Development management
Research Projects
- Center of Excellence in Research, Teaching & Learning (Mellon Foundation)
- Archiving Memory and Method (Mellon Foundation)
- Gender Justice & Security (London School of Economics)
Networks
- Council for Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA)
- Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE)
- The Nordic Africa Institute (NAI)
Professional Associations
- Centre for Basic Research (CBR)
- Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE)
Publications
Books
Ahikire J. (2007) Localised or Localising Democracy: Gender and the Politics of Decentralisation in Contemporary Uganda, Kampala: Fountain Publishers.
Coedited: Books
2014: Gender, Poverty and Social Transformation: Reflections on Fractures and Continuities in Contemporary Uganda, Co-edited with Grace Bantebya, Siri Gerrard, Florence Kyoheirwe Muhanguzi. Fountain Publishers, Kampala.
2017: Controlling Consent: Uganda’s 2016 Elections, co-edited with J. Oloka-Onyango, Africa World Press, Trenton.
2022: Hisoricizing the Humanities at Makerere: Trends patterns and Prospects, coedited with L. Mugumya, E.F. Nabutanyi & P. Atekyereza, Kampala: Fountain Publishers
2024: Makerere’s Century of Service to East Africa and Beyond: 1922-2022, Co edited by Ab Kasozi et al. Makerere University Press Kampala
Book Chapters, Journal Articles & Working Papers
- Ahikire J. Mwiine A. & Musiimenta P. (2024) Women & Gender Studies at Makerere University: Embracing Advances and Confronting Reversals, in Torres et al. Feminisms & Gender Studies: Convergences, Divergences & Pluralities, Routledge Handbook
- Madsen D. & Ahikire J. (2024) On Convergences & Divergeces: Gendered and layered Political Citizenship in Ghana and Uganda: The Palgrave handbook of Gender and Citizenship.
- Ahikire J. & Ninsiima B A. (2024) On decolonizing Feminist Studies: Makerere University in Perspective, in Mawazo: The Journal of the College of Humanities & Social Sciences
- Ahikire J. & Ninsiima B. A. (2022) Resilience Amidist Turbulent waters: Humanities at Makerere in the era of neoliberal orthodoxy, in J. Ahikire et al. Historicising the Humanities at Makerere: Trends, Patterns and Prospects, Kampala: Fountain Publishers
- Ahikire J. (2022) Researching Gender relations in Africa: Directions and landmarks in Feminist Research Methodology, JHEA 2022 20(1): Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa.
- Ahikire J. (2021)“Men, Marriage and Women’s Land Rights: Reflections on Customary Land Tenure relations in Rural Uganda”, in MAWAZO: The Journal of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Makerere University, 14 (1) 2020
- Ahikire J. & Mwiine A. A.‘Contesting Ideas, aligning incentives: The politics of Uganda's Domestic Violence Act (2010)’ in S. Nazneen, S. Hickey & E. Sifaki (eds.) Negotiating Gender Equity in the Global South: The Politics of Domestic Violence Policy Routledge, London and New York, 2019.
- Ahikire J. (2018):“On the Shifting Gender of the State in Africa”, Politei Vol, 38, no. 2.
- Ahikire J. (2017) “Please Daddy Give us Some More”: Recognition Politics and the Language of Special Interest Groups, in J. Oloka Onyango and J. Ahikire (eds.) Controlling Consent: Uganda’s 2016 Elections, Trenton: Africa World Press.
- Ahikire J. (2014) –African Feminism in Context: A Reflection on Uganda’s Victories, Battles and reversals, Feminist Africa 21.
- Daniel Wight, Ahikire J. & Kwesiga JU.C ( 2014) - Consultancy Research as a barrier to Strengthening Social Science Research capacity in Uganda, in Social Science and Medicine Vol. 116, available at www.elsevier.com/locate/socscimed
- Ahikire J (2014). Cutting the Coat according to the Cloth: Examining Women’s Agency on Land Rights in Rural Uganda in Kyomuhendo Bantebya, G. Ahikire J. S. Gerrard and Muhanguzi, K.F. (eds.) Gender Poverty and Social Transformation: Reflections on Fractures and Continuities in Contemporary Uganda, Kampala: Fountain Publishers Work derived from the IDRC supported project on Decemtralisation and Women’s Land rights).
- Ahikire J (2013) Peace Musiimenta and Amon Mwiine- Making a Difference: Embracing the Challenge of Women’s Substantive engagement in Political Leadership in Uganda, Feminist Africa 20
- 2012- Ahikire J. African Feminism in the 21st Century: A reflection on Initial victories, African Politics Conference Group News Letter edited by Gretchen Bauer & Aili Tripp ( vol. 8 Issue 2.
- 2009- Ahikire J. From No-party to Multiparty Competition: Analysing Women’s Candidature in Uganda’s national Elections, African Journal of Political Science and International Relations, 3 (11).
- 2009- Ahikire J. Who Speaks For Whom? Women and the Politics of Presence in Uganda’s Local Governance in the 1990s and Beyond in Goetz. A.M (ed.) Gender and Politics, London: Routledge
- 2008 Ahikire J. Vulnerabilities of Feminist Engagement and the Challenge of Developmentalism in the South: What Alternatives? In: IDS (Institute of Development Studies) Bulletin Vol. 39. No 6.