JWAM professor Stephen K. Dadugblor’s groundbreaking analysis of democracy in postcolonial Ghana has drawn praise from across academic disciplines at the University of British Columbia, where scholars recently gathered to celebrate its publication.
Stephen Dadugblor, author, Deliberating Ghana
The book, Deliberating Ghana: Postcolonial Rhetorics, Culture, And Democracy was praised for its rigorous examination of rhetorical practices and colonial legacies. It represents a significant contribution to decolonizing knowledge production in academic discourse.
Deliberating Ghana examines the electoral disputes that unfolded in Ghana’s Supreme Court and in the public domain in the early 2010s. It is an in-depth exploration of the power of studying cultural imaginaries as a pathway towards decolonizing knowledge production.
“The conversations we had confirmed for me the significance of bringing multiple knowledge traditions to the fore of the work we do.”
The book’s launch on May 14 drew a diverse gathering of scholars from History, Geography, English, and Political Science departments, highlighting the work’s cross-disciplinary impact.
The event, held at UBC’s Ideas Lounge, showcased the broad academic recognition of Dr. Dadugblor’s scholarship in postcolonial studies and democratic discourse.
“I was heartened to see the outpouring of support from friends and colleagues at the event,” said Dadugblor, who is an assistant professor at UBC’s School of Journalism, Writing, and Media. “The conversations we had confirmed for me the significance of bringing multiple knowledge traditions to the fore of the work we do.”
Contribution to postcolonial studies
JWAM Director Prof. Kamal Al-Solaylee emphasized the scholarly excellence of both the work and its author, praising Dr. Dadugblor as “a passionate and knowledgeable educator who has set the standard for excellence as a teacher and researcher.”
“I was immediately struck by the book's rigour and insights into ideas about rhetorical practices and the lasting effects of colonialism in postcolonial democracies in the Global South”
He highlighted the book’s significant contribution to understanding rhetorical practices and colonial legacies in Global South democracies.
“I was immediately struck by the book’s rigour and insights into ideas about rhetorical practices and the lasting effects of colonialism in postcolonial democracies in the Global South”, he said.
The work’s scholarly impact was evident in the engaged discussions that followed the author readings, with academics from multiple disciplines finding connections to their research areas.
This interdisciplinary resonance underscores the book’s significance as a major contribution to postcolonial studies and democratic discourse analysis.
Deliberating Ghana is available to purchase from UBC Bookstore.
"Deliberating Ghana" book launch event
"Deliberating Ghana" book launch event
edited"Deliberating Ghana" book launch eventDSC09096
"Deliberating Ghana" book launch event
"Deliberating Ghana" book launch event
"Deliberating Ghana" book launch event
"Deliberating Ghana" book launch event
"Deliberating Ghana" book launch event
Photos by Aadya Arora, and Alfred Hermida
