Professor Mary B. Setrana, IDRC Research Chair on Forced Displacement in Anglophone West Africa and Director of the Centre for Migration Studies (CMS), University of Ghana, undertook a research visit to the Arnold Bergstraesser Institute (ABI) in Freiburg, Germany, in August 2026.
The visit provided an opportunity for Prof. Setrana to reconnect with colleagues, advance ongoing research and writing, and engage with scholars working on migration, politics and Africa. She was hosted at ABI as an alumna of the Merian Institute for Advanced Studies in Africa (MIASA), where she was a Junior Fellow and member of the first cohort of MIASA fellows in 2018.
Her association with ABI and its researchers dates back to the implementation of MIASA. During her fellowship, Prof. Setrana worked with Dr. Stefan Rother and Dr. Franzisca Zanker as part of the Migrant Representation working group. She also developed a research connection with Professor Andreas Mehler, then Director of MIASA. These relationships have continued through subsequent collaborations under MIASA, research projects and the AMMODI project.
During her August visit, Prof. Setrana worked with Dr. Franzisca Zanker and the PolMig team, while using the research environment at ABI to review and develop ongoing academic work. Among the manuscripts she worked on were “Possibilities of a Feminist Migration Future” and “Externalisation from an African Feminist Perspective”, including responses to editorial comments.
As part of the visit, Prof. Setrana participated in the African Perspectives on Global Transformations Conference, organised by the Swiss Society for African Studies (SGAS/SSEA) and the German African Studies Association (VAD), held in Basel from 26 to 28 August 2026. She contributed to a panel on “Afro-Feminist Approaches to Research, Policy and Practice.”
Reflecting on her time at ABI, Prof. Setrana described the visit as a fruitful period of scholarly engagement, supported by the institute’s diverse and interactive research environment. She highlighted the value of having dedicated time for critical writing, reflection and independent research.
Discussions around Afrocentricity during a pre-conference event also provided an opportunity to reflect on what it means to conduct research in, on and about Africa. Prof. Setrana noted the value of creating spaces where scholars from Africa and Europe can engage in co-creation and critically examine approaches to knowledge production about the continent.
The visit builds on Prof. Setrana’s longstanding research relationships with scholars and institutions in Europe and contributes to continued scholarly collaboration on migration, forced displacement and related questions of research, policy and practice.
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