Experts on countries of origin by surname

Shadrack Wanjala Nasong’o, Ph.D. is Professor of International Studies and former department chair at Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee, where he has taught since 2005. He teaches courses in comparative politics, international relations, and African politics. He has previously taught at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, University of Nairobi, and Kenyatta University, both in Kenya. Additionally, Prof. Nasong’o has held prestigious summer fellowships at Riara University, Egerton University, and St. Paul’s University, all in Kenya. A political comparativist, Prof. Nasong’o’s research interest lies in the areas of democratization, identity politics, social conflict, governance, and development. He is author, editor, and co-editor of thirteen books, and dozens of peer reviewed book chapters and articles in refereed journals. His latest publication is a monograph titled Kenya and the Politics of a Postcolony (London: Anthem Press, 2024). For his prolific scholarly work, Prof. Nasong’o has been honored with the Rhodes College’s Clarence Day Award for Outstanding Research and Creative Activity, and the Ali Mazrui Award for Research and Scholarly Excellence from the University of Texas at Austin.

Caribbean expert (Trinidad & Tobago focused) with a multifaceted background spanning human rights advocacy, project management, staff association leadership, protection assistance, and executive support. Demonstrated expertise in developing and executing advocacy campaigns, managing projects with precision, fostering inclusive workplace environments, and providing crucial support in diplomatic settings. Adept at strategic collaboration, effective communication, and impactful advocacy, dedicated to driving positive change and ensuring organizational objectives are met with excellence. Passionate about amplifying marginalized voices, empowering communities, and promoting human rights on both local and global scales.

Journalist and researcher, with more than twenty years experience reporting on human rights, development issues and related humanitarian affairs. Has prepared a number of expert witness reports for the UK, USA and the Netherlands. Extensive base of complementary knowledge in Francophone Africa. 

Dr. Monticello is a biocultural medical anthropologist with interests in gender and sexuality, physical and mental health, global mental health, and how global and local social, political, and cultural processes “get under the skin” to produce variation health outcomes. His dissertation research was funded by Fulbright and the National Science Foundation. It focused on how young South Korean men’s ability to conform to their cultural models of the ideal male body affected their vulnerability to disordered eating. Intersectional analysis of sexuality and education revealed different levels of vulnerability and different relationships with body ideals. He is currently a postdoctoral research scholar at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. He is continuing my research on South Korean men’s body image alongside new, exciting work in eating disorders prevention and obesity treatment.

Dr. Madalena F. Monteban is a medical anthropologist specializing in maternal and child health, indigenous knowledge systems, food security, and structural inequality. She earned her Ph.D. in Ecological and Environmental Anthropology from the University of Georgia and is currently a Research Associate with Argentina's National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), based at the Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Argentina, Peru, and Bolivia. Her research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Argentina's National Agency for Scientific and Technological Promotion, resulting in over 15 peer-reviewed publications and technical reports on health access disparities, discrimination, food insecurity, and public health systems.

Kawa Morad (MA, PhD) is a lecturer in social anthropology, based in Exeter, with a focus on forced migration and/in the Middle East. He has extensive experience in providing language analysis and country expert reports on internal displacement, gender-based violence, medical/psychiatric care and access, statelessness, LGBTQ+ communities and others in Syria, Iraq, and Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Human rights consultant specializing in the Caribbean region. Extensive experience in governmental and non-governmental organizations, including the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago. Committed to advancing human rights through rigorous research, advocacy, and legal expertise. Trusted advisor and advocate for promoting and protecting human rights in the Americas.

After a PhD defended at EHESS (France) Xavier Moyet worked at IFRA as Scientific Director. Consequently, he worked for Universities of Toronto, Kent and Leeds, notably as a research associate and was involved in several significant projects. He is presently a consultant and collaborates for instance with the National Museum of Unity in Ibadan, or Tunde Odunlade Art Gallery. He is French, with a sound knowledge of Canadian and UK societies.

20 years experience in translation and knowledge in migration and displacement, 4 years ECOSOC representative for NGO at the human right council at UN-GENEVE and 10 years experience with humanitarian agencies and the world bank

Mayilvaganan, M., PhD is an Independent Analyst and Director of Center for Human Security and International Affairs (CHSIA). His research interests focus on political, strategic and security issues concerning South and Southeast Asia, Indo-Pacific region, Borderlands and the Non-Traditional Security Issues. 

Prior to this, Dr. Mayil was an Associate Professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru, India, where he oversaw research projects on the Indo-Pacific, Borderland studies, Non-Traditional Security Challenges (such as Migration, Refugees, Climate Change, & Public Health, etc.), Human Rights & Humanitarian Issues, and World Politics in general. He was also a Visiting Senior Lecturer at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, India, where he taught South Asia in International Relations, Modern Warfare, and International Politics. Other positions he held included Associate Fellow at the Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA), New Delhi, India, with a focus on Sri Lanka, and Research Associate at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS), New Delhi, India, with an emphasis on Kashmir. Additionally, he spent sometime as a researcher in Canada and the U.S.. 

He holds a PhD degree from the School of… Read more

Sayana Namsaraeva is a senior research associate at the Mongolia & Inner Asia Studies Unit at the University of Cambridge. After graduating in China Studies at the University of Saint Petersburg, she did her MA degree in Comparative Ethnography at National Chengchi University (Taipei).  She was awarded a PhD degree  in Political and Cultural History of Pre-modern China at the Institute of Oriental Studies (Moscow, RAS), held research positions at Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology  (Halle, Germany) and taught as a lecturer at the Institute for Studies of Religions and the Central Asia at the University of Bern (Switzerland). Throughout her academic career spanning over twenty five  years, her research interests embrace a wide range of topics in Mongolian and China studies, Siberian Studies, Buryat Diasporas and Kinship, Migration and Border Studies, with a particular attention to North Asian borderlands. She teaches a course on ‘Borders and Borderlands in North Asia’ for Inner Asia Paper at the Department of Social Anthropology. 

She has served as a COI expert since 2018, responding to cases from Mongolian and Russian citizens. Based on more than twenty cases she reviewed, Sayana analytically summarized … Read more

Country Research Specialist & NGO Program Manager for Afghanistan and Pakistan. The expert has 15 years of planning, management, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting experience in both domestic and international development including gender justice, conflict and security, education, children’s rights, and economic governance projects. Worked in Pakistan, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Familiar with donor reporting for major bilateral and multilateral agencies including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the US State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).

Shadrack Wanjala Nasong’o, Ph.D. is Professor of International Studies and former department chair at Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee, where he has taught since 2005. He teaches courses in comparative politics, international relations, and African politics. He has previously taught at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, University of Nairobi, and Kenyatta University, both in Kenya. Additionally, Prof. Nasong’o has held prestigious summer fellowships at Riara University, Egerton University, and St. Paul’s University, all in Kenya. A political comparativist, Prof. Nasong’o’s research interest lies in the areas of democratization, identity politics, social conflict, governance, and development. He is author, editor, and co-editor of thirteen books, and dozens of peer reviewed book chapters and articles in refereed journals. His latest publication is a monograph titled Kenya and the Politics of a Postcolony (London: Anthem Press, 2024). For his prolific scholarly work, Prof. Nasong’o has been honored with the Rhodes College’s Clarence Day Award for Outstanding Research and Creative Activity, and the Ali Mazrui Award for Research and Scholarly Excellence from the University of Texas at Austin.

CEO and founder at Xsolutions Ltd, is an experienced advocate in the appellate court of Egypt. With over 12 years of practice, they specialize in various legal areas, including Egyptian Civil Law, human rights, domestic abuse, trade regulations, criminal law, and Sharea (Islamic Law). They collaborate closely with lawyers, judges, and the Ministry of Interior on national security and civil registration cases. Additionally, they provide reports related to human rights, asylum, gender violence, and political persecution.

Iranian lawyer with substantial work experience with clients, courts, police, etc in Iran, as well as international organizations. Expert in Iranian legal system and Islamic law. Available also for authentication of Iranian documents. 

Dr. Josephine Ndagire is an accomplished academic and human rights activist with over 18 years of dedicated service at grassroots, national, and international levels. She has served as an Expert Member on the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Committee on the Prevention of Torture in Africa and currently chairs the Board of Directors at the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (Uganda). She also serves on the Councils of Penal Reform International (United Kingdom) and the International Society for Human Rights (Germany). Renowned for her incisive legal insight and leadership, Dr. Ndagire has featured on BBC Newsday to discuss pressing global justice issues, including migrant deportations and the ICJ reparations case DRC vs. Uganda. Her work has significantly influenced human rights advocacy, legal reform, and justice systems across Africa.

Dr. Ndagire has provided expert consultation to leading international organizations, including UN Women, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, IGAD, and the International Development Law Organization. She lectures at the School of Law, Makerere University, and has previously held senior roles at the International Nuremberg Principles Academy, the Foundation for Human Rights… Read more

Dr. Andrew Nelson is an applied cultural anthropologist with a focus on urban and migration studies. While the bulk of his ethnographic fieldwork has been conducted in Nepal, he also has experience doing research in India, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and the United States. With Rob Curran, he co-wrote Journey without End: Migration from the Global South through the Americas (Vanderbilt Press, 2022), and with Roos Willems and Alex Rödlach, he co-edited The Crux of Resettlement: Rebuilding Social Networks (Lexington Press, 2018). He has also published academic articles on Nepali-speaking refugees from Bhutan, and Nepali migrants in South and North America. Currently, he is an associate professor of anthropology at the University of North Texas.

The Expert is a social anthropologist with special interest on Anthropology and ethnography in Africa.