University of Nigeria Criminology and Security Studies Research Team Wins 2025 Affilia Praxis Award

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka has recorded a significant international academic breakthrough as a research team from its Department of Criminology and Security Studies secured the 2025 Affilia Praxis Award, a globally recognised honour in feminist and interdisciplinary social science scholarship.

The award was conferred by Affilia Journal in recognition of outstanding research excellence, marking a major milestone for the department, which is among the university’s newly accredited academic units.

The winning research team was led by Dr Nnanna Onuoha Arukwe, alongside Chukwudi Samuel Chime of the University of Nigeria Medical College and Francis Okoronkwo Okwara of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Their work was published in Affilia: Feminist Inquiry in Social Work (2025, Vol. 40(1), pp. 46–64).

The awarded article, titled “A Postcolonial Feminist Perspective on Traditional Birth Attendants and Management of Pregnancy Complications Among Indigenous Women in Rural Nigeria,” was selected as the best globally published article in the 2025 edition of the journal. According to the award committee, the selection was based on its methodological rigor, originality, and global relevance to feminist and social science discourse.

The Affilia Praxis Award is regarded internationally as one of the most prestigious recognitions in feminist research, social justice scholarship, and interdisciplinary academic contribution, with emphasis on work that advances the rights and welfare of marginalised communities.

The research was developed through international collaboration between the University of Nigeria and the Graduate Institute of Development Studies, National Chengchi University, with additional support from the Taiwan Centre for Security Studies. The partnership has strengthened cross-continental academic exchange between Africa and Asia and aligned with broader efforts to deepen interdisciplinary research networks.

The study draws relevance across criminology, social work, sociology, public health, development studies, and African studies, reinforcing its policy significance beyond academic circles.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Professor Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, congratulated the researchers and described the achievement as a strong validation of the university’s growing global research footprint.

He noted that the award places the Department of Criminology and Security Studies firmly on the international academic map and reinforces the institution’s commitment to research excellence, innovation, and global collaboration.