Siyabulela Mandela, PhD

Introduction

Dr. Mandela joined University of Kurdistan Hewlêr on March 2024 as a Visiting Scholar for Politics and International Relations where he lectures a master’s program on Peace, Security and Post-conflict Reconstruction and Development. In the past 5 years, he has been working in the International Development Sector in conflict affected countries with specific focus on Human Rights, Media Freedom, Democracy and Post-conflict Reconstruction and Development.  He previously served as a Country Director for Journalists for Human Rights project focused on Strengthening Media, advancing Human Rights and supporting the Peace process in South Sudan and also worked as a Regional Project Manager for East and Southern Africa at Journalists for Human Rights (JHR). He was also a Eugene J. McCarthy Center for Public Policy and Civil engagement Scholar in Residency at Saint John’s University and College of Saint Benedict in Minnesota, and a visiting Scholar Affiliate at the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (S-CAR) at George Mason University, in 2018 in Virginia, United States. Dr. Mandela also served as a lecture for Peace, Security and Reconstruction at Nelson Mandela University. He is also an independent consultant on Human Rights, International Development and Conflict Resolution, and currently contracted to Journalists for Human Rights (Canada) and Thomson and Reuters Foundation (United Kingdom).

Education

• - Ph.D. in International Relation and Conflict Resolution, Nelson Mandela University, 2021
• - Master of Philosophy in International Relation and Conflict Resolution, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2017
• - BA in Politics and History, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2015

Research

Dr. Mandela is passionate about conflict resolution and development in Africa, a continent characterized by chronic conflicts and underdevelopment. His doctoral thesis titled Preventive Diplomacy and Conflict Provention in Africa: Examining South Africa's role in Conflict resolution in Democratic Republic of Congo, argued for the hybrid approach to the resolution of African conflicts, paying specific attention to the frustration of basic human needs and an urgency for institutional and structural change in African governments in order to achieve stability, durable peace, and development and ultimately realize “an Africa that is developed and at peace with itself”. His career interests and expertise include diplomacy, human rights Advocacy, international relations, African politics, conflict resolution, international development and history. Dr. Mandela, has delivered academic papers, published book chapters and spoke on topics of human rights, development, peace, reconstruction and conflict resolution in Africa and globally, in different parts of the World including Denmark, Poland, Italy, Portugal; United States of America; Canada; Republic of Ecuador, Brazil, France, Iraq, Sri Lanka, South Sudan, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and many more.