about me

Dr Tinashe Jakwa is a , writer, and political theorist. She has a PhD in Political Science and International Relations, an MA in International Relations (with Distinction), and BA in the same field, all from the University of Western Australia. 

Dr Jakwa has undertaken extensive research on Australia-Africa relations, and her doctoral research examined the factors that contribute to the failure of intergovernmental organisations to yield positive peace and security outcomes in their operational contexts. Specifically, it examined the sets of assumptions and conceptual frameworks the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DR Congo (MONUSCO) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) rely upon in their work and how they impact the efficacy of both organisations’ peace efforts. It was passed without revisions and classified, by experts in the field, as sitting in the top 5% of international relations PhDs. 

In 2016, Dr Jakwa co-convened an international African Studies conference. Her non-academic writing has been shortlisted for the national Deborah Cass Prize for Writing (2019) and her debut play, stillbirth, a one-act play, was workshopped during The Blue Room Theatre’s Winter Nights Festival (2020). It premiered at The Blue Room Theatre in July 2022. Dr Jakwa also completed Performing Lines WA’s inaugural Kolyang Artist Lab in 2020 and the Centre for Stories' Inclusion Matters Writing Fellowship in 2019. Dr Jakwa's short stories have been published in anthologies by the Centre for Stories (2016, 2021), and Margaret River Press and Ethos Books Singapore (2020). She has been published extensively, including in ArtsHub, Australian Outlook, Foreign Brief, Pambazuka News, Journal, Pulch, and The Pin. As a political analyst, she has appeared on national and international media platforms, including The Africa Report, ABC News, Channel 10, SBS News, and CNN, providing commentary on political developments on the African continent. Dr Jakwa has previously served as a shortlisting judge for the Deborah Cass Prize for Writing.

Dr Jakwa is a twenty-something millennial joyously exploring the limits of our present cultural moment. Her current work examines the role(s) of conceptual frameworks in shaping policy and development outcomes in the Global South. She is interested in foreign policy, peacebuilding, development, and  the role(s) of conscience and non-violence in resolving the challenges of today, including the widespread alienation individuals experience from themselves, society, and the natural environment. Her work invites audiences, readers, practitioners and scholars to unsettle the things we take for granted about 'the good life', 'best practices', and who we are, and highlights the important role of critical engagement with established practices for ensuring positive socio-political and development outcomes.