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Maria Ambrozy,
Lecturer

Information about Maria Ambrozy at the University of Bradford.

School of Social Sciences
(Faculty of Mgmt, Law & Social Sciences)
Email:
m.ambrozy@bradford.ac.uk
Telephone:
+44 1274 236680
Photo of Ms Maria Ambrozy

Biography

I am a lecturer in the Department of PeaceStudies and International Development and a member of John and Elnora FergusonCentre for African Studies (JEFCAS). Prior to joining the University ofBradford, I was working at Leeds University with Professor Stuart Taberner asa Research Fellow on two projects: “Mobilising Contested Pasts to PromoteYouth Leadership in Africa” and “Decolonising Peace Education in Africa".Earlier, I completed my PhD in Politics and international Relations at Schoolof African and Oriental Studies (SOAS), University of London. My doctoralthesis provided an in-depth examination of the introduction of two policies(the language of instruction and higher education merger) as a basis for consideringthe extent to which Rwanda can be characterised as a Developmental State.Before joining SOAS, I’ve worked at Bradford University in various professionalroles and had a pleasure of being JEFCAS member in early days of my academiccareer. At the time I collaborated with Dr Harris on publication of article onpedagogical strengths and challenges of the University ofBradford's Africa Study Visit.

Research

Working on the most recent project "Mobilising Contested Pasts to Promote Youth Leadership in Africa" and “Decolonising Peace Education in Africa" at Leeds University I was part of a collaborative research team responsible for the delivery of research project and effective cooperation between four research partners, specifically Leeds University, Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre (JHGC) in South Africa, EuroClio – European Association of History Educators in the Netherlands and Salzburg Global Seminar, Salzburg, Austria. Jointly we created a research framework for enriching and/or expanding the ChangeMakers programme among six organisations/institutions including: Aegis Trust, Rwanda, America University of Nigeria, Nigeria, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation - West Africa, Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG), Zambia, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Gambia, Centre for the Studies of Peace, Conflict and Well-Being (CEPCB), Mozambique. By learning from each other and helping each of these organisation to navigate through specific challenges we develop content to teach about complex, violent and often contested pasts. As part of the research I worked on issues including: memory, trauma, human rights education, legacies of the transatlantic slave trade, issue round confrontation of difficult past, historical injustice and history revisionism. The second project, “Decolonising Peace Education in Africa” focused on the use of arts methodologies to decolonise peace curriculum in Mozambique (linked directly to the ChangeMakers Project). As part of this project, I worked jointly with partners in Centro de Estudios de Paz Conflito e Bem Estar (CEPCB) in Mozambique, in order to identify how arts-based methodologies, specifically photo voice, soundscapes, photography and storytelling can assist in a discussion about difficult past and how much it can enhance efforts in decolonising history curriculum. My short and medium research plans are linked to building on my two main research interests and strengths, namely issues around contested past and African politics.