Guest of Honour Lecture on “Contemporary Nationalisms and Conceptions of National Security in Glocalized Security: Military power and the reshaping of international security at the Inaugural Session of the XXV Annual International Conference 2024 on “World Peace: An Essential Ingredient for Survival of Humanity and the Planet.” Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, Dwarka, Delhi, India, January 6-7, 2024.
Invited lecture, “Glocality and African Security Challenges: A Glocal Approach to Sustainable Peacebuilding, presented at the Sustainable Regional Peacebuilding in Africa: Practices and Disconnects Conference organized by The Interdisciplinary Fellow Group on “Sustainable regional peacebuilding”, Merian Institute for Advanced Studies in Africa (MIASA), University of Ghana, Legon Campus, Accra, November 27-28, 2023.
Invited panel member on "Researching at Predominantly White Institutions" organized by the Society of Black Student Scientists and Entrepreneurs (SBSSE) at the Illinois Math and Science Academy (IMSA), November 8, 2023.
Keynote speaker on “The State and Social Justice in Global and Comparative Perspectives: From Oppression to Inclusive Social Democracy.” The 4th International Indonesia Conference on Interdisciplinary Studies (IICIS), “Defining the Interest of Indonesian Society and State to Achieve Welfare and Justice.” University of Lampung, Indonesia, November 2, 2023.
Invited lecture on “Glocality and African Security Policies: The domestic and external dimensions to African security.” Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA), Egypt. Oct. 23, 2023.
Invited lecture on “Emerging Powers and African Securitization: Big Powers and Small Powers in African States.” Sakarya University, Turkey. Oct. 2023.
Invited panel member, “Panel 1: The African Approach to Collective Security” at the 7th edition of the African Peace and Security Annual Conference (APSACO) on “Post-Conflict Reconstruction in Africa.” Policy Center for the New South, Morocco, July 10-11, 2023.
Invited talk “The Ukraine War and Strategic Shifts in International Relations: The possibilities of a multipolar peace.” Seminar on “Conflict and Peacebuilding: Local and Global Context.” State Islamic State University (UIN) Jakarta, Indonesia, June 21st, 2023.
Invited lecture, “Sociological Epistemology and the Global South: A Glocalized Articulation and Critique of Knowledge.” The Indonesia Sociology Study Program Association International Joint Lecture Series on Sociology and The Transformation of World New Society in the State Islamic University Bandung, Indonesia. June 20, 2023.
Invited lecture. “Doing Fieldwork for Political Research: Opportunities and Challenges.” Indonesian International Islamic University, Jakarta. June 16, 2023.
Invited lecture on “The Ukraine War and the Challenges of Glocalized Security” to be delivered at Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique, Rabat, Morocco, March 8, 2023.
Invited lecture on "Democracy, Ethnicity, and Religion: An African Lens on Politics in Divided Societies" delivered at Indonesian International Islamic University, Jakarta, Indonesia, January 20, 2023.
Invited lecture on “Challenge of Post War Settlements: A special focus on the African Continent” delivered to Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy, November 29, 2022.
Invited panel member, Distinguished Board sponsored panel on “African Perspectives on Russia-Ukraine War.” Annual Meeting of the African Studies Association, Philadelphia, November 17-19, 2022.
Invited lecture on “Glocalized Security and International State-Building in West Africa” delivered to the Political Science Global Politics Seminar Series, Northern Illinois University, October 21, 2022.
Invited panelist on “I’m Tenured. Now What? Exploring Post Tenure Career Paths”, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, October 4, 2022.
Keynote Speaker, “The Production, Packaging, and Use of Knowledge: The Indigenous and the Scientific Modes of Knowledge” at the 2nd International Conference on Heritage and Sustainable Development Goals in Africa, Kisii University, Kenya, October 5 -7.
Public lecture, “Democracy in a divided society: An institutional Design Approach to Democracy” at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, March 8, 2022.
Public lecture, “Knowledge Production and University Visibility” at Riara University, Nairobi, Kenya, Oct. 9, 2021.
Public Lecture on "New Humanitarianism: Wars, State-Building, and Globalism” organized by the Art Museum, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, September 23, 2021.
Invited to serve as discussants at the Brainstorming Workshop on Next Generation Peacebuilding in Africa, Social Science Research Council, New York, June 1, 2021.
Invited panelist on “Post-Tenure Career Paths: Cultivating a Mentoring Culture at NIU”, Northern Illinois University, March 5, 2021.
Invited to chair the Carnegie Foundation Sponsored Panel on “Conflict in the Digital Space” at the 2020 Annual Meeting of the African Studies Association, November 19-21, 2020.
“Global Governance and Populism: The Economic and Social Imperatives of Globalization.” Invited to present at the Future of Globalization conference at Renmin University, Beijing, China, October 11 – 14, 2019.
"Institutional Design, Democracy, andPeacebuilding in Africa." Guest speaker at Institute of African Affairs, GIGA German Institute of Global and Areas Studies, Hamburg, Germany (April 8, 2019).
“Civil Military Action under Democratic Governance in Sierra Leone.” Invited to present at the workshop on “Security Threats, Militarization and the Democratic Accountability of the Use of Military Force” GIGA German Institute of Global and Areas Studies Hamburg, Germany (April 8 – 10, 2019).
“Recent Elections: Political Processes and Post-Conflict Institutions in Africa.” Guest speaker at the Institut Prospective et Sécurité en Europe, Paris, France (June 28, 2018).
“The 2018 Kenyan Elections”. Guest speaker at the U.S. State Department, Washington, DC (June 27, 2017).
“Pluralism Lens.” Invited speaker at the Second Annual Global Pluralism Think Tank, Global Centre for Pluralism, Ottawa, Canada (March 31 to April 1, 2017, appeared via skype).
“Post-Conflict Institutional Design: Challenges and Opportunities for Peace and Democracy in Africa.” Invited plenary speaker at the International Peace Research Association 26th Biannual Conference (Sierra Leone, November 27 and December 1, 2016).
“Perspectives to Peacebuilding in Africa: an overview.” Invited plenary speaker and mentor, Second African Peacebuilding Network Grantee Workshop organized by the Social Science Research Council (New York), Kampala, Uganda, December 13-16, 2016.
“Post-Conflict Institutional Design and the Challenges of African Democracy.” Keynote delivered at the Third International Conference, Laikipia University, Kenya, May 24 – 27, 2016.
“Post-Conflict Institutional Design and the Challenges of African Democracy.” Public seminar delivered to the Department of Sociology, University of Nairobi, Kenya, June 8, 2016.
“Post-Conflict Institutional Design and the Challenges of African Democracy.” Public lecture, Kisii University, Kenya, May 23, 2016.
“Post-Conflict Institutional Design and the Challenges of African Democracy.” Public lecture, Rongo University, Kenya, May 31, 2016.
“Pluralism Lens Project: Cote d’Ivoire Case-Study.” Invited speaker at Think-Tank seminar (January 29-30, 2016), organized by the Global Centre for Pluralism, Ottawa, Canada.
“Positive Peace Case Studies: Cote d’Ivoire.” Invited case-study author and speaker at From Theory to Practice: Inaugural Positive Peace Conference. Center on Democracy, Development, and Rule of Law, Stanford University, October 5, 2015.
“Promoting Global Visibility of Locally Produced Research-Based Knowledge by African Scholars working on Peacebuilding Research.” Invited plenary speaker at the Second African Peacebuilding Network Grantee Workshop organized by the Social Science Research Council (New York), Arusha, Tanzania, January 26-30, 2015.
“State-building in Africa: The challenges, promises, and power of agency.” Keynote lecture delivered to Rongo University College (Kenya), June 16, 2014.
“People-Centered Liberalism and International State-building in West Africa.” Invited presentation to the University of Illinois--Urbana Champaign sociology department brown-bag, April 18, 2014.
“African Agency and the Contours of State-Building in Africa.” Keynote address delivered to the African Students Organization 11th Annual Forum, “The (Un)spoken Emergent Africa: Myths and Realities, University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign, April 19, 2014.
“Women Non-State Actors in Peacebuilding.” Invited lecture at the Women, War and Peace Conference, Virginia Commonwealth University, September 20-21, 2013.
“Extending Access: Tackling the Digital Divide” Invited lecture at the Africa and Information Technology: Practices, Potentials and Challenges Conference, Center for African Studies, University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign, September 11-13, 2013.
“Academic Writing in Africa and the Challenge of Global Visibility.” Invited plenary speaker at the African Peacebuilding Network Grantee Workshop organized by the Social Science Research Council (New York) and the African Leadership Centre (Kenya), Nairobi, August 26-30, 2013.
“Summary and Future Research Agendas.” Invited speaker at the Peacebuilding in West Africa: Looking for Answers conference. Center for African Studies, University of Illinois--Urbana Champaign, March 11, 2013.
“The Limits of Democracy: Constitutionalism and Political Violence.” Invited lecture at a high level workshop on “Northern Nigeria: The Dynamics of Social and Political Conflict.” The Citizenship Initiative, University of South Florida, November 13-15, 2012.
“Role of Non-State Actors in Peacekeeping Efforts in West Africa.” Invited presentation to the International Peacekeeping in Africa Conference. Center for Security Studies, ETH Zurich, Switzerland, November 22-24, 2012.
“Peace & Conflict in West Africa.” Invited lecture at the Cambridge Main Library organized by the West African Research Association and the Cambridge Peace Commission, Sept. 27, 2012.
“Publishing Academic Research.” Invited lecture at the West African Research Association Peace Initiative Third Conference, Praia, Cape Verde, December 12-14, 2011.
“Ethnic Conflicts and Management Strategies in Bulgaria, Sierra Leone and Nigeria” guest speaker at the Program on Ethnic and Federal Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, Aug. 2002.
“Literacy and its Challenges in sub-Saharan Africa” invited lecture presented to the College of Staten Island, New York, October 2000.