Nasra Dahir Mohamed is a Ph.D. student in Global Studies (Fall 2025) at Global Studies University, specializing in Cultural, Visual, and Literary Studies, from Somalia. Her research focuses on integrating Somali poetry into formal education, exploring its use not only as a subject of study but also as a pedagogical method across the curriculum. Through her doctoral work, Nasra aims to develop approaches that enrich teaching practices, strengthen cultural literacy, and promote the role of Somali literary traditions in contemporary educational contexts.
Academic Background
- M.Phil in Public Policy, Riphah International University
- B.A. in Political Science, International Relations, Civil Service Institute / Medical Laboratory, Edna Aden University
Professional Experience
- Research Officer, AQN Law Firm, Somaliland (Nov 2021 – Nov 2022)
- Research Coordinator, University College London (UCL) & Redsea Cultural Foundation, Covid-19, Infrastructural Development, and The Bio-Geopolitics of Everyday Life in Berbera, Somaliland (Apr 2021 – Dec 2021)
- Research Coordinator, UCL & Redsea Cultural Foundation, Spatial Inequality in Times of Urban Transition: Complex Land Markets in Uganda and Somaliland (Sep 2022 – Aug 2023)
- Research Assistant to Dr. Ebba Tellander, Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), Societal Transformation in Conflict Contexts Project, Somaliland (May 2018 – Aug 2020)
- Transcription & Translation Consultant, Action Aid, Somaliland (Nov 16 – Nov 26, 2023)
- Co-Lecturer, University of Hargeisa, Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, in partnership with Rift Valley Institute (RVI) and Black Mountains College (BMC), MA Module: Climate Justice, Social Differentiation, and Mobility (2024)
- Research Community of Practice (RCoP), Rift Valley Institute (RVI), Nairobi, Kenya (Jul 2023 – Feb 2024)
- Oral History and Literature Research, Open Society University Network (OSUN), Eastern Africa Research Hub (Jun 2021 – Dec 2021)
Publications and Contributions
- 2025 (In Progress), Local Histories of Climate Change in the Horn of Africa (video production and article), University of Pennsylvania
- 2024, Exploring Messaging on Climate Change through the Somali Poetic Drama of the Poet Playwright Xasan Ganey (1982), Forthcoming
- 2021, Tariqah Community: Socio-Cultural and Religious Transformation, Outcome of Oral History and Literature Research Seminar, OSUN
- 2021, Services Provision and Hygiene Interventions by City Government During Covid-19 Waves: Impact on Behavioral Response in Informal Urban Settlements, Tianjin Daxue Xuebao
- 2020, Online Education amid COVID-19 Crisis: Issues and Challenges at Higher Education Level in Pakistan, International Journal of Educational Research and Innovation (IJERI)
In Their Own Words
"Even though I've only been in the program for a short time, I'm already growing as a reader more than ever before. The diverse readings, especially being exposed to African and Asian scholars, have been so valuable. It’s given me a new appreciation for global perspectives and their contributions."
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