Professor Nana Poku - Staff Profile

NameProfessor Nana Poku
Contact PositionJohn Ferguson Professorial Chair (Professor of African Studies), Africa Centre, and Dean of School of Social and International Studies (SSIS).
Email Addressn.poku@bradford.ac.uk

Research Areas

Main Research Interests

  • African Politics, Economy and Society,
  • Global Social Policy and Governance (Focus on HIV/AIDS),
  • Human Security (focus on Poverty, Migration and Health),
  • Post-Conflict Reconstruction (focus on employment and security),
  • African Regional Organisations

Main Geographic Area:

  •  Sub-Saharan Africa
  •  Global South


Nana K. Poku is the John Ferguson Professor of African Studies at the University of Bradford. He joined the University's Peace Studies Department in 2006 from the United Nations where he held the posts of Senior Policy Advisor to the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and also Director of Research for the United Nation's Secretary General's Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa (UN-CHGA). He currently serves as a Special Advisor to the Government of Ghana on PRSP and Health issues and has led 14 appraisal mission in 11 countries in Africa. He has also been an advisor to the European Union, the World Bank, the OECD, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations Development Program, among other international agencies.


Before joining the United Nations, Professor Poku taught and researched on the impact of HIV/AIDS and Human Security issues in Africa at Southampton University, UK. His research interests include the links between health and political instability, poverty and vulnerability, globalization and inequality, conflict and children in Africa. On these issues, he has authored and coauthored more than 50 scholarly articles in refereed journals, and has written and edited 12 books. Further, he has served as a guest editor for many journals, including three of the top refereed journals in his field: Journal of International Affairs (Vol. 82, No. 2, 2006), Third World Quarterly (Vol. 23, No.2., 2002) and the Journal of International Relations (Vol. XV, No. 2., 2000).


In addition to delivering the portfolio of activities associated with the Ferguson Professorial Chair, Professor Poku is part of a global network of leading HIV/AIDS specialist working on the long term implications of HIV/AIDS for political systems in Africa. He also serves as a Scientific Advisor on DFID funded five years knowledge programmes: (Addressing the Balance of AIDS (ABBA) 2006-2011).

Bibliography

Books - Authored and edited

  • Poku, N., African Politics: A New Introduction, Zed Books, (forthcoming 2008/9)
  • Poku, N. K. and Anthony McGrew Globalisation, Development and Human Security, Polity Press 2007
  • Globalization, Development and Human Security image Poku, N. et. al. (ed) Towards Africa's Renewal, Ashgate Press, Aldershot, 2007
  • Poku, N. K, Alan Whiteside and Bjorg Sandkjaer (ed) AIDS and Governance, Ashgate Press, Aldershot, 2007
  • AIDS and Governance image Poku, N. AIDS in Africa: How the poor are dying, Polity Press 2006
  • Poku, N. Rationalization and Security in Southern Africa, 2001, Palgrave ISBN: 0-333-71983-4
  • Poku, N. K. and Alan Whiteside, (ed.) The Political Economy of HIV/AIDS in Africa, Ashgate Press 2004
  • Poku, N. K. and Alan Whiteside, (ed.) Global Health and Governance, Palgrave, Basingstoke, 2003
  • Poku, N. K. Security and Development in Southern Africa, Greenwood Press, 2001
  • Poku N. K. and David Graham (ed.s) Migration, Globalisation and Human Security, Routledge, London
  • Poku, N. K. and David Graham (ed.s) Redefining Security: Population Movement and National Security, Greenwood Press. Nov. 1999
  • Poku, N. K. and (with Lloyd Pettiford) Redefining the Third World, Macmillan Press, Basingstoke 1998
  • Poku, N. K., (with Lloyd Pettiford) Understanding International Relations, TNTU Press, 1997

 

Selected Articles

  • Poku, N., Bjorg Sandkjaer, Meeting the challenge of Scaling up Treatment and Care in Africa, Journal of Development in Practice, Vol. 17 No.2 2007
  • Poku, N. K. and Alan Whiteside, 25 years of living with HIV/AIDS: challenge and prospects, International Affairs, Vol. 80, No.2 March 2006
  • Poku, N. K. HIV/AIDS, HIV/AIDS financing: a case for improving the quality and quantity of aid, International Affairs, Vol. 80, No.2 March 2006
  • Poku N. K. (with Jane Freedman), `The Socio-Economic Context of HIV/AIDS', Review of International Studies, October 2005.
  • Poku, N. K., Poverty, Debt and Africa's HIV/AIDS crisis, International Affairs, Vol. 78, No.3 July 2002
  • Poku, N and Alan Whiteside, Global Health and the Politics of Governance, Third World Quarterly, Vol.23 (2) 2002, pp191-195
  • Poku, N., The global AIDS FUND: Context and Opportunity, Third World Quarterly, Vol.23 (2) 2002
  • Poku, N. and Fantu Cheru, The Politics of Africa's AIDS Crisis, International Relations, Vol. XV No. 6 December 2001, pp 37- 55
  • Poku, N. AIDS in Africa: An Overview, International Relations, Vol. XV No. 6 December 2001, pp 5 - 15
  • Poku, N. Africa's AIDS Crisis in Context: 'How the Poor are dying': Third World Quarterly, Vol. 22, No. 2 2001, pp 191-204
  • Poku N. Poverty, AIDS and the Politics of Response, International Relations, Vol. XV No.3 December 2000, pp39-52
  • Poku, N. `Constructivism and Third World Research', International Relations, (Winter1998) XIV, 2. August 1988
  • Poku, N. and Lloyd Pettiford Practice and Theory in the Security Debate. (1996) Security Dialogue, Vol. 27, No 3, September, pp. 356 - 358 ISSN 0967-0106
  • Poku, N. The Crisis of Legitimacy and the Emergence of Democratic South Africa: A Critical Review, Indian Journal of African Studies, July 1997

 

Editorships - Journal

 

  • Guest Editor, International Relations Vol. XV No. 6 December 2001 - Special Issue: The Crisis of HIV/AIDS in Africa
  • Guest Editor (with Alan Whiteside) Third World Quarterly, Vol.23 (2) 2002 - Special Issue: Global Health and Governance: HIV/AIDS
  • Guest Editor, (with Alan Whiteside) International Affairs, Vol. 82. No. 2

Editorships - Books

  • Series Editor: Global Health: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2004
  • Series Editor: Global Security in a Changing World, Ashgate 2005

UN Publications

 

  • Principle author: CHGA Final Report: Securing Our Future, the Final Report of the United Nations Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa, 2007.
  • Poverty and HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa, issues paper of the Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa, 2005.
  • The HIV Epidemic and the Educational Sector in sub-Saharan Africa, issues paper of the Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa, 2005.
  • Strengthening National Capacity for HIV/AIDS Strategic Planning, issues paper of the Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa, 2004.
  • The Vulnerability of Women to HIV/AIDS, issues paper of the Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa, 2004.
  • The HIV Epidemic and Sustainable Human Development, issues paper of the Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa, 2004.
  • Socio-Economic Causes and Consequences of the HIV Epidemic in Africa, issues paper of the Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa, 2004.
  • Mainstreaming the Policy and Programme Response to the HIV Epidemic, issues paper of the Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa, 2004.
  • Responding to the Socio-Economic Impact of HIV, issues paper of the Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa, 2004.
  • The Economic Impact of HIV, issues paper of the Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa, 2003.
  • Case Studies of the Economic Impact of HIV, issues paper of the Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa, 2003.
  • The Economic Impact of HIV and AIDS in Ethiopia, issues paper of the Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa, 2003.
  • HIV and the Military, issues paper of the Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa, 2003.
  • HIV and Tourism, issues paper of the Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa, 2003.
  • The Political-Economy of Landmines in Southern Africa, Special Report 18/UNDU/1123 2001.
  • The Silent Killer: HIV/AIDS and African Economies, Special Report 16 UNAIDS.
  • Children Underfire, Office of the Secretary-General, Issues paper.
  • Prospects for Regional Economic Integration in Southern Africa,' UN Special Report. No. 234 1997 Office of the Secretary-General.