Priscilla Sarkwa Akomprah, nominated by Margaret Amaka Ohia-Nowak is a courageous emerging (public) intellectual.
Her academic background is firmly grounded in feminist and inequality studies. Living in Utrecht, she has developed a transnational feminist perspective that thoughtfully and originally connects Europe and Africa. Her MA thesis, “Marriage, Faith, and Harm: A Feminist Analysis of Domestic Violence in Ghana”, from the University of Łódź and Utrecht University, brings together a decolonial Ghanaian feminist standpoint with survivor-centred, trauma-informed research practices. She treats survivors as co-creators of knowledge, and grounds her analysis in their lived experiences.
This work was already recognised with the Hélène Phoa Thesis Prize last year, with the jury highlighting the originality of her work and her ability to translate complex theory into accessible, grounded practical interventions. The jury applauded the way this thesis does not simply apply Western feminist interpretations to Ghanaian experiences, but puts a strong focus on African feminist theory (ask her about these!) worthy of our attention.
Despite being early in her career, she has an impressive track record in advocacy and collaboration. At the KIT Institute in Amsterdam, she worked on projects concerning sexual and reproductive health and rights in conflict and post-conflict contexts. She has also held leadership and research roles in Ghana, addressing issues such as domestic violence, child exploitation, and gender-based violence on campuses. As a feminist researcher trained in Women’s and Gender Studies, with a background in Political Science, her work is grounded in a strong interdisciplinary foundation.
Priscilla is currently exploring ways to deepen her research on violence against women by examining the connections between domestic violence and surrogacy, as well as the abuse and exploitation of women within surrogacy arrangements. More broadly, her research engages with marriage, intimate life in its nuances, and emerging family-making practices, approached through de-colonial feminist frameworks, with a regional focus on Ghana and transnational institutional contexts
