Joanna Adewunmi, a researcher at the University of Ibadan, has been selected as one of only 24 Africa-based scholars chosen for the 2022 Lagos Studies Association (LSA) Writing Retreat, a highly competitive international academic fellowship supported by the British Academy.

The initiative, organized by the LSA Publications Committee in collaboration with the African Studies Association of the UK (ASAUK), the Journal Work Academy, and the Social Science Research Council’s (SSRC) Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa program, is designed to strengthen the publication pipeline of promising African scholars whose research demonstrates originality, methodological rigor, and global relevance.

Adewunmi was selected through a competitive review process led by senior scholars who evaluated applicants based on disciplinary contribution, regional representation, career stage, and gender balance. Only 24 scholars (13 women and 11 men) were chosen continent-wide.

Her selection recognizes her emerging contributions at the intersection of gender, information science, and digital behavior.

At the time of her selection, Adewunmi was completing a Master’s dissertation in the Department of Data and Information Science at the University’of Ibadan examining gendered responses to cyberbullying among undergraduate students in Nigeria. Her research adopts a comparative design involving two institutions—one federal university and one private university—to examine how male and female students respond differently to various forms of online harassment.

The study moves beyond documenting the prevalence of cyberbullying. Instead, it systematically analyzes behavioral reactions to digital attacks, including withdrawal, retaliation, reporting, silence, and resilience strategies. By comparing institutional contexts and gendered response patterns, the research seeks to identify structural and psychosocial factors that influence vulnerability and coping mechanisms.

According to Adewunmi, the broader objective of the study is to develop evidence-based intervention measures that can mitigate cyberbullying behavior through a deeper understanding of how individuals interpret and respond to digital aggression.

“Cyberbullying is not only a technological issue; it is a behavioral and institutional issue,” she noted. “If we understand how students react to digital attacks, we can design preventative frameworks that strengthen digital safety policies and support systems.”

Her work contributes to ongoing global conversations about digital safety, online gender-based harassment, and equitable participation in STEM and digital environments. By generating comparative data across public and private institutional settings, the study provides insights relevant to policymakers, university administrators, and digital platform designers.

The Lagos Studies Association Writing Retreat will provide Adewunmi with an intensive five-day structured residency in Lagos during the June 21–25 conference period. Fellows will receive fully funded accommodation and participate in guided manuscript development workshops aimed at preparing their research for peer-reviewed publication.

The Lagos Studies Association, headquartered in the United States with a Secretariat in Lagos, is an internationally recognized scholarly organization advancing interdisciplinary research on Africa and its global contexts. The Writing Retreat marks a major investment in strengthening Africa-based scholarship within international academic publishing networks.

Observers note that Adewunmi’s selection reflects growing recognition of Nigerian scholars addressing complex sociotechnical challenges affecting young people and women in digital spaces.

Her research trajectory—combining gender analysis, information behavior, and digital equity—positions her among a new generation of African scholars shaping conversations around safe, inclusive, and accountable digital environments. (Daily Trust)

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