Mark Obure-Morang'a is a professionally trained educator, and researcher with an excellent command and proficiency in both written and spoken English. I was born in Kisii, Kenya and an Alma mater of University of Nairobi with degrees in Master of Arts Literature and First Class Honours in Bachelor's of Education Arts (English and Literature). I have published a number of essays and three guide book on Literature; and written numerous poems. In addition, I have had an experience in conducting research through Baseline Surveys and Research and Evaluation International and with University of Nairobi Women Economic Empowerment Hub (UoN WEE Hub) as a research assistant and Editorial committee secretary. I have participated in national debates on topical issues through my blog website and Book Cafe talk shows in Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC). I currently reading and researching for my joint PhD (University of Nairobi and Ghent University). My area of focus is on Ecology and Oral Narratives from Digo, Kenya.

Projects

Projects as PhD researcher

Eco-orality in Digo narratives, Kenya (2024 - 2027)
Storytelling and young people coping with crisis. Oral narratives and crisis management in Kenya and Ethiopia (2022 - 2027)

Publications

Most recent publications

Full bibliography

Activities

Did a poster presentation on “The Digo Oral Narratives: Storytelling and Ecological Consciousness” during the Young Researchers Overseas Day organized by Royal Academy of Overseas Sciences Brussels on 9th December 2024.

Presented a conference paper “Eco-Peace: Integrating Ecological Consciousness in Conflict Resolution” at University of Nairobi on 30th October 2024.

Presented a conference paper on “Politics, Ethics and AI: Impacts of AI in Eastern African Oral Literature on 27th September 2024 at the British Institute in Eastern Africa (BIEA) Nairobi.

Jimma, Ethiopia, May 2024: Annual Meeting of VLIR-UOS Team Project:Storytelling and Young People Coping with Crisis: Oral Narratives and Crisis Management in Kenya and Ethiopia’. (https://www.ol4d.ugent.be/ )

Kwale, Kenya, May 2023: 10 days: Annual Meeting of VLIR-UOS Team project: ‘Storytelling and Young People Coping with Crisis: Oral Narratives and Crisis Management in Kenya and Ethiopia’. (https://www.ol4d.ugent.be/ )

Presented a conference paper on "Ogre Narratives as a Pyschological Strategy for Social Morality among the Youths" in the Annual Kenya Oral Literature Assosiation (KOLA) Conference held ifrom 30/11/2023 to 2/12/2023 at Diani, Kwale County- Kenya

Read a research paper on “Representation of Dis-ease in Contemporary East African poetry” at Humboldt University in Germany on 11th July 2022

I was part of the Local Organizing Committee for the Annual International Conference on Role of Literature in a Global World under the themes: Value Creating Education and Critical Thinking in a Global World held under the University of Nairobi Research week at University of Nairobi in October 2019.

Services

I am an active member of AMKA Literature Forum based at Goethe Institute in Nairobi where we review poems, short stories and novels of upcoming Kenyan writers.
I am an active member of University of Nairobi Literature Students Association.
Involved in Mentorship of Undergraduate and Graduate students in Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences in University of Nairobi.
Member of Africa Indigenous Knowledge Research Network (AIKRN)
Member of The African Studies Association (ASA)
Member of Kenya Oral Literature Association (KOLA)
Member of International Society for the Oral Literatures of Africa (ISOLA)