Photo of Jennifer Kandjii

Jennifer Kandjii is a Ph.D. candidate (ABD) in Global Governance at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, Waterloo, Ontario. Her broad research interests include forced migration and post-conflict studies, gender and women, humanitarianism, and human rights, with a focus on refugee governance and precarious livelihoods.

Jennifer’s Ph.D. dissertation focusses on refugee governance in South Africa, drawing links and illuminating tensions between policies and practices of policy implementation and refugees’ precarious existence while elucidating the struggles, resistance, and resilience strategies that refugees espouse in this context. Her research aims to draw attention to the impact of refugee governance policies and practices on the lived experiences of refugees and the varying dimensions of precarity that refugees experience in South Africa, with the aim to influencing reform of refugee governance policies and practices in this context.

Before her Ph.D. studies, Jennifer worked with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for eight years.

Jennifer holds a Master of Arts (with distinction) in refugee studies from the University of East London, UK, a postgraduate International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance (IDHA) from the Centre of International Humanitarian Cooperation and Fordham University, and a bachelor of science in Chemistry and Molecular & Physiological Biology from the University of Namibia.

Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys going to the gym, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Academic / Professional Awards

  • Queen Elizabeth Advanced Scholarship, 2017
  • David Johnston International Experience Award, 2017
  • University of Waterloo Millennium Graduate Student Bursary, 2017
  • Migration and Resilience in Urban Canada Summer Funding, 2017
  • Balsillie Doctoral Fellowship, 2016-17
  • University of Waterloo International Doctoral Student Award, 2015-present
  • University of Waterloo Arts Graduate Scholarship, 2015-present
  • Ontario Trillium Scholarship, 2015-present
  • British Foreign and Commonwealth Chevening Scholarship, 2012-2013
STUDENT
TOPICS

Africa Civil Society and Social Movements Conflict and Security Gender and Women Global Development Governance Global Justice and Human Rights Global Social Governance Humanitarian Intervention International Law International Organizations Migration Multilateral Institutions and Diplomacy Post-Conflict Transitional Justice

EDUCATION
  • Masters of Arts (in Refugee Studies) with Distinction, University of East London, London, United Kingdom 09/2012-09/2013
  • International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance, Centre for International Humanitarian Cooperation, Switzerland 02/2012- 03/2012
  • Bachelor of Science (Chemistry and Molecular and Physiological Biology, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia 02/2003- 11/2007
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