Team

John Ebotui Yajalin is a Senior Policy Analyst specializing in Migration, Forced Displacement, Urbanization, and Urban Governance within the institute cluster: Social Cohesion, State Fragility & Conflict. He holds a  PhD in Development Studies in Geography from the University of Bayreuth, Germany, a Master of Philosophy in Development Studies from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Ghana, Legon.

During his PhD, John co-taught MA students in Development Planning and Urban Management, with a specific focus on the Global South.  In addition to his academic roles, John expanded his expertise through prestigious fellowships. He was an Adam Smith Fellow in Political Economy, Don Lavoie Fellow in Political Economy, and a PhD Dissertation Fellow at George Mason University, USA. Before pursuing his PhD, John served as a teaching and research assistant at the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana. He also taught at number of senior schools in Ghana, where he gained firsthand experience in educational development at the secondary level.

John’s current research interests are deeply rooted in his PhD work, which examined the political participation of migrant slum dwellers in urban Ghana. His thesis demonstrates how precarious living conditions in urban slums drive residents to engage politics, often as a strategy for survival. His research aligns closely with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, which seeks to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.