Dr Alice Mpofu-Coles
- Designing and delivering community and participatory action research programmes, developing recommendations and action planning
- Provide research training and support to community organisations, and help develop a pilot community research programme for staff, students and organisations
- Providing expertise and guidance to the Diversity and Inclusion team on embedding equality, diversity and inclusion in education and research to shape the Engaged University vision
Areas of interest
- Refugees
- Young immigrants
- Gender issues
- Race and inequalities
- Immigration
- Participation Action Research
- Community Engagement Research
- Decolonising research methodologies and dissemination
Research centres and groups
Research projects
- Community Led Research British Science Association and University of Reading Community Led Research
- Oxford Road Stories
- The Oxford Road: Lifespring Stories – curated at Reading Museum
- Engaged University – Community Engagement with BAMER
- AGEING WELL Research Report - communities, culture and inclusion – Alice Mpofu-Coles – Leading Research, Dr Sally Lloyd-Evans, Dr Lorna Zischka, Faith O’Rorke, Katie Ralph, Lizzie Sandeman and Whitley Researchers
- Participatory Research What do stakeholders need to know about anti-immigration attitudes?- Story Boards - Dr Simonetta Longhi (Economics), Dr Daphne Halikiopoulou (Politics and International Relations, now York University ) and Alice Mpofu-Coles (Human Geography and Environmental Science)
Background
Alice is a feminist human geographer and activist interested in immigrant young people, community groups, ruptured migration, refugees, identity, and race. Alice’s current work is using participatory action research methods and exploring different ways of disseminating and decolonising research. Alice draws into her work feminist methodological approach that considers social injustice, power dynamics, multiple identities, and gender through story telling.
Alongside her academic work, Alice continues to advocate for social injustice, sanctuary seekers through being a trustee of different charities, public speaking and writing.
You can connect with Alice on LinkedIn
Academic qualifications
Alice completed her PhD in 2023 at the University of Reading. Alice’s PhD is entitled Identity, Transnational, Translocal Activities, And Intergenerational Relationships For Young Zimbabweans In The UK, sheds new light on the lived experiences of young Zimbabwean immigrants aged 18–30 years who live in the UK. It relates to their identity formation, intergenerational relationships and activities, sense of belonging, aspiration, racism, education, work and participation in different social and cultural spaces.
Alice holds an MA in International Relations - Contemporary Diplomacy, Conflict Resolution, Origins and Causes of War. She has studied Formed Migration at the International Summer School at Oxford University.