Oluwadamilola Ogunmuko

I am a cultural, Africana, global Black, and literary studies scholar working at the intersection of migration, surveillance, and identity. I go by Dami (Dah-mee); my full name is pronounced oh-loo-wah-dah-mee-LOH-lah oh-goon-MOO-koh. I am completing my PhD at the Department of African Cultural Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I adopt a multidisciplinary research method by combining ethnographic, cultural, and literary sources. My dissertation, Mobility Privilege: Global Citizens and Border Politics, focuses on the representation of African mobilities, migration, and surveillance in cultural productions like films, music, and novels.

As an educator positioned at the intersection of African and global Black studies, my teaching philosophy focuses on helping students understand concepts, actively participate in classroom discussion, and take ownership of their learning. I have taught courses on African migration, African storytellers, and African Cultural Expression. I believe students should be invested participants and translate their learning experience into practical skills they can use beyond the classroom. More broadly, I engage with intersectional pedagogy and I strongly believe that education develops the ability to question, think critically, and act with autonomy.