Dr Christina Kenny

Congratulations to Dr Christina Kenny who has been awarded the 2019 David Philips Humanities Travelling Fellowship for her project Post-Colonial Desires: East African Queer Identities in the Age of Human Rights.

Named after the late Dr David Philips, historian and Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne, the biennial Fellowship supports research that contributes to the advancement of knowledge of racial, religious or ethnic prejudice in Africa.

“I’m extremely fortunate to have received the Fellowship and to have my project recognised in this manner by the Australian Academy of the Humanities,” Dr Kenny said.  “It’s a very competitive process.”

“The funding is critical to my project, which is close to my heart, and also very timely. My flights were paid by UNE’s professional development fund but I still needed additional money to fund the fieldwork.”

Dr Kenny will fly out to Kenya at the end of October for seven weeks to investigate the history of non-normative sexual and gender identities in Kenya. She will also explore the affect that English phrases and language have had on the development of local, Kenyan LGBTIAQ+ identities and communities.

Humanities Travelling Fellowships allow early career researchers (ECRs) to undertake research overseas, including accessing archives and other research materials and connecting with international researchers and networks.

Since 1985, the Fellowships have provided much-needed assistance and career development to promising ECRs and strengthened collaborations and alliances between Australian and overseas researchers and institutions.