About me:
I am PhD candidate at the department of Geography at the University of Bonn since June 2019. Prior to this, I attained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography and Archaeology in 2014 at the University of Zimbabwe. Subsequently, in 2015, I moved to Germany, Bonn and in 2018, I completed a Master of Science degree in Geography of Environmental Risks and Human Security at the University of Bonn and United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS). Currently, I am a research associate of the Indian Ocean World Partnership and of the CRC 228 “Future Rural Africa”.
Contact:
Institute of Geography
Johannes Gutenberg-Universität
Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 21
55099 Mainz
Room 02-162
Research Interests:
Human-technology interactions, disaster risk reduction, theoretical issues in disaster communication, ethnographic methodologies, social media and disasters, rural communities, formal and informal warning systems
Research Projects:
Investigating communication practices in the wake of disasters – the potential of ICTs for disaster preparedness in Zimbabwe.
In my research, I investigate the underlying politics of information flows in the context of disaster risk reduction (DRR) in Zimbabwe drawing from Cyclone Idai, 2019 as a case study. My research aims to contribute to a better understanding of the role of different media outlets to communicate disaster risk in rural Zimbabwe and use this as a basis to assess the potential of ICTs to enhance disaster preparedness more generally.
Publications:
Chiimba et. al; (submitted) Social media as a catalyst for civic engagement amongst Zimbabweans in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai.
Chiimba, E. G. & Verne, J. (2022) Disaster Communication beyond the State? Community Organisations, Informal Information Flows and the mediation of (mis)trust before and after Cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, Vol 76.
Activities (Selection):
- Conference presentation at the Northern European Emergency and Disaster Studies (NEEDS) Conference: “Disaster Communication on Twitter (now X): A Catalyst for Civic Engagement Amongst Zimbabweans in the Aftermath of Cyclone Idai.” 30.10-03.11.2023, University of Twente, Netherlands
- Session organization and chairing at the Deutscher Kongress für Geographie (DKG), Frankfurt: “ Partizipation in der qualitativen Geographie: Perspektiven auf soziale Verantwortung in Forschungspartnerschaften ” (collaboration with Dana Gafoor-Zadeh and Nora Winsky). 20-23.09.2022.
- Conference Presentation at Deutscher Kongress für Geographie (DKG), Frankfurt: “Participatory research design and implementation in a disaster context: Reflections from cyclone Idai.” 22.09.2022
- Organization and accompaniment, Masters Fieldtrip to Cologne with M8 master’s students to the European Conference on African Studies (ECAS). 30.05- 03.06/2023
- Speaker in online panel discussion on “Local community response to climate change threats in the Indian Ocean World”. Organized by McGill University, Canada. April 20, 2022
- Organization and workshop lead: Researching in and with the Global South: Approaching decolonial and feminist research practices in agricultural research and rural development. The annual interdisciplinary conference on research in tropical and subtropical agriculture, natural resource management and rural development (TROPENTAG), organized by University of Hohenheim, Germany. September 15 – 17, 2021
- Conference presentation: Disaster Communication beyond the State? Community Organizations, Informal Information Flows and the mediation of (mis)trust before and after Cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe. International Conference Local Self-Governance and Weak Statehood: Theoretical and Empirical Insights from an Interdisciplinary Perspective, University of Würzburg. July 5-7, 2021
Teaching:
Winter semester 23/24:
M5-MA Current Debates on Globalisation, Media & Culture: “Social Media and Disasters”
M8-MA Project: Research Project: Decolonizing research collaborations
Summer Semester 23:
M8-MA Project: Research Workshop + Seminar: “Decolonizing research collaborations”
Prior teaching at University of Bonn:
Winter semester 21/22:
Geographies of Disasters (BSc Geography at University of Bonn)
Summer semester 21:
Geographical research methods (BSc Geography at University of Bonn)