Your new PhD students’ representatives: Benson Matawana

In the term of July 2018 to June 2019, Julia Zilles and Benson Matawana are the new GGG PhD students’ representatives, who will support you to the best of their abilities. The GGG PhD students’ representation is GGG’s contact for all PhD students of social sciences. The representative has a full right to vote in the executive board of the GGG and can thus actively take part in the decision on e.g. the qualification program or definition and allocation of the funding measures.

Benson Matawana

Since July 2018, I am one of the new PhD representatives of GGG. I studied Political Sciences at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and did my Masters in Intercultural Theology at the University of Göttingen. Since 2016, I have been a PhD student at the Institute of Sociology at the University of Göttingen, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Alexander-Kenneth Nagel.

My PhD project is entitled “the civil society potentials of Ghanaian immigrants ‘Christian congregations [GICCs] and at which capacities do they contribute to social integration in the light of transnational debate?” (working title). I focus on mechanisms and the role immigrants’ churches play for the integration of their members in Germany.

Despite my studies, I have been volunteering at “ATW-Göttingen, Studentenwohnheim-Fahrrad-Tutorium” as tutor. For me this was a great opportunity to get into contact and to connect with local and international PhD students from various parts of the world.

I want to be the representative and contact person for all PhD students. But out of my personal experience as international PhD student, living here with my family, I am especially motivated to support both internationals and PhD students with family responsibilities. In order to be your representative and to defend your interests I am eager to know about what troubles you, what you need and what should be changed. So don’t hesitate to contact me. I am looking forward to getting into contact with you and to learn about your needs and ideas.