Assistant Professor Nadège Compaoré

Growing up in Burkina Faso, Professor Nadège Compaoré’s interest in political news was sparked by the 1994 devalution of the franc CFA (by 50% in foreign currency). This sharp devalution had personal implications as her family household began to feel the financial effects of such an economic decision. With a backdrop of conversations around France, and their continued role in their former colonies, Professor Compaoré became increasingly interested in international politics and postcolonial politics. Today, her work falls at the intersection of International Relations theory, African politics, global resource/environmental politics, as well as gender and race in global politics. More specifically, it is concerned with claims of sovereignty by "postcolonial" states and communities affected by natural resource extraction in Africa.

Professor Compaoré’s current book project examined the meaning and implications of the Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources principle for the global governance of oil in Africa. Some other publications that they are keen to discuss include an article titled “Rise of the (Other) Rest? Exploring Small State Agency and Collective Power in IR” published in 2018, and Reflexive Pluralism in IR: Canadian Contributions to Worlding the Global South as recently published in 2021!

Other sources of her inspiration for research and teaching comes from African literature, cinema and music, particularly by artists who use their craft for education and activism. If you take a course with Professor Compaoré, you may learn a thing or two about artists such as Sembène Ousmane, and others from African and the diaspora. Not only that, but you may learn more about indoor plants, as Professor Compaoré has recently found a passion for being surrounded by greenery while in lockdown during the pandemic!