Research Topic: Christianity and Development in Igalaland

Subsidy from Nijmegen Feminism and Religion Fund

I conducted my fieldwork in Igalaland (Nigeria) from November 2021 to March 2022. The subsidy from Nijmegen Feminism and Religion Fund contributed greatly to the success of the fieldwork. It helped me to pay for my flight tickets (to Nigeria and back to the Netherlands). I was also able to pay for a good recording device, to pay for my transportation (within Nigeria) to the research sites, and to organize meals for the research participants. In all, the fund helped me to pilot the interviews successfully without much stress.

Christianity and Development in Igalaland: Pastoral Challenges and Prospects

This practice-oriented research studies Christianity in Igalaland (Nigeria) with the help of empirical methods. It describes how people in Igalaland understand the following issues in relationship to their faith: (a) individual and societal socio-economic circumstances (poverty, malnutrition, education, healthcare, etc); and (b) the role of women and gender inequality. How and to what extent do these issues affect individual and collective life, and what is the relationship between views on these issues and faith? The study aims to contribute to an evolution towards social structures that contribute to justice and equal treatment of male and female children, men and women, especially among the Igala people. Next to a descriptive part, this study will propose what needs to happen in order to change the current situation in the direction of what is desired. Taking the descriptive part on the experiences and concerns of the people of Igalaland into account, it will contribute to a pastoral plan for aiming at individual and collective transformation, especially for those who are “left behind”, specifically the poor, women deprived of formal education, and otherwise marginalized.

Apply for a grant for your research

The Nijmegen Feminism and Religion Fund provides funding for students and scholars studying or doing research in this field. Are you a researcher or student in this field and are you looking for a grant to finance your research? Submit your application before July 1 and you may receive a grant.

For a grant application, please contact Lisette Pals at lisette.pals@ru.nl.