Dr Julia Ngozi Chukwuma

Professional biography

I joined the Open University in October 2021 as a Lecturer in Economics. Prior to that, I have taught at Queen Mary University of London, SOAS and Goldsmiths University. I also worked with UNICEF’s social policy and emergency teams in Burundi, Mali and Senegal. I hold a PhD in Economics from SOAS.

Research interests

My main research interest lies in understanding how social policies (and more recently eco-social policies) are being conceptualised, developed and implemented in the African context, and to what effect. Primarily, my work focuses on the political economy of health policy development and implementation and global efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage. I am interested in understanding how different interest groups, such as policymakers, civil society organisations, communities, health professionals or international organisations shape a healthcare system and influence how healthcare services are delivered and who can ultimately access them. My research approach is rooted in understanding the political context in which policies are developed, the causes of economic and social realities within a certain country-context (with a particular focus on Nigeria) as well as issues of inequality and power.

Teaching interests

I work/have worked on the following module presentation & production teams:

- DD126 Economics in Context

- DD320 Doing Economics

- D815 The Economics of Global and Social Challenges