We are delighted and honoured to welcome back two recent graduates to present their doctoral lecture at this year’s Festival of Postgraduate Research: Dr Chinwe Egbunike-Umegbolu and Dr Anne Rathbone.
This session will run between 3-4pm, 16 June in Huxley 300 (Lecture Theatre). Please see the festival programme for the latest timings. Following the two short lectures, the festival will close with a presentation of prizes for our competition winners and a drinks reception in Huxley.
Dr Chinwe Egbunike-Umegbolu
Doctoral student 2018-22
Brighton Business School
Supervisors: Dr Adaeze Okoye, Dr Claire-Michelle Smyth
Dispensation of Justice: Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse (LMDC) as a Case Study in Nigeria
My PhD thesis examined how Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms, which include Mediation, Negotiation, Conciliation and Arbitration, are being used to settle disputes in Nigeria without going through formal, costly and lengthy litigation processes. I particularly looked at the Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse (LMDC) scheme, which offers alternative dispute resolution methods. The thesis provided a detailed analysis of the effectiveness of the Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse (LMDC). The thesis shows that, on the whole, ADR represents a promising route for ensuring access to justice for vulnerable Nigerian citizens in several fields, such as commercial law, property law, criminal law and family law. Mediation was the most commonly used mechanism for settling disputes. Whilst not always being a panacea, ADR has undoubtedly played a role in helping build a less adversarial way of managing disputes in a fractious and complex society such as Nigeria. My PhD thesis utilised traditional doctrinal analysis combined with comparative and qualitative data collection tools such as observation and semi-structured interviews.
Dr Chinwe Egbunike-Umegbolu is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. She is a part-time Law lecturer at the University of Brighton and a mentor at the Resolution Institute. She has presented her research work at national and international conferences. She was recently awarded the SCDTP Post-Doctoral Fellow. In 2022, she was awarded her PhD entitled ‘Dispensation of Justice: Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse (LMDC) in Nigeria’ from the University of Brighton. Recently she was recently awarded a SCDTP Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Brighton.
Chinwe is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA). She is a reviewer in academic journals. She is also an ADR Blogger and the Host and Producer of Expert Views on ADR (EVA), centred on her research interest in Alternative Dispute Resolution / Multi-Door Courthouse.
At the University of Brighton, Chinwe is an active member of the Law, Society and Justice Research and Enterprise Group. Most recently, she is looking at Alternative Dispute Resolution and workplace Conflicts: A British-Nigerian Comparison.
Dr Anne Rathbone
Doctoral student 2013-21
School of Sport and Health Sciences
Supervisors: Prof Angie Hart, Dr Carl Walker
Co-produced research for depth and impact
Resilience exists in relation to adversity and has been demonstrated to be dependent on the socio-ecological system around the individual or group as well as their own inherent traits and development. The more complex barriers experienced by an individual or group, the more important a positive socio-ecological environment becomes.
This presentation will outline the co-produced PhD research I undertook with young adults with learning disabilities on resilience. It will describe the underpinning social justice-based methodological lens and the co-inquiry method which allowed for co-design and co-direction. The findings will be presented, categorised into findings relating to i) adversity context and resilience and ii) findings relating to process and impact of the approach. I will aim through this to demonstrate how following values of co-production into practice led to greater richness of data and positive resilience and wellbeing impact, compared to non-co-produced approaches. I will aim to inspire and challenge you to consider the benefits of undertaking co-produced research, especially in research aiming to benefit marginalised groups who face disproportionate societal challenges.
Dr Anne Rathbone was awarded her PhD titled ‘Resilience and People with Learning Disabilities: A Co-operative Inquiry’ in May 2021 from the School of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Brighton. With a background as a qualified youth and community worker, later moving into health commissioning, Anne has for her whole career promoted and practised community development and co-production approaches, especially with young people with complex needs and facing greater barriers to opportunity. She is passionate about research and practice that facilitates the amplification of the voice of people who face discrimination and that enables them to take direct action to challenge social injustice.