Joshua Kwesi Aikins is a research associate in the field of developmentpolicy and post-colonial studies at the University of Kassel. He studied po-litical science at FU Berlin and the University of Ghana. His research work focuses mainly on the interrelationship of Western and indigenous political systems in Ghana; development policy from a decolonial perspective; cul-tural and political representation of the African Diaspora; coloniality and the politics of remembrance in Germany; as well as critical whiteness studies. Both in the German and the Ghanaian context he combines academic and civic activities with questions of empowerment and participation. In Ghana he was for instance involved as an associate researcher for the Ghana Constitution Review Commission (2010-2011). In Germany he coordinated the compilation of a civic parallel report on racism in Germany to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) between 2013 and 2015. For the association Citizens for Europe’s project Vielfalt Entschei-det ‒ Diversity in Leadership he and the project manager Daniel Gyamerahco-authored the expert’s report Handlungsoptionen zur Diversifizierung des Berliner Kultursektors (Courses of Action for the Diversification of the Cul-tural Sector in Berlin). Beyond that he works as a trainer and speaker in thefield of political education focusing on the contested de/coloniality of public space, human rights-based anti-racism work and empowerment.
At Ballhaus Naunynstraße, Joshua Kwesi Aikins conceived the performative postcolonial tour Wo wir durchgehen – Dauerkolonie Berlin (2018).