Prof. Innocent Chiluwa, Heriot-Watt University, United Kingdom
Prof. Innocent Chiluwa is a distinguished academic in English and Communication Studies, with 18 years of teaching experience and 7 years as a professor at Covenant University. He has held esteemed positions, including Humboldt Scholar at the University of Freiburg and Research Fellow at the Centre for Advanced Internet Studies in Bochum. His research focuses on discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, and the impact of social media on political participation and activism in Africa. Prof. Chiluwa has led significant projects, such as the Nigeria post-election survey, and is recognized with multiple fellowships and awards for his contributions to the field. ššš
Academic Qualifications
Prof. Chiluwa earned his PhD in English & Media/Communication Studies from the University of Ibadan in 2005 š. He holds an MA in English (Language) from the University of Lagos (1998) and a BA in English & Literary Studies from the University of Calabar (1996) š. His qualifications underpin his extensive teaching and research experience, contributing significantly to his expertise in discourse analysis and sociolinguistics š§ .
Teaching
Prof. Chiluwa specializes in Discourse and Society and Linguistic/Discourse Pragmatics š. He teaches courses in Critical Discourse Analysis, Pragmatics, Sociolinguistics, and Applied Linguistics. His focus on language use in different sociocultural and political contexts informs his research and teaching approach š. He also teaches Creative Writing, Academic Writing, Speech Writing and Delivery, and Writing for the Mass Media š.
Experience
Prof. Innocent Chiluwa served as a Professor of English and Communication Studies at Covenant University from 2015 to 2022 š. He was a Research Fellow at the Centre for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS), Bochum, Germany, from 2022 to 2023 š. His roles include being a Humboldt Scholar and Visiting Professor at the University of Freiburg during various periods, including 2009-2011 and 2023 š. He is currently a Visiting Professor at Loughborough University and in the Languages & Intercultural Studies department (February-July 2024) š.
Awards
Prof. Chiluwa has received numerous fellowships and awards, including a fellowship at CAIS, Bochum, in 2022-2023, focusing on the political participation of African women through social media š. His projects at the University of Freiburg have addressed critical issues such as the #EndSARS protests and herder-farmer conflicts in Nigeria š¢. He has been honored with the Georg Forster Research Fellowship and multiple Humboldt fellowships for his research on online activism and political resistance in Africa š.
Research Focus
Prof. Innocent Chiluwa’s research focuses on sociolinguistics and discourse analysis, particularly examining the role of social media in shaping discourse and resistance in African contexts š. His work delves into various topics such as the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, Biafra online discourses, and representations of conflicts in Nigeria’s media. Through extensive analysis of online platforms like Twitter and Facebook, he uncovers the linguistic and ideological dimensions of contemporary social issues š. Prof. Chiluwa’s research contributes significantly to understanding the intersection of language, technology, and activism in Africa, shedding light on diverse perspectives and voices within digital spaces. š§
Publication Top Notes
āWar against our Childrenā: Stance and evaluation in #BringBackOurGirls campaign discourse on Twitter and Facebook š Cited by: 205 š Year: 2015
Social media networks and the discourse of resistance: A sociolinguistic CDA of Biafra online discourses š Cited by: 169 š Year: 2012
Religious vehicle stickers in Nigeria: A discourse of identity, faith and social vision š Cited by: 98 š Year: 2008
Twittering the Boko Haram uprising in Nigeria: Investigating pragmatic acts in the social media š Cited by: 87 š Year: 2013
Radicalist discourse: a study of the stances of Nigeria’s Boko Haram and Somalia’s Al Shabaab on Twitter š Cited by: 68 š Year: 2015
āDeadlier than Boko Haramā: Representations of the Nigerian herderāfarmer conflict in the local and foreign press š Cited by: 62 š Year: 2022
Handbook of research on deception, fake news, and misinformation online š Cited by: 62 š Year: 2019
Assessing the Nigerianness of SMS text-messages in English š Cited by: 62 š Year: 2008
Online religion in Nigeria: The internet church and cyber miracles š Cited by: 58 š Year: 2012
A nation divided against itself: Biafra and the conflicting online protest discourses š Cited by: 55 š Year: 2018
Media representation of Nigeriaās joint military task force in the Niger Delta crisis š Cited by: 53 š Year: 2011
The discourse of digital deceptions and ā419ā emails š Cited by: 53 š Year: 2009
Labeling and ideology in the press: A Corpus-based critical discourse study of the Niger delta crisis š Cited by: 50 š Year: 2011
News headlines as pragmatic strategy in Nigerian press discourse š Cited by: 46 š Year: 2007
Occupy Nigeria 2012ā: A critical analysis of Facebook posts in the fuel subsidy removal protests š Cited by: 43 š Year: 2015
On terrorist attacks in Nigeria: Stance and engagement in conversations on Nairaland š Cited by: 37 š Year: 2016
Nigerian English in informal email messages š Cited by: 35 š Year: 2010
SMS text-messaging and the Nigerian Christian context: Constructing values and sentiments š Cited by: 35 š Year: 2008