Danson Sylvester Kahyana

Biographical Details

Danson Sylvester Kahyana holds a PhD in English Studies from Stellenbosch University, South Africa, and a Master’s in Literature, Postgraduate Diploma in Education, and Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from Makerere University, Uganda. He is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Literature, Makerere University, and a Research Associate in the Department of English, Stellenbosch University. He is also President, Ugandan PEN, and a member of the PEN International Board.

Teaching and Supervision

Undergraduate courses

1. East African Literature
2. Oral Literature

Graduate Courses

1. Ugandan Literature
2. African Poetry and Contemporary Experience

Doctoral students

1. Antwiwaa, Stella (co-supervised with Prof. Sr. Dominica Dipio): “Representations of Women in Selected Plays of Euripedes and Ghanaian Playwrights”. Supervision ongoing.
2. Ariho, Lucky (co-supervised with Dr. Okot Benge). “Evocations of Gender Relations in Selected Short Stories.” Supervision ongoing.

Master’s students

1. Natukunda, Elizabeth. “Representations of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide in Slected Novels by Rwandan And Non-Rwandan Writers”. Thesis submitted for examination.
2. Musimenta, Isaac. “Role of Public Relations Strategies in Public and Private Institutions: A Case Study of the Parliament of Uganda and Multichoice Uganda Limited.” Thesis submitted for examination.
3. Karungi, Annette. “Assessment of the Child Sexual Abuse Forms, Rehabilitation and Prevention Measures in Uganda: A Case of Mukono District 2015 – 2019.” Thesis submitted for examination.
4. Khaukha Jim. “Rhetoric in Ugandan Television Advertising Genre: A Case of the 2018 Mtn Momo and 2019 Mtn 4G Network Advertisements.” Supervision ongoing.
5. Birungi, Cecelia. “Realizing Women’s Property Rights through Traditional Justice Mechanisms: A Case of the Ekitawuluzi of Buganda.” Supervision ongoing.

Selected grants

1. Fulbright Research Fellowship (2020-2021)
2. British Institute in Eastern Africa (BIEA) Research Grant (2019)
3. Andrew W. Mellon Early Career Postdoctoral Fellowship (2018-2019)
4. The African Humanities Programme Postdoctoral Fellowship (2015-2016)

Current projects

1. Editing a special issue on Okot p’Bitek’s Song of Lawino
2. A monograph on Ugandan literature entitled “Negotiating (Trans)national Identities in Ugandan Fiction”
3. Papers on Ugandan prison and dissident poetry
4. Preparing 7 Children’s storybooks for publication
5. Editing a collection of essays on Timothy Wangusa’s creative work