top of page

Research Fellow in Human Geography, Policy and Development

Northumbria University, UK

Bianca Fadel

  • mail
  • White Twitter Icon
  • White LinkedIn Icon
Profile picture of Bianca Fadel

About me

I am a results-oriented academic and practitioner navigating humanitarian and development spaces for the past ten years. I believe in building bridges across sectors, languages, and geographies; and using my interpersonal skills to facilitate convivial learning. 

 

Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, I am currently based in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, as a Research Fellow in the Centre for Global Development (CGD) at Northumbria University. My research focuses on humanitarian and development systems and livelihood strategies, particularly in relation to the experiences of local volunteers. I have worked in different contexts in the global South, notably Brazil; Tanzania; Uganda; and Burundi, where I conducted my PhD. I strongly believe in collaborative research, and my experience of teamworking includes the Refugee Youth Volunteering Uganda (RYVU), funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC-GCRF); as well as policy-focused initiatives with volunteer-involving organisations, including the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and VSO.

 

As a practitioner, I have worked as advisor for humanitarian diplomacy at the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and previously implemented local youth engagement volunteering projects in Brazil. I am also currently volunteering with Macmillan Cancer Support in the UK.

​

​

Selected publications

KEY AREAS OF INTEREST: Community Development; Humanitarian Action; Volunteering; Localisation; Resilience; Livelihoods; Creative and Participatory Methodologies; Global South; Decolonising Research

PSP_Image.png
Publication Cover Page
Publication Cover Page

Journal Article on Refugee Volunteering Scale and Dynamics

The scale, forms and distribution of volunteering amongst refugee youth populations in Uganda (2024), Population Space and Place (with Matt Baillie Smith, Sarah Mills, Daniel Rogerson, Aarti Sahasranaman, Moses Okech, Robert Turyamureeba, Cuthbert Tukundane, Frank Ahimbisibwe, Owen Boyle & Peter Kanyandago)

[Open access article here]

​

Journal Article on Youth Volunteering Geographies

Uneven geographies of youth volunteering in Uganda: Multi-scalar discourses and practices (2022), Geoforum (with Matt Baillie Smith, Sarah Mills & Moses Okech)

[Open access article here]

​

Journal Article on Volunteering, Remuneration and Livelihoods

Volunteering hierarchies in the global South: remuneration and livelihoods (2022), Voluntas (with Matt Baillie Smith, Aisling O’Loghlen & Shaun Hazeldine) [Open access article here]

Voluntas_Image.png
Publication Cover Page
Publication Cover Page

Journal Article on Volunteering and Inequalities 

The Reproduction of Inequality Through Volunteering by Young Refugees in Uganda (2024), Voluntas (with Moses Okech, Matt Baillie Smith & Sarah Mills) [Open access article here]

​​

​

Journal Article on Ethnographic Approaches to Research on Volunteering and Development 

Ethnographies of Volunteering:

Providing Nuance to the Links Between Volunteering and Development (2021), Voluntas (with Alice Chadwick & Chris Millora) [Open access article here]

​

Policy Paper on Resilience and Volunteering

Volunteerism and Community Resilience: Locally Owned Solutions Delivering Impact (2020), IAVE Conference Paper (with Alice Chadwick) 

[Paper and webinar recording here]

Conferences & Engagement Activities

Photo of Bianca during conference presentation

Active participation in academic and policy-related fora in different contexts to share research findings and keep up to date on current debates in the humanitarian and development sectors.

Working Languages

Photo of Bianca talking to group in engagement activity

English

French

Portuguese

Spanish

Feel free to get in touch to exchange ideas or explore collaborations. Thank you!

  • Mail Icon
  • Twitter Icon
  • LinkedIn Icon
bottom of page