Research Student

PhD Student
Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences
School of Polis, Phil, Econ, Dev, Geog
Development

Francesca is a human geographer, with a BA in Geography from University College London and an MSc in Global Development Management from The Open University.

Francesca is currently completing her PhD studies at The Open University.

Research Interests

Francesca’s research interests are primarily in the field of development and conservation. Her particular interests lie in two key areas; the first is China-Africa development relations, with a specific focus on non-profit and private sector engagement. The second area is wildlife conservation and the illegal wildlife trade.

Francesca’s current PhD research explores the relationship between Chinese stakeholder engagement in Africa and the growing role and influence of such stakeholders in the field of conservation and tackling the illegal wildlife trade. It investigates the extent to which increasing China-Africa engagement, greater international pressure on addressing the illegal wildlife trade and promoting conservation, as well as a growing presence of Chinese non-profit stakeholders is influencing and driving Chinese non-profit engagement in this space. It explores what the implications are for conservation, local communities in Africa connected to wildlife and conservation, as well as the sustainability of such conservation practice. From a wider China-Africa perspective, the research examines what impacts Chinese non-profit engagement in conservation in Africa is having on wider China-Africa relations and the discourses surrounding them.