Sebastian is a lecturer at the Department of History and Political Studies, KNUST. He obtained his Ph.D. in Political Science and International Studies from the University of Queensland (Australia). He serves as a reviewer for many reputable journals and grant applications in his multi-disciplinary fields of governance, peace & conflict, international relations, and development studies. His publications and research interests focus on peace and conflict, governance and politics in Africa, and Africa in international relations. Sebastian has worked on several independent and collaborative projects, the latest being his collaborative policy research with Chatham House, London on Forest Governance in Africa.

Editorial and peer review experience

Journal reviews:

• African Affairs
• African Security Review
• Peace and Conflict Studies
• African Conflict & Peacebuilding Review
• Peace and Development Studies
• Peacebuilding
• Journal of Student Affairs in Africa
• Cogent Social Science, Arts & Humanities etc.

Grant & Fellowship applications reviewer:

• The International Peace Research Association Foundation (IPRA Foundation) Grants.
• KNUST Research Fund (KReF)

Selected research grants and project awards

2023  Chatham House Africa Porgramme on Forest Governance, “Net-zero’s nature knot: A tug of war with rural realities”.

2022-2023   7th KNUST Research Fund (KReF) Award for the project, “Enhancing inclusive local governance through                              economic interventions for women: A case of Ghana”.

2021  Tom Lantos Institute grant for participation in Global Minority Rights Summer School 2021 on “Conflict Prevention              and the Human Rights of Minorities”.

2020  International Peace Research Association (IPRA) Foundation Grant (2020) for field research in Ghana. 

2019-2021 University of Queensland Graduate School Scholarship, PhD (Political Science and International Studies).

2016-2017  Oxford-Mitsui full graduate scholarship for top two MSc. applicants from Africa, Oxford University.

2017   Patrick Duncan graduate research grant for top two applicants from MSc. African Studies, Oxford University

Selected conferences, seminars, Workshops, and summer schools

Paalo, S. A. (2023). Research Workshop: Annual Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research, the Maxwell School, Syracuse University, Certificate acquired, June 20-30 2023.

Banchani, S. J-P. and Paalo, S. A. (2023). Workshop on The Evolution of African Regional Organizations, Georgetown University Qatar (Doha), Paper presented: “The Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD)”, January 29-30, 2023.

Paalo, S. A. and Adu-Gyamfi, S. (2022). Conference on Stereotyping in Africa: Root causes, consequences, and Solutions, by The British Academy and Department of History and Political Studies, KNUST, paper presented: “Understanding stereotypes and the violence of Western universalism in pandemic governance: A case of the Madagascar COVID Organic”, November 9-10, 2022.

Paalo, S. A. (2021).  Global Minority Rights Summer School 2021, “Conflict Prevention and the Human Rights of Minorities”, by the Tom Lantos Institute (TLI, Budapest-Hungary), the National University of Public Service (NUPS, Budapest-Hungary), the Human Rights Consortium (University of London), and Minority Rights Group International. Paper presented: “Language governance, linguistic discrimination, and the question of linguistic minorities in Ghana’s educational system” Online, July 5-16, 2021.

Adu-Gyamfi, S., Paalo, S. A., Arthur, D. D (2021). Peace and Conflict Studies Journal Conference, “unilateralism, nationalism, and globalism—the ‘isms’ these schisms create.” Paper presented: “Nationalism, separatism and the pursuit of international peace: A comparative study of nationalist movements in Africa and Europe”, February 10, 2021, Nova Southeastern University, Florida, United States.

Co-convener, and discussant: The University of Queensland School of Political Science and International Studies and the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) collaborated seminar. Theme: ‘Political Violence in Africa: The Role of Political Parties’, 29 October 2019, POLSIS, UQ, Australia.

Paalo, S. A. (2016). Oxford University Research Colloquium. Paper "Dangerous Mentorship? Assessing the Relationship between Political Party Youth Wings and Political Violence in Sub-Sahara Africa: A Case of Ghana", 17 November 2016, St. Antony's College, Oxford University, UK.  

Co-convener and discussant:  Oxford Network for Peace (Oxpeace) Ninth Annual Conference. Theme: ‘Positive    Peace: Concepts and Practice’, 6 May 2017, St John’s College, Oxford University, UK.

Co-convener and facilitator: 2nd Biennial Kwame Nkrumah International Conference (KNIC2). Theme: ‘Africa’s Many Divides and Africa’s Future’, KNUST in collaboration with Kwantlen Polytechnic University (Canada) and African Studies Association, 21-24 September 2012, KNUST, Kumasi.