The University of Ghana’s July 2026 Congregation Ceremonies saw Dr. Asher Amanor receive her PhD in Migration Studies, completing a doctoral journey that connected her professional experience in law enforcement with deeper academic inquiry into migration.
Dr. Amanor has served as a Narcotics Analyst with the Narcotics Control Commission, Ghana, since 2013, where she has worked on issues related to drug trafficking and transnational crime. She also provides translation and interpreting services, experiences that have exposed her to diverse social and cultural contexts.
Her professional encounters with migration-related challenges, particularly human and drug trafficking, shaped her interest in examining migration from a broader academic perspective.
Dr. Amanor enrolled in the Migration Studies programme at the Centre for Migration Studies (CMS), University of Ghana, in the 2021/2022 academic year, motivated by a desire to better understand the factors that shape people’s mobility decisions.
“My inspiration came from my professional experience in law enforcement, where I encountered the realities of migration and transnational crime, particularly human and drug trafficking,” she said. “I realised that migration is far more complex than simply people moving across borders; it is shaped by social, economic, political and personal factors.”
Her doctoral research, titled “Mobility and Immobility Experiences of Convicted Drug Mules in Ghana,” examined the experiences of convicted drug mules through a migration lens, focusing on the factors that influence their mobility decisions, the effects of imprisonment as involuntary immobility and how these experiences shape future migration aspirations.
Dr. Amanor said her research was motivated by a gap in existing studies, which have largely examined drug trafficking as a criminal justice issue, with limited attention to the migration experiences of convicted drug mules.
“I wanted to understand what motivates their movement, how imprisonment shapes their experiences of being involuntarily immobile and how these experiences influence their future migration aspirations,” she said.
Reflecting on her time at CMS, Dr. Amanor said the programme broadened her understanding of migration through its multidisciplinary approach.
“Studying Migration Studies at the University of Ghana has been intellectually enriching and transformative. It has broadened my understanding of migration from a multidisciplinary perspective, strengthened my research and analytical skills and equipped me to address complex migration issues with evidence-based solutions,” she said.
She noted that the programme helped her appreciate migration as a phenomenon connected to human aspirations, opportunities, identities and life choices, while strengthening her ability to analyse migration issues from social, economic, political, legal and cultural perspectives.
“The programme challenged many of my assumptions and helped me appreciate the complexity of migration. It also strengthened my ability to evaluate migration issues more objectively and develop balanced, evidence-based perspectives on the challenges and opportunities associated with migration,” she said.
As part of her doctoral training, Dr. Amanor benefited from research capacity-building opportunities through the IDRC Research Chair on Forced Displacement in Anglophone West Africa, the Africa Centre for the Study and Research on Migration, and the Cluster of Research Excellence (CoRE) in Migration and Health collaborative workshops for PhD students and early-career researchers.
Through these engagements, she strengthened her skills in research methodology, academic writing, data analysis and the preparation of manuscripts for peer-reviewed publications. The workshops also provided opportunities for scholarly exchange, allowing her to engage with researchers from diverse backgrounds and deepen her understanding of contemporary migration issues.
Dr. Amanor expressed appreciation to the Chair of the IDRC Research Chair on Forced Displacement in Anglophone West Africa, Prof. Mary B. Setrana, for the support, mentorship and opportunities provided to emerging migration scholars.
According to Dr. Amanor, the research training and collaborative engagements contributed significantly to her growth as a researcher and strengthened her capacity to contribute to migration scholarship.
She also acknowledged her supervisors, Prof. Akosua Keseboa Darkwah, Dr. Benjamin Kobina Kwansa and Dr. Geraldine Asiwome Ampah, for their guidance, critical feedback and encouragement throughout her doctoral journey.
“My supervisors were not only academic guides but also mentors who supported me throughout the different stages of my PhD journey. They challenged me to think critically, interrogate my assumptions and ensure that my research made a meaningful contribution to migration scholarship,” she said.
Dr. Amanor further recognised the role of the wider academic community at CMS, particularly seminars and scholarly discussions, which exposed her to diverse perspectives and strengthened her confidence as a migration researcher.
She is also a member of the African Mobility Scholars Association (AMSA), a network of scholars and experts in mobility studies and related fields, through which she continues to engage with conversations on migration research and scholarship.
Dr. Amanor hopes to apply the knowledge and skills gained from the programme to contribute to migration research, policy development and practice. She believes migration interventions must combine enforcement approaches with prevention, vulnerability assessment, rehabilitation and reintegration.
“My ultimate goal is to serve as a bridge between migration scholarship, policy institutions and practical interventions,” she said.
For professionals and prospective students considering Migration Studies, Dr. Amanor believes the programme offers an opportunity to connect diverse professional experiences with academic research and policy engagement.
Her journey reflects the interdisciplinary approach of CMS in preparing scholars and practitioners to examine migration issues and contribute to evidence-based responses to mobility challenges.
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