Mirjam de Bruijn is Professor in ‘Contemporary History and Anthropology of Africa’ at Leiden University and senior researcher at the African studies Centre Leiden (ASC). Her specific fields of interest are: mobility, youth, social (in)security, marginality/exclusion, human rights, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). She was head of several research programmes: ‘Mobile Africa revisited’ (2008-2013), and was heading the research programme ‘Connecting in Times of Duress’(2012- 2018). Both programmes look at the interface between communication technologies, Mobility, social and political change in Africa and were funded by NWO (Dutch research Foundation). She was part of other collaborative programmes funded by Volkswagenstiftung, Dutch Ministry of foreign affairs, CODESRIA (Council for Development of Social Sciences in Africa).