Dinko Hanaan Dinko

  • Assistant Professor of Geography
Dinko Hanaan Dinko, on the Mount Holyoke College campus in 2023

Dinko’s research interest lies in the multiple and differentiated narratives of water insecurity amongst the different segments of society. His research examines the socio-political dimensions of natural resource use from the body to global scales and how these interact with broader climatic changes in producing outcomes for different segments of society. His current works are in two folds: 1) how drones could enhance our understanding of Human-Environment Interactions in semiarid Africa and 2) the geopolitics of transnational resource exploitation, resistance, and development in Africa. In tackling the foci, Dinko is strongly committed to addressing real-world problems from an innovative and pragmatic perspective. Using innovative methodologies such as participatory drone mapping, and drone 3D modeling, Dinko has explored questions on the politics of water insecurity and environmental degradation, sustainability, and activism. He has worked in different geographic contexts in Ghana, Malawi, and Rwanda. His research has been published in various journals, including the Annals of the Association of American Geographers, The Professional Geographer, Climate and Development, Society and Natural Resources, Water Resources Management, and Geoforum. His research has been generously funded by the Carnegie Mellon Foundation, the American Association of Geographers, the American Geographical Society, the EU, and USAID. Prior to completing his Ph.D. at the University of Denver, Dinko worked in international development and consulting.

Areas of Expertise

Drone Mapping, Natural resource management, Geopolitics, Political ecology, China in Africa

Recent Publications

Kansanga, M., & Dinko, D. H. (2025). Visualizing the Gendering of Agricultural Mechanization in the Global South: A Review of the Underlying Drivers. Gender, Power and Politics in Agriculture, 39-50.

Dinko, D. H., Kansanga, M., Nyantakyi-Frimpong, H., & Luginaah, I. (2024). Unpacking the dynamics of natural resource conflicts: The case of African rosewood. Land Use Policy, 136, 106962. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2023.106962

Dinko, D. H., & Bahati, I. (2023). A Review of the Impact of Climate Change on Water Security and Livelihoods in Semiarid Africa: Cases From Kenya, Malawi, and Ghana. Journal of Climate Resilience & Climate Justice, 1, 107–118. https://doi.org/10.1162/crcj_a_00002

Dinko Hanaan Dinko & Hanson Nyantakyi-Frimpong (2023): Uneven Geographies of the Embodied Effects of Water Insecurity Among Women Irrigators in Northern Ghana, Annals of the American Association of Geographers, DOI: 10.1080/24694452.2023.2231528

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