Lagos Studies Association, convener of one of the largest conferences in Africa, will feature my book, Birth Politics, in a book panel on Wednesday, January 17 at 5:30PM West Africa T (12:30PM ET). Zoom link for virtual participation: fiu.zoom.us/webinar/regi... Looking forward to seeing you.

Pleasure to be back at Creighton Uni. to speak in honor of Dr. Jeffrey Smith,a beloved educator&health equity advocate.Wonderful to walk into the Health Sciences&find former colleagues from African Studies&History department waiting 4 me.Thanks Center 4 Promoting Health&Health Equity for having me.

This thursday, June 11 at 4-6PM CT, I will give The Fifth Annual Dr. Jeffrey M. Smith Memorial Lecture @Creighton's Center for Promoting Health and Health Equity. RSVP at Creighton.edu/SmithLecture for in-person & Zoom attendance. #Healthequity #Communityheath #Africa #AfricaRising #GlobalHealth

Didn't realize that my expertise was "mental health and representation" & that this aligns strongly with this PhD student-inquirer's interest in pol.&social inequalities in the precolonial period! Here I was thinking that my focus was maternal health/reproduction! Students uncritically copying #AI!

According to @historians.org, reorganizations at National Library of Medicine threaten longstanding commitments to preserving the nation’s biomedical history & raise serious issues about future access to these critical materials. NIH's Request for Info closes soon- rfi.grants.nih.gov?s=6998c3a23e...

My PI and I (Project Partner) are hiring a post doc (to be based in Geneva) with maternal and reproductive health research experience. See link below for more details. Deadline is June 10. Our project is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. erecruit.graduateinstitute.ch/recrutement/...

May 8, 1:05PM EST: I will speak at the Global Women's Health Summit on the topic, “From Research to Reality:Tackling Maternal Mortality through Advocacy and Action." Please register using this link - tinyurl.com/ZHBWomensHea... - for Zoom link & event recordings, or for more information on speakers.

The reviews are rolling in for #Birthpolitics @hopkinspress.bsky.social

The Journal of African History@thejah.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Read the new review by Ridwan Muhammed on “Birth Politics: #Colonial Power, #MedicalPluralism, and #Maternity in #Nigeria” (@hopkinspress.bsky.social) by @ogewilliams.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/244dbyf3

Upcoming talk at @ubartsandsciences.bsky.social @ubuffalo.bsky.social. Open to the public. Title: Sitting with the Dead: A Microhistory of Maternal Death through a Single Body Location: Clemens 218 and Zoom buffalo.zoom.us/s/94491499343 Time: 12PM EST #Birthpolitcs #maternaldeath #HISTMED

Why would a country where abortion is criminal pull the rug from under its women& public health infrastructure by making family planning resources near impossible to get? My reflection for/to the Nigerian public based on related academic research that I just completed: punchng.com/nigeria-cann...

Nigeria cannot criminalise abortion while cutting contraceptive access

Nigeria's policy to cut contraceptive funding while criminalizing abortion creates a dangerous paradox for reproductive health in Nigeria, risking more uns

punchng.com

Out of about 1000 news headlines that I sifted through for this journal article, the headline below stuck with me. Once upon a time in the not-too-distant past, unwed mothers were not entitled to maternity leave in private and public offices. I'll let that sit here.

Join me on Friday, February 20, 12PM CST, as I discuss the politics of childbirth in Nigeria & its implications for global health interventions, at Creighton University's Community Oriented Primary Care Program #birthpolitics #UBuffalo February 20, 2026 🕛 12:00 PM CT creighton.zoom.us/j/93321067278

Tune in to "Today in Global Health" on Lagos Talks 91.3 FM on Tuesday at 11AM NG, 5AM EST as I discuss the politics of childbirth in Nigeria with the show's cohosts. Listen live (or later) at www.lagostalks.com. #birthpolitics #NigeriaHealthcare #maternalhealth #GlobalHealth #GlobalHealthEquity

Saving this nursingclio.bsky.social "Protests" series here for a new course on medical activism. Such a treasure trove.

My Op-Ed on the invisibility of maternal deaths in Nigeria has been published in Punch NG. Thank you @historians.org #aha2026 for the Op-Ed session that helped me brainstorm placement for this piece. punchng.com/maternal-deaths-a-recurring-crisis-in-nigeria/ #maternalhealth #maternaldeath

Maternal deaths: A recurring crisis in Nigeria

Explore the deep-rooted crisis of maternal deaths in Nigeria. Learn why thousands of deaths are seen as personal tragedies, not a national failure.

punchng.com

Nominations are now open for the @nursingclio.bsky.social Prize for Best Journal Article, an award for the best peer-reviewed academic journal article on the intersection of gender and medical histories in English. Self-nominations are encouraged! 🗃️

Awards

Nursing Clio Prize for Best Journal Article The Nursing Clio Prize for Best Journal Article is awarded annually for the best peer-reviewed academic journal article on the intersection of gender and…

nursingclio.org

One of my favorite things to do at the AHA conference is get the free professional headshot on Saturdays. Thanks @historians.org for hooking me up for the year. Surprising that a lot of folks do not know about this service. This year's photographer, Maisonet Photography, was fantastic. #aha2026

My stash of books from the @historians.org AHA conference. @iupress.bsky.social & @hackettpub.bsky.social saved the day for Africa representation. Top 3 books on my reading list:Gospel of Family Planning, @jacobinoire.bsky.social His.World in Six Plagues, @maryfissell.bsky.social Pushback #aha2026

@universitypress.cambridge.org is offering a grant to help underrepresented early career scholars in History and Area Studies publish. Application deadline is April 13, 2026.

Cambridge University Press@universitypress.cambridge.org · 8mo ago

📣 Amplifying Voices in History and Area Studies📣 Announcing our new grant to support under-represented early career scholars from diverse backgrounds and geographic locations as they work toward the publication of their first book. Read more about our new initiative 🔗 https://cup.org/3KO1XAb

Excellent @historians.org -sponsored session on The Historian as Advocate at this year's AHA meeting in Chicago. My biggest takeaway on efforts to influence policy: remember the four Rs - Relationship; Respect; Relevance; Reciprocity. I hope this session returns next year. #aha2026

#BirthPolitics was featured on This Week in Africa, a weekly newsletter on everyday life in Africa, as one of the "18 books to read from 2025." Glad that this book is out in the world. Interested in scheduling a talk for the next academic year? Please reach out. open.substack.com/pub/thisweek...

18 books to read from 2025

Check out these exciting books about Africa

open.substack.com

You know one of those moments in Braveheart when Mel Gibson yells “Freeeedooom”? That’s exactly how I feel right now. Final grades finally submitted. Now, I’m truly on Winter break! Fingers crossed that I will not receive any nail-biting emails from students about their grades.

The Pitt, Ginny & Georgia, All’s Fair – how did this year’s biggest TV shows tackle abortion? We tracked this year’s hits and misses in our Abortion Onscreen report. www.ansirh.org/research/res...

ansirh.org

Link to my National Library of Medicine article. I discuss maternal health advocacy strategies that were deployed in Africa, 80s&90s, & how these may be beneficial to advocacy efforts elsewhere. circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov/2025/12/04/a... #womenshealth #birthpolitics #nih #maternalhealth #mothercare

Check out my conversation on 'Africa Simplified' regarding women's health & maternal healthcare choices. I emphasize the importance of centering women in discussions of maternal healthcare/policy. Link to full video in the comments. youtube.com/shorts/enUM1... #birthpolitics #maternalhealth #Africa

Prioritize women's wellbeing in #maternalhealth policymaking #shortsyoutube #africa #nigeria

YouTube video by Africa Simplified

youtube.com

Check out my new website: drogewilliams.com; YouTube channel @ youtube.com/@profy-ow?si.... Shout out to @parisnoire.bsky.social for pushing me to stop talking about the website and just get it done. Designed by @gumbomedia.bsky.social #birthpolitics #Africa #maternalhealth #reproduction #histmed

Who else receives these eerily identical AI-generated emails from prospective PhD students? If you use AI to draft generic email/material for a potentially competitive application, please realize that it is generating same thing or similar for all of the other prospective applicants like you. #AI

Resharing this fully funded PhD opportunity in Public Admin that was just shared with me. Location is Wageningen University in the Netherlands. Please share with cocoa/agri researchers. Masters degree in related fields required. Deadline is December 14, 2025. www.wur.nl/en/vacancy/p...

PhD in Governing African agrifood system transformations

Are you looking for a PhD position (4 years) in public administration and policy? Are you interested in how West African cocoa value chains can transform to be more sustainable and just?

wur.nl

Attended this year's NEXTGen Tri-State conference @sunybroome.bsky.social. A few quotes from the professional development session that we can all reflect on: "Motivation got me started; discipline got me through"; "What you repeat; you become." We definitely become whatever we repeat...good and bad!

And here comes the first snow of the season in Buffalo. I thought we had a few more weeks before "touchdown" 😔🤷