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About us

Michel Tinguiri is a PhD candidate in socio-cultural anthropology at the American University in Washington, D.C. He is originally from Burkina Faso, West Africa. His dissertation research is on "Social Capital in Post-displacement Reconstruction in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso". The main objective of his research is to investigate the relevance of social capital in post-displacement livelihood reconstruction, with special attention to individuals’ access to and use of resources, as well as variation across gender. Though qualitative research, this study will also generate quantitative data to highlight individuals’ network diversity, and kinds of resources accessed by displaced people under project ZACA (an urban renewal project in Ouagadougou) through their social networks, and resources lost or gained in the process of post-displacement livelihood reconstruction.
Michel received his Masters degree in Linguistics from Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York in 2006. He also received a Masters degree in Translation (French-English-Spanish) from the University of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in Anglophone African Literature.
He taught elementary, intermediate and advanced French courses at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, French intermediate at American University, Washington DC, and French-English-French translation courses to freshmen and sophomore students at the University of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
In addition to teaching, Michel also acts as a consultant in several areas: translation & interpretation (French-English), gender and development, urban development and redevelopment in Sub-Saharan Africa. He assisted in reviewing the gender portfolio on infrastructure projects as well as conducted interviews of project team leaders for the World Bank Group in Washington, DC. He also acted as a translator and interpreter (French-English) consultant for the World Bank field office in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and many other local and international organizations. Michel is also involved in Act for Africa, a non-profit organization that seeks to improve the lives of rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa by providing medical and educational tools & supplies, helping to rehabilitate health & educational facilities, and developing awareness programs on HIV/AIDS and malaria.
Further, Michel co-authored and co-translated several publications including:

Co-author, ed (Christopher Wise). Desert Shore: Literatures of the Sahel. Author of the article: Norbert Zongo, a Committed Writer published in 2001 by Lynn Rienner Publishers.
Co-translator of the book entitled "Themes in Old Testament Theology" by William Dyrness. Théologie de l'Ancien Testament : une approche thématique. Co-translator (Jean-Loupe Zalzemann, published in 2001 by Editions Ministeres multilingues
Article on five Burkinabe writers published in 2002 in the Encyclopedia of African Literature by Simon Gigandi
Co-translator of Lettre a la France Negre by Yambo Ouoleguem (A Black Ghostwriter's Letter to France in The YAMBO OUOLOGUEM READER). Co-translator: Professor Christopher Wise