Dr Bolaji Balogun

Bolaji Balogun is a Political Sociologist with specialist knowledge in Race, Migration and Decolonial pedagogy. His research combines Ethnographic, Archival, and Decolonial approaches, offering innovative perspectives on the intersection of Race, Migration and Nation-formation in Central and Eastern Europe. Utilising research studies related to the Geographies of Global South; Political, Social, and Cultural Geographies, Bolaji has made significant contributions to dynamics of race within global challenges. He honed his skills in historical sociology, as well as data analysis, and qualitative and quantitative methodologies. With this, Bolaji has pursued investigations that examined the lived experiences of Black minority ethnic groups as well as other marginalised groups. Through these investigations, he has advanced a comprehension of race, racialisation and marginalisation with a focus on social justice, inclusion, and exclusion especially in Central and Eastern Europe and the UK. His research activities have achieved impactful outcomes, including internationally excellent publications that have become essential readings at many higher institutions in the UK, the US, Canada, and Poland. 

Bolaji has authored multiple articles in leading interdisciplinary journals such as the Journal of Ethnic & Racial Studies, Sociological Review, and Journal of Ethnic & Migration Studies. His accomplishments include a Top Cited Article award in AREA and one of the Most-Read Articles award in the Global Social Challenges Journal (with Marius Turda).  

His new book – Race and the Colour-Line: the Boundaries of Europeanness in Poland (Routledge) – has garnered significant attention, particularly in North America. The book has been described as “ground-breaking” for challenging conventional wisdom and exploring various aspects of diversity such as age, ethnicity, race, disability, gender, and sexuality, particularly within urban life in Central and Eastern Europe. Focusing on these intersections of Race, Ethnicity, and Migration, Bolaji contributes to critical scholarship that connects sociology and global peripheries, reimagining the global racial order from its margins. Beyond this, he has engaged in public discourses and contributed to conversations on the potential for social change. He has written for platforms such as Open Democracy; LSE; the Sociological Review; and Discover Society, whilst also contributing to various academic podcasts on the themes of social inequalities. With these activities, Bolaji is dedicated to bridging the gap between academia and the wider public sphere.  

Before joining SOAS, Bolaji held two prestigious Leverhulme Trust Fellowships at the University of Sheffield, UK and Krakow University of Economics, Poland, where he has convened, taught, and contributed to a portfolio of sociology modules related to Race, Migration, and Decolonial pedagogy, including occasional guest lectures in the United States and Canada. 

Bolaji is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and currently on the advisory boards of three leading journals: Sociology, Ethnic & Racial Studies, and The Sociological Review and has contributed significantly to peer-review processes for various journals and international research funding organisations. He has reviewed funding applications for institutions such as the Leverhulme Trust, the National Science Centre in Poland, and The Czech Science Foundation. Beyond his professional standing, Bolaji maintains a robust international network of collaborations. He has delivered invited talks at world-leading institutions such as Columbia University, City University of New York, Ohio State University, University of Toronto, the University of Warsaw, and College de France. 

Authored Book  

Balogun, B. (2024) Race and the Colour-Line: the Boundaries of Europeanness in Poland. London and New York: Routledge. 

Articles 

Balogun, B., and Křížová, M. (2024) ‘The ‘varieties of European colonialism’ in Central and Eastern Europe: The Polish and the Czech cases’, Interventions. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369801X.2024.2400347  

Balogun, B., and Ohia-Nowak, M. (2024) ‘Geographies of race in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe’, Ethnic & Racial Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2024.2400301  

Balogun, B. (2024) ‘‘Eastern Europeanism’: A Rethinking of ‘Race and Racism’ by and Against White People from Central and Eastern Europe’, Cultural Sociology, 18(3): 411-415. 

Balogun, B., and Ohia-Nowak, M. (2024) ‘Geographies of imagination: De-colonizing Africa and Blackness in Polish children’s book covers, Cultural Geography, 31 (2): 271-282. 

Balogun, B. (2023) ‘Refugees Separated by the Global Color Line: The Power of Europeanness, Whiteness, and Sameness’, International Migration Review. https://doi.org/10.1177/01979183231218981  

Turda, M., and Balogun, B. (2023) ‘The Colonial Histories of Eugenics and Race in Central and Eastern Europe’, Global Social Challenges Journal, 2 (2): 168-178. (Among the Most-Read Articles 2022-2023). 

Balogun, B., and Pędziwiatr, K. (2023) ‘“Stop Calling Me Murzyn” – How Black Lives Matter in Poland’, Journal of Ethnic & Migration Studies, 49 (6): 1552–1569. 

Balogun, B. (2022) ‘Race, Blood, and Nation: the manifestations of Eugenics in Central and Eastern Europe’, Ethnic & Racial Studies, 45 (13): 2478-2485. 

Balogun, B. (2022) ‘Eastern Europe: The ‘other’ geographies in the colonial global economy’, Area 54: 460-467. (Top Cited Article 2022-2023). 

Balogun, B., and Joseph-Salisbury, R. (2021) ‘Black/White Mixed-Race experiences of race and racism in Poland’, Ethnic & Racial Studies, 44 (2): 234-251. 

Balogun, B. (2020) ‘Race and racism in Poland: Theorising and contextualising ‘Polish-centrism’’, The Sociological Review, 68 (6): 1196-1211. 

Balogun, B. (2018) ‘Polish Lebensraum: The Colonial Ambition to Expand on Racial terms’, Ethnic & Racial Studies, 41 (14): 2561-2579. 

Turda, M., and Balogun, B. (2022) Introduction: Symposium: Eugenics, Race and the Wrongs of History, Ethnic & Racial Studies, 45 (13): 2468-2469.  

Book Chapters 

Balogun, B. (2024) ‘Racial Contract, Whiteness Contract in Central and Eastern Europe’, in Off White: Central and Eastern Europe and the global history of race. Edited by Baker, C., Iacob, B. C., Imre, A., and Mark, J. Manchester: Manchester University Press. 

Balogun, B. (2022) ‘Cold War Internationalism – the myth of Race-Blind Eastern Europe’, in Hope Is of a Different Color. Edited by Lipska, M., & Talarczyk, M., pp. 141-162. Chicago: Chicago University Press.  

Balogun, B. (2019) ‘Racialised Migration - from the Perspective of Colour in Poland’, in Muslim Minorities and the Refugee Crisis in Europe. Edited by Górak-Sosnowska, K., Pachocka, M., & Misiuna, J., pp. 255-264. Warsaw: SGH. 

Book Reviews 

Balogun, B. (2022) Book Review: Alana Lentin, Why Race Still Matters. Sociology, 56(4): 816-817. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00380385211059434      

Balogun, B. (2020) Historicizing Race. National Identities, 22 (5): 551-552. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14608944.2020.1728946  

Report 

Pędziwiatr, K. and Balogun, B. (2018) ‘Poland: Sub-Saharan Africans and the struggle for acceptance’, in Grant, P. (ed.) Minority and Indigenous Trends 2018: Focus on migration and displacement, Minority Rights Group International, pp. 85-88. 

Opinion Pieces / Media / Blogs 

Balogun, B. (2022) ‘Ukraine Must Stand: Expanding Racial Borders’, historianspeaks.org. 

Balogun, B. (2020) ‘If Poland’s government believes in ending discrimination, it should reassess its conception of Polish identity’, LSE blogs.  

Balogun, B. (2019) ‘Being Black At The Polish Seaside’, The Sociological Review blogs.  

Balogun, B. (2018) ‘Poland: rewarded with UN security council membership whilst flirting with racism and nationalism’, Discover Society.  

Narkowicz, K. and Balogun, B. (2018) ‘World Cup exposes racism in Poland’, The Muslim News. 

Narkowicz, K. and Balogun, B. (2017) ‘What motivated the 60,000 people who joined the far-right Polish Independence March?’, openDemocarcy.  

Balogun, B. (2017) ‘Call for multi-ethnic citizenship in Poland’, Baltic Worlds.  

Balogun, B. (2016) ‘Poland to clamp down on anti-Semitism: HOW ABOUT ANTI-OTHERNESS?’, Baltic Worlds. 

Balogun, B. (2016) ‘Contemporary Polish Racism: The Development of Neo-Communism?’, Discover Society.