Keynote Speaker Bio - CAS - AFT - Toussaint Kafarhire Murhula
College of Arts and Sciences Commencement Address, Afternoon
Toussaint Kafarhire Murhula, S.J.
(MA ’10, PhD ’16) • Director, Arrupe Center for Research and Training; President, African Studies Association of Africa
Toussaint Kafarhire Murhula, S.J., (MA ’10, PhD ’16), is a Jesuit priest, theologian, poet, literary critic, social scientist, and executive coach.
Fr. Kafarhire has earned a Master of Arts in Political Science and a Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations from Loyola University Chicago. Before he studied at Loyola, he received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Facultés Saint Pierre Canisius in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya, and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL) in Ethics and Social Theories from the University of Santa Clara.
Kafarhire’s research focuses on social justice, religion, democracy and peace, political violence and conflicts in Africa Great Lakes Region, and of course global public health politics. He has taught at Loyola University Chicago, Episcopal Theological College of Pecs in Hungary, Hekima University College in Kenya, and Université Loyola du Congo (ULC) in Kinshasa, DRC. He is currently a visiting professor at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. Murhula was involved in Pope Francis’ visit to the DRC in 2023, helping nearly 40 students from across the country meet the Pope.
Kafarhire is an alumnus of the Distinguished Humphrey Fellowship Program at the State Department and the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Program. He is the current president of African Studies Association of Africa (ASAA); a member of the Editorial Board of Global Africa Review; the Critical Investigations into Humanitarianism in Africa (CIHA) Blog; Reseau Elikya; the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network and the former Africa region coordinator of Catholic Theological Ethics in World Church (CTEWC). He works with African leaders through the Coach Africa program at the African Union.
College of Arts and Sciences Commencement Address, Afternoon
Toussaint Kafarhire Murhula, S.J.
(MA ’10, PhD ’16) • Director, Arrupe Center for Research and Training; President, African Studies Association of Africa
Toussaint Kafarhire Murhula, S.J., (MA ’10, PhD ’16), is a Jesuit priest, theologian, poet, literary critic, social scientist, and executive coach.
Fr. Kafarhire has earned a Master of Arts in Political Science and a Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations from Loyola University Chicago. Before he studied at Loyola, he received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Facultés Saint Pierre Canisius in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya, and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL) in Ethics and Social Theories from the University of Santa Clara.
Kafarhire’s research focuses on social justice, religion, democracy and peace, political violence and conflicts in Africa Great Lakes Region, and of course global public health politics. He has taught at Loyola University Chicago, Episcopal Theological College of Pecs in Hungary, Hekima University College in Kenya, and Université Loyola du Congo (ULC) in Kinshasa, DRC. He is currently a visiting professor at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. Murhula was involved in Pope Francis’ visit to the DRC in 2023, helping nearly 40 students from across the country meet the Pope.
Kafarhire is an alumnus of the Distinguished Humphrey Fellowship Program at the State Department and the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Program. He is the current president of African Studies Association of Africa (ASAA); a member of the Editorial Board of Global Africa Review; the Critical Investigations into Humanitarianism in Africa (CIHA) Blog; Reseau Elikya; the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network and the former Africa region coordinator of Catholic Theological Ethics in World Church (CTEWC). He works with African leaders through the Coach Africa program at the African Union.