Highlights
The Department of Communication, Media, Film and T: Students at the Department of Communication, Media, Film and Theatre Arts had the opportunity to attend t
Executive Dean Meeting with Chairmen of Department: The new Executive Dean Prof David Minja had a meeting with the Chairmen of departments in the school. Als
The School of Law, Arts, and Social Sciences at Ke: The School of Law, Arts, and Social Sciences at Kenyatta University welcomed its new Executive Dean, Prof
LIDERAFRICA Erasmus+ Call KA171: In the process of promoting joint research and dissemination through various initiatives, we are glad to
THE ALL KENYAN MOOT E-JOURNAL LAUNCH: >>>>>>Click here to download the advert Journal of the All Kenyan Moot Court Competiti
THE 32nd Christ of Heyns AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS MOOT: Kenyatta University School of Law participated in this year’s Christof Heyns African Human Rights Moot
THE TOYIN FALOLA AT 70 CONFERENCE: THEME: POST-COLONIAL AFRICA: HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY REALITIES CONFERENCE DATES:  10- 12 MAY 2023
Testdaf and testas examinations: We are pleased to announce that the Kenyatta University Department of Literature, Linguistics and Foreign
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: Chemchemi –International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences ISSN: 1563-1028 Chemchemi-Internati

Name: Dr. Norah Bonareri Atambo
Title/Qualifications: PhD
Department/Unit/Section: Literature, Linguistics and Foreign Languages
Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it./This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Position: Lecturer
Area of Specialization: Applied Linguistics
Research Interests: Discourse Analysis, Language and Gender, Language and Politics, Language and Social Media, Language and Communication

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PUBLICATIONS

Journal Publications

  • Muhoro A. K & Atambo N. B (2026). Politeness through Multimodality in Teacher’s WhatsApp Communication in Nyandarua County, Kenya. East African Journal of Arts and Social Sciences (EAJASS) 9(1) 820-832
  • Atambo, N. & Kiguru, E. (2026). Ideologies of Academic Achievement, Struggle,Ethics and Authority on University Students’ WhatsApp Group Discourses. (Forthcoming)
  • Atambo, N., Ogutu, E., & Kiguru, E. (2026). Language, Gender and Power: Women Politicians in Kenya and the Reconstruction of Political Agency (Forthcoming)
  • Atambo, N., Ogutu, E., & Kiguru, E. (2026). Language, Gender and Power: The ‘Us’ vs ‘Them’ Dichotomy in Political Campaigns in Kenya (Forthcoming)
  • Atambo, N., Ogutu, E., & Kiguru, E. (2021). Language, gender and power: Lexicalisation of women in the national assembly and other top political posts in Kenya (2013-2017). Journal of Linguistics and Foreign Languages, 2(1). Retrieved from https://royalliteglobal.com/jlfl/article/view/506
  • Atambo, N., B. & Chai, J., F. (2013), “Walking a Cultural Tightrope: Linguistic Strategies Employed in Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH) Programmes in Kenyan Secondary Schools” Ruwaza Afrika , Journal of Contemporary Research in Humanities and Social Sciences 2 (1) 262-276
  • Atambo, N., Ogutu, E., & Kiguru, E. (2021). Language, gender and power: Lexicalisation of women in the national assembly and other top political posts in Kenya (2013-2017). Journal of Linguistics and Foreign Languages, 2(1). Retrieved from https://royalliteglobal.com/jlfl/article/view/506
  • Atambo, N., Ogutu, E., & Kiguru, E. (2022). Language, Gender and Power: The ‘Us’ vs ‘Them’ Dichotomy in Political Campaigns in Kenya (Forthcoming)
  • Atambo, N., Ogutu, E., & Kiguru, E. (2022). Language, Gender and Power: Women Politicians in Kenya and the Reconstruction of Political Agency (Forthcoming)

Book Chapters

  • Atambo, N. (2026). The Kisii Ethnic Background. In Dirk Berg-Schlosser & Winnie Mitullah (eds). Kenya’s Road to Democracy: A Historical Sociological Analysis. (Forthcoming)
  • Atambo, N., Ogutu, E., & Miriti, G. (2022). Making Sense of, and Coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kenya: A Linguistic Perspective.  In Hameed Tunde Asiru and Daniel Ochieng Orwenjo (eds.) (De) constructing corona: the language of conspiracy, power & indifference in Covid-19 health discourses. Muenchen: LINCOM GmbH

RESEARCH GRANTS

  • 2025: CODESRIA 2025 edition of the Meaning-Making Research Initiative (MRI). Grant Application
  • 2021: University of Michigan African Presidential (UMAP) Scholars Programme
  • 2021: Inter-university Council for East Africa (IUCEA) in collaboration with the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC)
  • 2020: Social Science Research Council (SSRC) Rapid-Response Grants 
  • 2017: Kenyatta University School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Post Graduate Research Grant
  • 2017: PhD Dissertation Fellowship Research Grant by Social Science Research Council’s Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa Fellowship Programme
  • 2009: Egerton University Post-Graduate Research Grant

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

  • Book Chapter: Making Sense of, and Coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kenya: A Linguistic Perspective (Manuscript accepted for publication)
  • Researchers: Norah Bonareri Atambo and Emily Atieno Ogutu, Department of Literature, Linguistics and Foreign Languages Kenyatta University-Kenya, and Gervasio Itiri Miriti Department of English Language and Linguistics Turkana University College-Kenya

CONFERENCES

  • Title of Paper: Language and Gendered Political Discourses: How do Women Politicians in Kenya Reconstruct their Political Agency

Presenters:       Norah B. Atambo & Emily A. Ogutu

Conference:     XX ISA World Congress of Sociology

Date:                 June 25th - July 1st 2023

  • Conference:      International Mother Language Day Celebration

Venue:               Kenyatta University, BBSC Room 14

Date:                 21st February, 2023

Role:                  Attendee

  • Title of Paper: Language, Gender and Power: The ‘Us’ vs ‘Them’ Dichotomy in Political Campaigns in Kenya

Presenters:       Norah B. Atambo, Emily A. Ogutu & Gatitu Kiguru

Conference:      ISA RC25 International Virtual Conference, by Kenyatta University, Kenya

Date:                 15th to 17th June 2022            

  • Title of Paper: Making Sense of, and Coping With the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kenya: A Linguistic Perspective

Presenters:      Norah B. Atambo & Gervasio I.Miriti

Conference:    Second Conference organized by POCLANDE International Network, at Kenyatta University, Kenya

Date:                27th - 29th October, 2021

  • Title of Paper:  Lexicalisation of women in the national assembly and other top political posts in Kenya (2013-2017)

Presenters:      Norah B. Atambo, Emily A. Ogutu & Gatitu Kiguru

Conference:     Kisii University School of Arts and Social Sciences 2nd International Conference

Date:                Oct 5th-6th 2021

  • Title of paper: An Analysis of the Intertextuality of Social Media Discourse of Chuka University Students on Whatsapp Platforms

Presenters:       Gervasio I. Miriti & Norah B. Atambo

Conference:     1st Virtual Multidisciplinary Conference by Turkana University College (a constituent college of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology) Kenya

Date:                 Thursday, June 24th – Friday June 25th 2021

  • Title of Paper: Language, Ideology And Power: Women National Assembly Members As Naϊve Flower Girls Sprinkling their Femininity in the Political Scene

Presenter:        Norah B. Atambo

Conference:     Makerere Institute of Social Sciences (Makerere University) Graduate Students’ Conference

Date:                27th-30th July 2018

  • Title of paper: Walking a Cultural Tightrope: Linguistic Strategies Used in Formal Adolescent Reproductive Health Programmes in Kenyan Secondary Schools

Presenter:        Norah B. Atambo

Conference:     Fifth Research week and international conference, Egerton University, Njoro, Kenya.

Date:                October, 2010

 

SEMINAR PAPERS

  • Title of paper: Language, Gender and Power: The Discursive Construction of the Kenya National Assembly Politicians (2013 – 2017)

Presenter:        Norah B. Atambo,

Seminar:          Kenyatta University Post-Graduate Seminar

Date:                18th July 2019

 

WORKSHOPS ATTENDED

  • Workshop:  Global Research Ethics Africa Workshop, a project led by Edinburgh University, United Kingdom, in collaboration with UST and Victoria University, among others

Venue:         Virtual

Date:            28th May 2021          

 

  • Workshop: Social Science Research Council’s Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa Fellowship Programme Workshop

Venue:       Nigeria, Lagos.

Date:          July 3rd - 7th 2017

 

  • Workshop: Social Science Research Council’s Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa fellowship programme Workshop

Venue:        Kenya, Nairobi

Date:           January 2018

 

SEMINAR PAPERS

  • Title of paper: Language, Gender and Power: The Discursive Construction of the Kenya National Assembly Politicians (2013 – 2017)
    Presenter:        Norah B. Atambo,
    Seminar:          Kenyatta University Post-Graduate Seminar
    Date:                18th July 2019

WORKSHOPS ATTENDED

  • Workshop:  Global Research Ethics Africa Workshop, a project led by Edinburgh University, United Kingdom, in collaboration with UST and Victoria University, among others. Virtual. 28th May 2021           
  • Workshop: Social Science Research Council’s Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa Fellowship Programme Workshop, Nigeria, Lagos. July 3rd - 7th 2017
  • Workshop: Social Science Research Council’s Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa fellowship programme Workshop, Kenya, Nairobi. January 2018

POSTGRADUATE SUPERVISION

PhD Students

  1. Name: Kivuko Josephat Kang’esa
    Registration No.: C82/11257/2006
    Thesis: A Morphophonological Analysis of the Kikamba Noun
    Date Assigned: 25th October 2023
    Status: Ongoing

  2. Name: Tioko Celestine Nkieny
    Registration No.: C82/20553/2021
    Date Assigned: 8th June 2022
    Thesis: A Morpho-tonemic Account of Tone of Ng’aturukana Language. An Optimality Theory Account
    Status: Ongoing

Masters Students

  1. Name: Muthini Peter Waita
    Registration No.: C50/CE/34785/2016
    Date Assigned: 21st July, 2020
    Thesis: Vocalic Variations in the Kikamba Spoken by Kikuyu Women Married to Native Speakers of Kikamba in Matuu, Kenya
    Status: Ongoing

  2. Name: Peter Okoth Ondag
    Registration No.: C50/CE/23141/2010
    Date Assigned: 21st Oct. 2020
    Project: Power Relations and Ideology in High School English Set Texts in Kenya
    Status: Ongoing

  3. Name: Dorothy Nyabonyi Ongeri
    Registration No.: C50/28249/2018
    Date Assigned: 12th Dec. 2020
    Thesis: Patterns of Sound Deletion in Ekegusii
    Status: Ongoing

  4. Name: Anyona Malon Kemunto
    Registration No.: C50/28737/2018
    Date Assigned: 31st March, 2021
    Thesis: An Intertextual Analysis of Kenyan Television Adverts
    Status: Ongoing

  5. Name: Janetor Vaati Kimwele
    Registration No.: C50/CE/20276/2020
    Date Assigned: 23rd February 2023
    Project: Impact of Language Used in Kamba FM Stations on Women Political Representation in the Region
    Status: Ongoing

Details

Chairperson

Dr. Kenneth Kamuri Ngure

Dr. Mark Mutali Chetambe
Chairperson
Department of Literature, Linguistics, and Foreign Languages

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