Itohan M. Idumwonyi is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and a lively
interdisciplinary scholar. The pillars of her interdisciplinary scholarship intersect with
African religions, African diaspora religions, African studies, Sociology of religion,
African Womanist Theology, Women’s Religious History, and Religion and Gender.
The structure of these creative areas is characterized by the rigorous ethnographic
exploration of innovative acumens, which she maps out in her research, teaching, and
publications. She has authored over eighteen works in leading journals and book
chapters, including her most recently published monograph, Crashed Realities?: Gender
Dynamics in Nigerian Pentecostalism (Brill, Dec. 2023). Crashed Realities interrogates a
shifting goalpost for women in male-founded Pentecostal churches. Her second
project explores Widowhood succession in African Pentecostal churches. Her research
employs theories and articulations from African-womanist religious thought and
gender politics to highlight religious resources in negotiating boundaries of human
transformation and flourishing. Her research and scholarship have won generous
funding.
Idumwonyi comes to Gonzaga University with over a decade of teaching and research
experience from the University of Benin, Nigeria. She had served as a Research
Fellow and Program Officer for the African Women Empowerment Guild (AWEG),
a non-profit organization in Benin City.
With her excellent experience and strength in teaching and scholarship, Itohan M.
Idumwonyi is not just a role model for students, but also a source of inspiration. Her
commitment to ongoing learning and student mentorship is unwavering. Her
pedagogical style is designed to inspire students to challenge preconceived notions
and conventional boundaries, and to embrace the reality of the pluralized world. This
approach prepares them for a life-long journey of learning and growth.