Happy Mathew Tirivangasi is a political and environmental sociologist at the University of Jyväskylä, Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy, in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Finland. His work is grounded in Afrocentric theory, which centers African experiences, knowledge systems, and worldviews. This approach enables him to critically engage with issues specific to the African context while ensuring that African voices and solutions are represented in global discourses on climate change adaptation, indigenous knowledge systems, gender dynamics, food security, disaster management, microfinance, and migration.
Happy has published over fifty peer-reviewed journal articles, with several appearing in high-impact journals such as Climate Policy (Taylor & Francis), Sustainable Development (Wiley), International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management (Emerald), Development Southern Africa (Taylor & Francis), Scientific African (Elsevier), and Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal (Emerald). He has also contributed chapters to influential academic volumes published by Springer Nature, Palgrave Macmillan, and Rowman & Littlefield, including the Handbook of Climate Change Management and the African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation.
Currently, Happy is editing four international book volumes under consideration at Routledge, Palgrave Macmillan, and Springer scheduled for release in 2026/27, in collaboration with partners from Ireland, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. His scholarly excellence has been recognized with several merit awards from the University of Limpopo in South Africa. Notably, his 2018 paper on climate change and food security in South Africa was awarded the Most Highly Cited Manuscript in AOSIS’s Science, Engineering, and Technology field.
In 2020, Happy secured a competitive publication grant from the South African National Research Foundation’s Centre of Excellence in Human Development for his project, Evaluation of Humanitarian Strategies in the Aftermath of Climate Change-Induced Disasters in Southern Africa. His commitment to justice-oriented research was also reflected in his 2017 selection as one of only 12 laureates by CODESRIA to participate in the Economic Justice Institute in Maputo, Mozambique, where he explored the intersections of climate change, inequality, and development in Africa.
A double scholarship recipient, Happy was awarded the Zimbabwe Presidential Scholarship in 2011 for his undergraduate studies in South Africa and the prestigious VLIR-UOS Scholarship for the Advanced Master of Governance and Development at the University of Antwerp, Belgium, in 2018/19. In 2017, he completed the Civic Leadership track of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) at the Regional Leadership Center Southern Africa and continues to contribute to the program as an admission reviewer.
Happy also serves as a doctoral external examiner for the University of Pretoria and is a review editor for Frontiers in Human Dynamics: Environment, Politics, and Society, where he was invited to lead a special issue on climate change and human health (2023–2025). He has reviewed for over 20 international journals and for major academic publishers such as Springer. His academic service includes membership on scientific steering committees and participation in more than a dozen international conferences.
He is currently serving as the responsible teacher for the MOOC Essentials in Development Studies, a 5 ECTS online course jointly offered by the Finnish University Partnership for International Development (UniPID), the University of Jyväskylä, and the University of Helsinki. From January to December 2025, he will also serve as a mentor for FORTHEM Alliance PhD students from various European universities. Additionally, Happy holds the position of adjunct professor at the University of Venda in South Africa, where he is supervising two Master’s students.
Beyond academia, Happy is a dynamic public speaker and workshop facilitator, skilled at bridging academic research and community engagement. He is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Jyväskylä (JYU), Finland, where his research continues to advance Afrocentric scholarship with a focus on climate change adaptation and indigenous knowledge systems in Africa.
