Online Reporter
Latwell Nyangu
UK-BASED Zimbabwean researcher, Abel Mavura, has been awarded the 2025 Margaret Mead Memorial Award by the International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS) for the best student paper.
The award was presented during the ISSS Annual Meeting at the University of Birmingham Leadership Institute on Monday.
Mavura’s paper “Resilience Among Young Male Migrants in Paris’ Informal Housing” was recognised for its originality, analytical clarity, commitment, collectivist and culturally pluralistic approaches. He becomes the 13th recipient of the Margaret Mead Memorial Award, which honours researchers who embody Mead’s legacy in anthropology and systems thinking.
Mavura also becomes the first Zimbabwean to win this award.
Established in 2013, the award celebrates scholarships which advance relational intelligence and empowers communities through systemic understanding.
In an interview, he said his research explores how young male migrants living in informal housing in Paris build resilience amid systemic exclusion.
“The study highlights grassroots adaptation, solidarity and migrant-led advocacy as vital mechanisms of urban resilience, advocating for more inclusive policies.
“This recognition underscores the value of inclusion and diversity in systems research.
“My work aims to amplify the voices of those often left out of development and policy discussions.
“I am honoured to contribute to a dialogue that challenges exclusion and champions equity.
“I am also the Clutton Brock Cambridge Commonwealth, European & International Trust research awardee for 2025, it’s one of the best grants to research at the University of Cambridge. ”
A PhD researcher specialising in migration and international affairs, Mavura presented a paper during the ISSS international meeting at the University of Birmingham.
His work integrates systems thinking, participatory methods, and urban studies, resonating with Margaret Mead’s commitment to cultural pluralism and collective well-being.
Bongani Ndlovu
Mathew Masinge