Doctoral Candidate in project 5 - Teddy Arach
Teddy Arach will do a dual degree with Aarhus University and Makerere University.
My name is Teddy Arach, and I will be working on an interdisciplinary research project that explores how climate-affected youth in Gulu, Northern Uganda, use digitally mediated social networks to navigate migration and support their psychosocial well-being. The project is supervised by Associate Professor Nanna Schneidermann at Aarhus University and co-supervised by Dr Stella Neema at Makerere University as part of the HEALENAE Doctoral Network.
Climate change is increasingly affecting livelihoods across Uganda, prompting many young people to migrate in search of education, employment, and improved living conditions. While migration can create new opportunities, it can also bring challenges such as social isolation, economic insecurity, stress, and the disruption of support networks. At the same time, the use of digital social networks has grown rapidly, particularly among young people. I am excited to investigate how digital platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram influence migration decisions among climate-affected youth while also supporting their psychosocial well-being through social connections, information sharing, and access to emotional and practical support.
I am particularly excited to engage directly with young people whose lives are being shaped by climate change. Their experiences offer important insights into how communities adapt to environmental challenges and how digital technologies are transforming everyday forms of care, resilience, and social connection. To explore these dynamics, I will use qualitative and ethnographic methods that foreground young people's perspectives and lived experiences.
What draws me most to this research is its interdisciplinary nature, which closely aligns with my academic and professional background in clinical practice, public health, and planetary health. I look forward to contributing policy-relevant knowledge that supports equitable, youth-centred adaptation strategies in climate-affected communities while working within a vibrant international research environment.