Elaine Tontoh

Biography

EDUCATION

• Ph.D. - The New School for Social Research, Development Economics & Labor Economics, 2021
• MPhil - The New School for Social Research, Development Economics & Labor Economics, 2018
• A. - The New School for Social Research, Economics, 2016
• MPhil - University of Ghana, Monetary Economics, 2011
• A. - University of Ghana, Economics, Geography and Resource Development, 2007

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

• Distinguished / Visiting Professor of Economics, St. John’s University, Economics and Finance Department, Queens, New York
• Adjunct Professor of Economics, Fordham University, Department of Economics, New York, New York
• Teaching Fellow in Economics, The New School for Social Research, Department of Economics, New York, New York
• Graduate Teaching Assistant, Eugene Lang College, The New School, Department of Economics, New York, New York

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

• Tontoh, E. A. (2021). The Triple Day Thesis: Three Theoretical Essays on the Capability Perspective and Economics of Motherhood—ProQuest. ProQuest Dissertations. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2557398079?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true
• Tontoh, E. A. (2021). The Triple Day Thesis: Theorizing Motherhood as a Capability and a Capability Suppressor Within Martha Nussbaum’s Feminist Philosophical Capability Theory. Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, 0(0), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/19452829.2021.2014425

REGIONAL, NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES

• 2021 Southern Economics Association Conference, USA
• 2021 Association for Heterodox Economics Conference, United Kingdom,
• 2022 Association for Heterodox Economics Conference, United Kingdom
• 2022 International Association for Feminist Economics, Switzerland
• 2022 ASSA Annual Meeting - American Economic Association, USA

ACADEMIC AWARDS & HONORS

• 2021 Best Early Career Research Prize, The Association for Heterodox Economics Conference.
• 2021 Edith Henry Johnson Memorial Award Recipient in Economics, Civil Affairs, and Education for Dissertation, The New School for Social Research.
• 2018 Dissertation Fellowship Award, The New School for Social Research.
• 2016 Doctoral Tuition Fellowship Award, The New School for Social Research.
• 2016 Outstanding Graduate Student Award, Master of Arts, Economics, The New School for Social Research.
• 2007 Akuafo Hall of Excellence Award, First Class Honors, Bachelor of Arts, Economics, University of Ghana.

NON-ACADEMIC AWARDS AND HONORS

• 2019 Ghanaian Shining Star Award, Catholic Migration Services, Diocese of Brooklyn, 2019

            - 2019 Shining Stars: Ghanaian Catholics Lead Hymns of Praise

• 2007 Certificate of Merit for Selfless Service, International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS-PAX ROMANA), University of Ghana, Legon Local.
• 2007 Certificate of Honor for Leadership, Star of the Sea Catholic Church, Dansoman, Accra-Ghana
• 1998 Certificate of Recognition for Invaluable Service, Local Council of Churches of Ghana, Mamponse Mpoase Zone

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Tontoh is a Maternal Feminist Theorist and a Development Economist. She joined Belmont University in June of 2022 as a Faculty Fellow in Economics. For her doctoral dissertation., Dr. Tontoh developed the Triple Day Thesis (TDT) which explains the concept of self-reproductive work from an economic and capabilities perspective for women who experience motherhood. The objective of her ongoing theoretical economic research is to promote human flourishing within motherhood towards a positive realization of the dignity and essence of women and mothers within capitalist societies. She presents her work at regional, national, and international conferences, and her research appears in the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities.

In 2021, Dr. Tontoh was honored by the Association for Heterodox Economics with the Best Early Career Research Prize for her work on “Theorizing Motherhood within the Capabilities Approach and Social Reproduction Theory” and, The New School for Social Research with the Edith Henry Johnson Memorial Award in Economics, Civil Affairs, and Education for dissertation, "The Triple Day Thesis: Three Theoretical Essays on The Capability Perspective and Economics of Motherhood” . She holds a B.A. and MPhil degree in Economics from the University of Ghana, and M.A., MPhil, and Ph.D. degrees in Economics from the New School for Social Research.

Dr. Tontoh has experience teaching development economics through the lens of Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Her teaching focus on LDCs from Africa, Asia & the Pacific, Latin America & the Caribbean is  motivated by her previous internship experience at the Least Developed Country unit of UN-OHRLLS. Moreover, because of her research, Dr. Tontoh is currently developing a course on Women in Development with an emphasis on economic, human, and social development.

Prior to joining Belmont University, Dr. Tontoh served in the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens, New York where she was the Director of Youth Ministry and Cantor at St. Francis of Assisi-St. Blaise Roman Catholic Church, the Director of Youth Ministry at St. Therese of Lisieux Roman Catholic Church, and a devoted member of the Ghanaian Community Catholic Choir at St. Catherine of Genoa. In 2019, Dr. Tontoh and her husband were honored with a Ghanaian Shining Star Award by Catholic Migration Services in Brooklyn for their dedicated service to the Church.