Education
2013 - Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, History
2007 - M.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison, History
2000 - B.A., The University of Texas at Austin, Anthropology & History
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Research
I study the history of agricultural development in postcolonial francophone West Africa, particularly among Pulaar speakers (also known as the Fulbe or Fulani) in southeastern Senegal. I am researching the introduction of pesticides for cotton cultivation and the moral economies of pesticide-use. I am interested in the ecological and social impacts of agricultural chemicals including the different repercussions for men and women. I also consider the roles of political and religious authorities where the majority of the population is Muslim. I seek to understand how local factors influence global patterns. My work contributes to our knowledge of the socio-economic history of under-studied areas and peoples in West Africa and to the history of nation-building in modern Africa.
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Teaching Interests
I enjoy teaching African history as part of the liberal arts. My goals are to introduce students to the complexities of Africans' historical experiences and contemporary circumstances. My courses present individuals' perspectives, assess the relative power of historical actors, and demonstrate Africans' contributions to the development of the world. I encourage students to think critically and historically about common portrayals of the continent and its peoples. My courses emphasize transnationalism and historical methods and are based on my research interests.
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Work in Progress
"Cotton Production, Moral Ecology, and Women's Fertility in a Postcolonial West African Muslim Community" (article in progress)
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Courses
HI 105: World History, 1500-present
HI 391: History of Southern Africa