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Akin Ogundiran holds a Ph.D. from Boston University and specializes in the archaeology and history of Africa over the past 2,500 years, with a particular emphasis on the Yoruba world in West Africa. His research interests focus on understanding the impacts of global and regional political economies on community formations and the social actors involved in the creation of knowledge, identities, and landscapes. His work intersects cultural and political economy with environmental approaches to study complex social systems at various scales, including household, urbanism, and empire. Current research projects include archaeological studies on early Iron Age community formation in Nigeria, political economy social ecology of the Oyo Empire, and the landscape history of the Osun-Osogbo Grove—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Akin Ogundiran also directs the Material History Lab in the Department of History and has received significant support for his research from prestigious organizations such as the National Geographic Society and the Archaeological Institute of America. He has taught at various institutions including Florida International University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and has served as the Editor-in-Chief of the African Archaeological Review. His publications include several influential books that address archaeological and historical themes in Africa and the African diaspora.
Northwestern University • Evanston, IL
Teaching and conducting research in African History.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte • Charlotte, NC
Focused on interdisciplinary approaches to African History.
Florida International University • Miami, FL
Taught courses in African History.
Standard PhD requirements for TGS departments including Chemistry, Physics, and Sociology.