Dr. Allan Lumba

Biography

Allan E. S. Lumba is a cultural social historian specializing in the Asia Pacific. His research engages critical questions of racial capitalism, imperialism, and decolonization. He holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of Washington. His book, 'Monetary Authorities: Capitalism and Decolonization in the American Colonial Philippines,' charts the historical intersections and tensions related to race, knowledge, sovereignty, and capitalist markets between the United States and the Philippines. Currently, he is working on a project focused on the infrastructural history of sinking cities in the Asia Pacific, titled 'Subsidence: Surfacing Life in a Sinking City,' which has received funding from the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Kyoto University. Lumba has published articles and chapters in journals such as 'Diplomatic History' and in editorial collections, highlighting topics including the cultural history of money and credit. Previously, he served as a Global American Studies postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University's Charles Warren Center and as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan. He has also been an assistant professor at Virginia Tech and has received various research supports including fellowships from Fulbright-Hays and the Foreign Language Areas Studies. His teaching predominantly covers topics in racial capitalism, colonialism, imperialism, and social movements, with a focus on Philippine, Southeast Asian, Pacific, North American, and Asian American histories.

Research Interests

Experience