Dr. Julie Macarthur

Biography

Julie MacArthur’s research interests revolve around the role of cartography in geographic imaginations, borders, local practices of space, memory, representation, and the constructions of community, power, and dissent in modern Africa. She has published on electoral politics and linguistic history, contributing to the understanding of how political communities are formed. Her book, 'Cartography and Political Imagination in Colonial Kenya' (Ohio University Press, 2016), examines the interplay of mapping, ethnogenesis, and dissenting politics in colonial Kenya. In 2017, she edited and was the principal author of 'Dedan Kimathi on Trial: Colonial Justice and Popular Memory in Kenya’s Mau Rebellion' (Ohio University Press), a volume that brings to light the trial of Mau rebel Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi and includes contributions from leading scholars discussing themes of colonial justice and postcolonial memory. Her forthcoming research project, 'Radical Cartographies,' will explore alternative mappings of decolonization, sovereignty, and citizenship in eastern Africa from 1950 to 1976. Additionally, she has worked extensively in the field of African cinema, examining the role of film as a medium for Africans to articulate and engage with pressing social and political issues. As a fellow at the Jackman Humanities Institute, she has partnered with the University of Western Cape, South Africa, on a multi-year initiative entitled 'Aesthetic Education.' She has served as a programming associate for the Toronto International Film Festival and has been involved with various film forums and festivals globally.

Research Interests

Experience