Dr. Sarah Balakrishnan

Biography

Sarah Balakrishnan is an Andrew W. Mellon Assistant Professor of History at Duke University, specializing in sub-Saharan Africa, colonialism, and the Atlantic slave trade. She received her PhD in History from Harvard University in 2020. Prior to her current role at Duke, she held prestigious fellowships, including the Carter G. Woodson Fellowship at the University of Virginia and a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship in the History Department at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. As a historian, Balakrishnan explores the complexities of imperialism and colonialism, contributing to the field with noteworthy publications. Her recent works include critical analyses of the colonial landscape in West Africa, examining the intersections of storytelling and historical events. By focusing on relationships between European law, land rights, and urban cemeteries in late colonial Ghana, she offers significant insights into the historical narratives shaping modern understanding of the region.

Research Interests

Experience