Dr. Sean Hawkins

Biography

Professor Sean Hawkins focuses on social cultural history in sub-Saharan Africa during the 19th and 20th centuries. His work addresses topics such as identity, political authority, religion, medicine, colonial law, and marriage. He authored the book 'Writing Colonialism in North Ghana: Encounter with the LoDagaa (the World Paper), 1982-1992' (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2002). His current research project examines the history of Western perceptions and the denials of African emotional subjectivity, with specific emphasis on Anglo-American perspectives over the centuries, exploring Western discourses related to slavery, race, kinship, and animals. He is also interested in the history of African identity and the broader diaspora, leading to his co-editing of a collection of essays with Philip D. Morgan, 'Black Experience and Empire' (New York: Oxford University Press, 2004), which serves as a companion volume to the 'Oxford History of the British Empire'. Additionally, he is engaged in pedagogical publishing projects that emphasize the African contributions to Western ideas and practices of freedom.

Research Interests