Abou B. Bamba, Chairperson and Associate Professor of Africana Studies, recently received an invitation from the American Historical Review to join their esteemed Board of Editors, where he will join his peers in reviewing manuscripts within his field of expertise. He will also serve on an advisory council on matters relating to the journal, and make suggestions about manuscripts that should be considered for review and publication.
Bamba teaches multiple Africa-related courses in both the Africana studies department and the history department at Gettysburg College. Having earned his PhD from Georgia State University, Bamba’s research has centered on imperial and colonial history in the 19th and 20th centuries, and the histories of decolonization, development and modernization. His work, which has focused on the Ivory Coast, the United States, and France, has been supported by major foundations such as the Fulbright Commission, the JFK Foundation, the LBJ Foundation, and the French Embassy in the United States.
Of the honor of joining the Board, Bamba says: “I am most excited about the possibility of reading new and innovative research and helping their authors improve on the quality of what are usually great drafts. Of course, I revel in the possibility of challenging myself in keeping up with the scholarship and expanding my own knowledge of my fields and learning about what is happening in other fields.”
The leading journal in the field of history, the American Historical Review is a flagship of the field in the United States. “To join the Board of Editors of such a prestigious journal is definitely an honor, especially since I am currently the only member of the Board from a Liberal Arts College,” says Bamba.
Bamba’s background, hailing from the Ivory Coast, and his particular interest in the politics of knowledge production and dissemination, will allow him to be able to help underrepresented voices to be heard. One of his tasks will be to help the Board further its mission of decolonizing the journal by bringing publishing more diverse voices and perspectives.
“My hope in doing this is to open a space where under-represented scholars can engage and be engaged in the production of historical knowledge as it appears in the pages of the AHR.”
Learn more about studying history or Africana studies at Gettysburg College.
By Isabel Miller ‘21
Photos courtesy of Abou Bamba
Posted: 12/02/20
