Brigitte Reinwald

Prof. Dr. Brigitte Reinwald is Professor of African History at Leibniz University Hannover's Faculty of Philosophy, where she teaches in the Historical Seminar department. She has held this position since her appointment in 2004. Previously, she was a Research Associate at the Center for Modern Orient in Berlin (1998-2004) and lecturer at universities in Hamburg, Louvain-La-Neuve, and Hanover.

Her research focuses span African social history, colonial heritage, and postcolonial studies with regional emphasis on West and East Africa. Key thematic interests include urbanization, gender relations, spatial mobility, religious movements, and conflict dynamics during colonial transitions. Methodologically, she specializes in Oral History, historical gender research, film analysis, and source materiality studies.

Prof. Reinwald leads several major research initiatives including the Volkswagen Foundation's 'Knowledge for Tomorrow' program (€6M funding), PAESE Provenance Research, and the 'Colonial Traces in Hanover' exhibition project. She also supervises doctoral candidates in African history.

Education:

• PhD in Philosophy, University of Hamburg (1993)
• Habilitation in African History, University of Vienna (2003)
• First State Examination for Gymnasium Teaching, University of Hamburg (1984)

Awards & Memberships:

• Full Member, Göttingen Academy of Sciences
• Member, Scientific Commission of the Union of German Academies of Sciences
• Association for African Studies in Germany
• African Studies Association of Africa