Insa Nolte

Insa Nolte is a Professor of African Studies at the University of Birmingham, affiliated with the Department of African Studies and Anthropology and serving as Head of the School of History and Cultures. She holds a joint Research Professor position at Osun State University, Nigeria, since 2013. Her work bridges history and anthropology, focusing on Nigerian and Yoruba religious and political dynamics.

• Education: Diplomvolkswirtin from Freie Universität Berlin; PhD from University of Birmingham.

Her research explores how everyday life shapes political and religious history in southwest Nigeria, with a focus on Muslim-Christian coexistence and gender roles in interfaith marriages. She emphasizes interdisciplinary methodologies, integrating oral histories, Islamic sources, and large-n surveys funded by the European Research Council (ERC).

Recent publications analyze historical patterns of religious identification and gendered religious preferences, highlighting the limitations of Eurocentric frameworks for understanding African interfaith dynamics. Her 2020 article on "At least I am married" examines gender in Muslim-Christian marriages, while her 2019 editorial in Journal of African Cultural Studies advocates for decolonizing research practices.

• Scientific Awards: Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship (current), Fellow at Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin (2022-2023), former ASAUK President and Royal African Society Council member.

Insa Nolte supervises doctoral research on African history, politics, gender, and religion, with projects addressing ethno-religious conflict, media representations of religion, and traditional rule in Ghana. She has contributed to editorial roles for African Affairs and Africa: Journal of the International African Institute.