Jessica Reuther

Jessica Reuther serves as an Associate Professor of History in the Department of History at Ball State University's College of Sciences and Humanities, while also maintaining a teaching affiliate appointment in the African American Studies program.

Her research centers on West African and Atlantic World history with specialized expertise in gender and sexuality studies, colonial legal systems, and social history. Dr. Reuther is currently developing her book manuscript Fostering Trust: A History of Girlhood and Social Motherhood in West Africa, which examines the historical practice of girl fostering ("entrusting") in the kingdom and colony of Dahomey (modern-day Benin) from the 17th to 20th centuries. This work analyzes how foster arrangements created complex networks of obligation while simultaneously exploiting girls' labor for economic benefit.

Her field research spans multiple continents, including extensive archival work in Benin, Senegal, France, Switzerland, and the United States. Dr. Reuther completed her PhD in African History at Emory University before joining Ball State University in Fall 2016, where she teaches specialized courses on African history and related interdisciplinary topics.