Nathaniel Mathews

Nathaniel Mathews is an Associate Professor in the Department of Africana Studies at Binghamton University, specializing in modern African history with a focus on Zanzibar, the Swahili coast, and the global afterlives of the Zanzibar revolution. His research intersects with diaspora studies, Islamic law, colonial history, and the history of slavery.

• Ph.D., Northwestern University (2016)
• M.A., Georgetown University (2009)
• B.A., Howard University (2006)

Research Interests: His work examines the transnational history of Swahili-speaking communities, particularly their migration from East Africa to Oman in the 1960s-70s, memory practices, and contributions to Omani national citizenship. He explores Islamic reform movements, Arab identity formation, and intersections of slavery, race, and citizenship in the Indian Ocean world.

Publications: His recent articles analyze abolitionism in Islamic thought and Arab identity in colonial Mombasa. His book Zanzibar Was a Country (UC Press, 2023) investigates Swahili diasporic memory and identity in Oman.

Memberships: Active in the African Studies Association and the Association for the Study of the World African Diaspora, Mathews contributes to academic discourse through platforms like Humanities Commons.