Riley Linebaugh

Riley Linebaugh is a Lecturer and Researcher in British History at the Centre for British Studies, Humboldt University of Berlin. She holds a PhD from Justus Liebig University Giessen and previously served as a postdoctoral researcher at the Leibniz Institute of European History in Mainz. Her research focuses on British colonial archives, decolonization, and the intersection of archival practices with imperial power. Current projects include investigating female secretaries' and spies' roles in the British Empire. She teaches courses emphasizing primary source analysis in colonial contexts, including “Explorations in British History” and “Self, Society, and Agency.”

• Education:
  • PhD in British History, Justus Liebig University Giessen
  • M.A. in Archives and Records Management
• Professional Experience:
  • Archivist in the US, UK, and Uganda
  • Teaching & MA supervision in History and (Post/De-)Colonial Theory
  • Work placement coordination and alumni relations

Her research critically examines colonial archives' political uses, such as the so-called ‘Migrated Archives’ controversy, and explores how archival practices reinforce or challenge imperial legacies. Recent work addresses the raced and gendered dimensions of archival custody and colonial governance.

Key publications analyze Britain’s archival policies in Kenya, the ideological underpinnings of colonial record-keeping, and the entangled histories of decolonization and documentation. Her work bridges historical scholarship with practical archival management expertise.