Sean Hanretta

Sean Hanretta is an Associate Professor of History at Northwestern University specializing in the intellectual, cultural, and religious history of modern West Africa. His current research examines Muslim weddings and funerals in Ghana and the history of higher education across West Africa.

Education:

• Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2003

Professor Hanretta's research centers on African History with critical focus on Religious History, Intellectual History, and Gender and Sexuality History. His work interrogates colonialism's legacy, non-documentary historical evidence, and the interplay between Islam and social structures in West African contexts.

His publications demonstrate sustained analysis of Islamic modernization, gender dynamics, and political leadership in colonial/postcolonial Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, revealing how religious practices shaped community identity amid social transformation.

Scientific Awards:

• No awards mentioned

Professor Hanretta mentors graduate students in African intellectual history, cultural history, gender history, and Islamic history in Africa. His undergraduate curriculum includes courses on modern African history (1885-1994), global death rituals, African cinema, and Cold War impacts on the continent.

No laboratory or research team affiliations are specified in current institutional materials.