Andreas Eckert

Andreas Eckert is Professor and Chair of African History at Humboldt University Berlin, where he also serves as Director of the International Research Centre "Work and Human Life Cycle in Global History" since 2009. Previously, he was Head of Department at the Institute of Asian and African Studies (2008-2009) and Dean of the Faculty of History and Philosophy at the University of Hamburg (2004-2006). His academic career includes visiting professorships at Harvard University, Maison des Sciences de l'Homme in Paris, and Indiana University.

Professor Eckert's research focuses on African history in the 19th and 20th century, with particular emphasis on the history of the state, urbanization, and historiography. His scholarly work extends to comparative history of colonialism, history of work/labour history, and global history. His approach combines deep regional expertise in African contexts with transnational and comparative perspectives that challenge traditional historical narratives.

Eckert's publication record demonstrates a consistent engagement with themes of state formation, labor relations, urban development, and historical methodology in African contexts. His work spans from detailed case studies of specific regions like Douala and Tanzania to broader conceptual explorations of how Africa fits into world historical narratives. A notable trend in his scholarship is the examination of entangled histories that connect local African experiences with global processes of colonialism, decolonization, and postcolonial state formation.

His notable achievements include:

• 2012 Guest Fellowship at Freiburg Institute of Advanced Study
• Election as chairperson of "Forum Transregionale Studien" (2011)
• Major Grant from the German Ministry for Research and Education for the Institute "Work and Human Life Cycle in Global History" (2009)
• Election as chairperson of "Arbeitskreis für Moderne Sozialgeschichte" (2007)
• Managing Editor of the Journal of African History (2004-2011)
• Fellowship in the Royal Historical Society (2000)

As Director of the International Research Centre "Work and Human Life Cycle in Global History," Eckert has secured significant funding including a major grant from the German Ministry for Research and Education (2009-2015). He has also served on the Board of the International African Institute in London and has been actively involved in scholarly organizations including the "Forum Transregionale Studien" and "Arbeitskreis für Moderne Sozialgeschichte."

Under Eckert's leadership, the International Research Centre "Work and Human Life Cycle in Global History" brings together scholars from multiple disciplines and countries to examine the historical dimensions of work and human life cycles from a global perspective. The center serves as a hub for innovative research that transcends traditional geographic and disciplinary boundaries.