معرفی
David Morton is an Associate Professor and TA Director in the Department of History at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Arts. His research focuses on southern Africa, African urbanism, and decolonization, with specific expertise in informal settlement history and the histories of Mozambique and its capital Maputo. He received his PhD in African History from the University of Minnesota in 2015 and his BA in History from Yale University in 1997.
Dr. Morton's research examines the material history of urban spaces, particularly how housing construction in Maputo's informal areas (subúrbios) represents both historical processes and social aspirations. His work challenges conventional urban histories that treat African informal settlements as ahistorical shantytowns, instead revealing their complex historical development and significance as sites of investment, inheritance, and political engagement.
His publications show a consistent focus on Mozambique's urban history, particularly Maputo, with research spanning colonial and postcolonial periods. His work examines material culture, housing, urban development, and the transition from colonial to postcolonial governance, often using innovative approaches to uncover historical narratives embedded in the urban landscape. His research demonstrates how political history is materially inscribed in the built environment of African cities.
- African Studies Association's 2020 Bethwell A. Ogot Prize (shortlisted) for Age of Concrete: Housing and the Shape of Aspiration in the Capital of Mozambique
- Canadian Historical Association's 2020 Wallace K. Ferguson Prize (shortlisted) for Age of Concrete: Housing and the Shape of Aspiration in the Capital of Mozambique
Dr. Morton currently leads the SSHRC Insight Grant-funded project "A State at Year Zero: An Oral History of Mozambique's Independence," which examines the immediate post-independence period in Mozambique (around June 25, 1975). This research explores how Mozambicans at all levels of society interpreted the colonial past and rapidly addressed it during the very first flush of independence. His work has been featured in interviews with The New Books Network podcast and The Metropole, the blog of the Urban History Association.
Dr. Morton teaches courses in world history with a focus on African urban history, as evidenced by his 2019 course "Cities in World History" (HIST 104F). He maintains an active research profile with recent publications spanning multiple disciplines including history, urban studies, and African studies.
