معرفی
Dr. Ettore Morelli is an Assistant Professor for African and Premodern History in the Department of History at the University of Basel, Faculty of Humanities. He is based at Hirschgässlein 21, 4051 Basel, Switzerland, where he conducts research and teaches in the fields of African history and premodern historical dynamics.
His research interests center on African history, particularly borderlands, mobility, and the historical construction of thresholds across time. He explores themes such as cross-border passage, colonial boundary-making, and the agency of movement in African contexts from the 15th century to the present.
Dr. Morelli’s recent publication, African Thresholds: Borders and Places of Passage in Africa, c.1450 to Present (2025), reflects a deep engagement with historical anthropology and spatial transitions. The work draws on riverine networks in Senegambia, desert roads in southern Africa, and insurgent border dynamics around Lake Chad, arguing that borders are not fixed barriers but dynamic thresholds shaped by those who cross them.
His scholarly output shows a consistent focus on African historical geography, premodern connectivity, and the social life of borders. The articles and book emphasize interdisciplinary methods, combining archival research with spatial and cultural analysis.
Dr. Morelli is involved in the academic life of the department, offering consultation hours and contributing to teaching and research colloquia. He is affiliated with the Basel Graduate School of History (BGSH), supporting doctoral education and public-facing historical discourse.
He advises students and participates in departmental academic activities, though specific advisees are not listed. No scientific awards are mentioned in the available texts.
He is active in research seminars and public scholarship, particularly through projects that link African history with broader global historical processes. His work contributes to decolonial and critical spatial understandings of African history.