Jonny Steinberg

Jonny Steinberg is a Senior Lecturer at Yale University, where he teaches seminars on 'Bureaucracy in Africa' and 'Archival Methods in the Social Sciences'. Previously, he held positions as Professor of African Studies at the University of Oxford and Visiting Professor at Wits University's Wiser Institute. His research focuses on South African history, biographical narratives, and sociopolitical dynamics in Africa. Steinberg has authored seven books, including the award-winning Winnie and Nelson: A Portrait of a Marriage (2023), which won the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Education:

• Ph.D., Oxford University, 1999
• M.A., Wits University, 1995
• B.A., Wits University, 1992

Research Interests: Steinberg explores everyday life in South Africa across late apartheid to the present, with a focus on political marriages, policing systems, HIV/AIDS impacts, and refugee experiences. His work blends historical analysis with ethnographic storytelling, often centering marginalized voices.

Awards:

• National Book Critics Circle Award (2023)
• Windham-Campbell Literature Prize (Inaugural)
• Twice recipient of South Africa’s Sunday Times Nonfiction Award
• Shortlisted for the Wolfson History Prize

Steinberg’s career combines academic rigor with public engagement, including lectures on Mandela’s legacy and the socio-political underpinnings of Africa’s epidemics. His work bridges academic and popular audiences, offering nuanced insights into Africa’s complexities.