Karin Shapiro

Karin Shapiro is an Associate Professor of the Practice in Duke University's Department of African and African American Studies and History, affiliated with Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. She holds a PhD from Yale University (1991) and dual degrees from the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa. Her research bridges South/Southern African and American histories, focusing on race, labor, and transnational movements.

Education: Ph.D. (Yale, 1991), M.Phil./M.A. (Yale, 1986/1983), B.A. (Witwatersrand, 1981/1980).

Research Interests: Political economy of race, coerced labor systems, anti-apartheid activism, and comparative studies of Southern US and South African histories. Her work examines intersections between labor rebellions (e.g., Tennessee coalfields), university divestment campaigns, and social justice movements.

Recent Publications include analyses of Yale's 1980s anti-apartheid activism and Archbishop Khotso Makhulu's role in social justice. Her writing spans labor history, transnationalism, and historical memory.

Awards: 2025 Judith Deckers Teaching Prize, Howard D. Johnson Award (2024), & recognition for top-tier undergraduate instruction. Mentored students winning Lowell-Aptman, Durden, and Fulbright honors.

Leadership: Director of Graduate Studies in African & African American Studies since 2019, overseeing 40+ PhD/Master's students across disciplines.