Koen Bostoen

Professor Koen Bostoen (born 1975) is a distinguished scholar of African Linguistics and Swahili at Ghent University, where he has held a professorship since 2011. He leads the BantUGent - UGent Centre for Bantu Studies and maintains affiliations with Modyco in Paris Nanterre. His research integrates linguistic, archaeological, and genetic evidence to reconstruct the history of Bantu speakers, particularly their expansion south of the Congo rainforest.

Professor Bostoen's research interests focus on the historical-comparative study of Bantu languages and interdisciplinary approaches to the African past. His work examines language contact phenomena, lexical reconstruction, and the relationship between language spread and human migration. He investigates how linguistic evidence can inform our understanding of early farming practices, climate change impacts, and interactions between Bantu speakers and indigenous populations in Central Africa. His research spans multiple Bantu language groups including Kikongo, Kirundi, Kiswahili, Luganda, and numerous other Central and Southern African languages.

His recent publications reveal a consistent pattern of interdisciplinary scholarship that bridges linguistic analysis with archaeological and genetic evidence. Professor Bostoen's work increasingly emphasizes the integration of multiple lines of evidence to reconstruct complex historical processes, particularly focusing on the Bantu expansion and its implications for understanding African prehistory. His research demonstrates sophisticated methodological approaches that combine traditional comparative linguistics with cutting-edge interdisciplinary techniques.

• ERC Starting Grant for KongoKing project (2012-2016)
• ERC Consolidator's Grant for BantuFirst project (2018-2022)

Professor Bostoen maintains an active supervision portfolio, having recently promoted PhD students including Lorenzo Maselli (2024), Mandela Kaumba Mazanga (2022), Michel Onokoko Onyumbe (2022), and Heidi Goes (2022). His current research funding includes multiple major projects running through 2028, demonstrating sustained research excellence and productivity. His work continues to shape scholarly understanding of Bantu languages and African history through innovative interdisciplinary approaches.

As director of the BantUGent Centre for Bantu Studies, Professor Bostoen oversees a vibrant research environment that brings together linguists, archaeologists, and geneticists to tackle complex questions about African history. The center facilitates fieldwork in Central Africa, language documentation projects, and collaborative research that advances our understanding of linguistic diversity and historical processes in Africa.