Philip Zachernuk

Philip Zachernuk is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at Dalhousie University, specializing in Modern African history with emphasis on intellectual traditions, slavery, colonialism, and educational systems. His scholarship bridges West African historical contexts with transnational Pan-African movements and diasporic engagements.

His educational background includes a BA and MA from Dalhousie University and a PhD from the University of Toronto. Zachernuk's research examines how African intellectuals navigated colonial structures while redefining continental identity, particularly through education and print culture in Nigeria. His work challenges Eurocentric historical frameworks by centering African epistemological agency.

Recent publications reveal sustained focus on Edward Wilmot Blyden's intellectual legacy, West African creolization processes, and the complexities of Pan-African cultural production. His scholarship demonstrates evolving engagement with animal studies, anonymity in colonial public spheres, and the economic dimensions of pre-independence Africa, reflecting interdisciplinary expansion within African historiography.

Zachernuk teaches core courses including Slavery and Slaving in Global History, Rise and Fall of African Slavery, Wars and Revolts in 19th Century Africa, and Topics in African History (Nationalism & Independence), maintaining active office hours for student engagement in Winter 2025.