Priya Lal

Priya Lal is an Associate Professor in the History Department at Boston College, based in Stokes Hall. She holds a B.A. from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from New York University. Her research focuses on modern African history, particularly East Africa, with an emphasis on decolonization, nationalism, development policies, African socialism, and gender dynamics. She currently leads a project on the transnational training and labor of educational/medical professionals in post-independence southeastern Africa, supported by major fellowships from the ACLS. Her first book, African Socialism in Postcolonial Tanzania, examines the ujamaa villagization initiative and won prestigious recognition.

Her work bridges micro-historical analysis with global frameworks, exploring how Tanzanian socialist policies intersected with transnational movements. Research interests include Cold War-era ideological exchanges, the gendered dimensions of developmental labor, and the material connections between African and Asian revolutionary movements. She has published widely in top journals like Humanity and Africa: Journal of the International African Institute, with articles addressing topics such as Maoism in Tanzania and the New International Economic Order.

Professor Lal’s awards reflect her scholarly impact, including the ACLS Burkhardt Fellowship and a book prize honorable mention. Her teaching spans African history and global modern history, with courses emphasizing comparative postcolonial experiences. Current research expands beyond Tanzania to consider broader themes of resource sovereignty and transnational professional networks in decolonizing contexts.