Shobana Shankar

Shobana Shankar is a Professor in the Department of History at Stony Brook University, holding a Ph.D. from UCLA (2003). Her work bridges African history with global diasporic connections, particularly focusing on West Africa and its intersections with South Asia.

• Key Affiliations: Stony Brook University, Wilson Center (2022-2023)

Research Interests: Shankar specializes in social and cultural history, religious transformations, minority communities, and international humanitarianism in Africa. Her work explores Africa-South Asia networks, Muslim-Christian interactions, and racial politics.

Recent Publications: Her 2021 book An Uneasy Embrace examines cross-continental racial dynamics. Other works include Religions on the Move (2013), Who Shall Enter Paradise (2014), and Transforming Religious Landscapes (2018).

Public Engagement: She contributes to mainstream platforms like The Conversation and The Washington Post, addressing topics from Nigerian immunization strategies to U.S. prison history.

• Scientific Awards: Wilson Center Fellowship (2022-2023)

Current Work: Researching Nigeria-India diasporic exchanges at the Wilson Center while teaching courses on African-Asian encounters, racial politics, and health history.